Causal Effect Research Articles

Evaluating the Effectiveness of InsightApp for Anxiety, Valued Action, and Psychological Resilience: Longitudinal Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental disorders, and stress plays a significant role in their development. Ecological momentary interventions (EMIs) hold great potential to help people manage stress and anxiety by training emotion regulation and coping skills in real-life settings. InsightApp is a gamified EMI and research tool that incorporates elements from evidence-based therapeutic approaches. It is designed to strengthen people’s metacognitive skills for coping with challenging real-life situations and embracing anxiety and other emotions. Objective This randomized controlled trial aims to examine the effectiveness of InsightApp in (1) improving individuals’ metacognitive strategies for coping with stress and anxiety and (2) promoting value-congruent action. It also evaluates how long these effects are retained. This experiment advances our understanding of the role of metacognition in emotional and behavioral reactivity to stress. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 228 participants (completion rate: n=197, 86.4%; mean age 38, SD 11.50 years; age range 20-80 years; female: n=101, 52.6%; and White: n=175, 91.1%), who were randomly assigned to either the treatment or the active placebo control group. During the 1-week intervention phase, the treatment group engaged with InsightApp, while participants in the control group interacted with a placebo version of the app that delivered executive function training. We assessed the differences between the 2 groups in posttest and follow-up assessments of mental health and well-being while controlling for preexisting differences. Moreover, we used a multilevel model to analyze the longitudinal data, focusing on the within-participant causal effects of the intervention on emotional and behavioral reactivity to daily stressors. Specifically, we measured daily anxiety, struggle with anxiety, and value-congruent action. Results The intervention delivered by InsightApp yielded mixed results. On one hand, we found no significant posttest scores on mental health and well-being measures directly after the intervention or 7 days later (all P>.22). In contrast, when confronted with real-life stress, the treatment group experienced a 15% lower increase in anxiety (1-tailed t test, t197=–2.4; P=.009) and a 12% lower increase in the struggle with anxiety (t197=–1.87; P=.031) than the control group. Furthermore, individuals in the treatment group demonstrated a 7% higher tendency to align their actions with their values compared to the control group (t197=3.23; P=.002). After the intervention period, InsightApp’s positive effects on the struggle with anxiety in reaction to stress were sustained, and increased to an 18% lower reactivity to stress (t197=–2.84; P=.002). Conclusions As our study yielded mixed results, further studies are needed to obtain an accurate and reliable understanding of the effectiveness of InsightApp. Overall, our findings tentatively suggest that guiding people to apply adaptive metacognitive strategies for coping with real-life stress daily with a gamified EMI is a promising approach that deserves further evaluation. Trial Registration OSF Registries osf.io/k3b5d; https://osf.io/k3b5d

Be kinder to yourself: Awe promotes self-compassion via self-transcendence.

Deficits in self-compassion heighten the vulnerability of mental disorders and jeopardize well-being, emphasizing the necessity of fostering self-compassion during unexpected suffering. In this research, we investigate awe as an antecedent for promptly promoting self-compassion. Across five studies (three preregistered), employing various self-compassion metrics (self-report scale and behaviors) and testing in both controlled and natural settings, we found that awe was positively associated with, or promoted, self-reported self-compassion (Studies 1, 2, 4, and 5) and self-compassionate behaviors in real life (Study 5). These effects were distinct from general positive emotions (Studies 1 and 4) or nature exposure (Study 4). We further found that self-transcendence mediated this effect (Studies 2, 4, and 5) beyond self-diminishment (Study 4) and had a causal effect on promoting self-compassion (Study 3). These findings imply that awe enhances self-compassion via self-transcendence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Mendelian randomization and multiomics comprehensively reveal the causal relationship and potential mechanism between atrial fibrillation and gastric cancer

ObjectiveGastric cancer is a harmful disease, the comorbidity mechanism and causality relationship between this disease and other diseases are worth studying.MethodsUsing a two-sample Mendelian Randomization method, this study revealed the potential causal effect of atrial fibrillation (AF) on gastric cancer (GC) risk by constructing a genetic instrument containing 136 AF associated SNPs. Subsequently, analysis identifies 62 AF-GC co-associated genes and constructs a protein-protein interaction network of key genes. High-throughput sequencing data were further used to analyze the association between the two and their impact on the survival outcome of gastric cancer.ResultsThe results showed that AF was negatively associated with gastric cancer, and further analysis revealed that this relationship was independent of GC risk factors such as chronic gastritis, Helicobacter pylori infection, and alcohol consumption. Enrichment analysis reveals associations of key genes with pathways related to cardiovascular disease, inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases, and tumorigenesis. Through single-cell sequencing data analysis, fibroblast subpopulations associated with the key gene set are identified in GC, showing significant correlations with cancer progression and inflammation regulation pathways. Transcription factor analysis and developmental trajectory analysis reveal the potential role of fibroblasts in GC development. Finally, prognosis analysis and gene mutation analysis using TCGA-STAD data indicate an adverse prognosis associated with the key gene set in GC.ConclusionThis study provides new insights into the association between AF and GC and offers novel clues for understanding its impact on the pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies of GC.

Relationship of α-Klotho with Frailty Index and Sarcopenia: A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study.

Previous studies have established associations between α-Klotho and frailty or sarcopenia; however, the causal nature of these relationships remains unclear. This study investigates the causal effects of α-Klotho on frailty and sarcopenia-related traits using Mendelian randomization (MR). Genetic instruments for circulating α-Klotho concentrations, frailty index (FI), low grip strength (LGS), appendicular lean mass (ALM), and walking pace were developed based on data from large genome-wide association studies. Two-sample MR analyses were performed, supplemented by sensitivity analyses to ensure the robustness of the findings. Reverse MR analyses were also conducted to explore potential reverse causation. The findings demonstrated an inverse causal relationship of circulating α-Klotho levels with FI (β = -0.020, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = -0.036 to -0.004; p = 0.017) and LGS (β = -0.033, 95% CI = -0.061 to -0.004; p = 0.023). However, no causal relationship was observed between circulating α-Klotho levels and ALM or walking pace. Additionally, no evidence of reverse causation was identified between FI or sarcopenia-related traits and circulating α-Klotho levels. In conclusion, this MR analysis establishes an inverse causal relationship of circulating α-Klotho levels with both FI and LGS.

Evaluating lipid-lowering drug targets for full-course diabetic retinopathy

BackgroundImplementing lipid control in patients with diabetes is regarded as a potential strategy for halting the advancement of diabetic retinopathy (DR). This study seeks to use Mendelian randomisation (MR) to...

Catch me if you can: Using machine learning and behavioral interventions to reduce unethical behavior

Abstract We report the results of a field experiment designed to increase honest disclosure of claims at a U.S. state unemployment agency. Individuals filing claims were randomized to a message (‘nudge’) intervention, while an off-the-shelf machine learning algorithm calculated claimants’ risk for committing fraud (underreporting earnings). We study the causal effects of algorithmic targeting on the effectiveness of nudge messages: Without algorithmic targeting, the average treatment effect of the messages was insignificant; in contrast, the use of algorithmic targeting revealed significant heterogeneous treatment effects across claimants. Claimants predicted to behave unethically by the algorithm were more likely to disclose earnings when receiving a message relative to a control condition, with claimants predicted to most likely behave unethically being almost twice as likely to disclose earnings when shown a message. In addition to providing a potential blueprint for targeting more costly interventions, our study offers a novel perspective for the use and efficiency of data science in the public sector without violating citizens’ agency. However, we caution that, while algorithms can enable tailored policy, their ethical use must be ensured at all times.

The Role of Migration and Foreign Remittances in Bangladesh’s Economic Growth: An Empirical Analysis

Migration and foreign remittances have emerged as one of the most significant economic factors in Bangladesh in recent years due to their influence on economic growth. This study examines the intricate relationship between GDP and foreign remittances in Bangladesh over the period 1980–2022, using time series data and econometric methods. The analysis relies on secondary data from reputable sources, including the Bangladesh Economic Review (BER), Bangladesh Bank, and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). A Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) was employed to assess long-term and short-term relationships between the variables. The results reveal a positive long-term relationship between foreign remittances and GDP, highlighting the crucial role remittances play in Bangladesh’s economic growth. However, migration exhibits a negative correlation with GDP in the long run. The Granger Causality Test indicates that foreign remittances have a unidirectional causal effect on GDP in the short term, but migration does not significantly influence GDP in either direction. The findings suggest that while remittances are a key driver of short-term growth, migration’s long-term effects on economic output require more strategic policy intervention. Based on these results, the study recommends that Bangladesh’s government enhance its policies on remittance management, invest in skill development for migrant workers, and develop labor export strategies to maximize the benefits of remittances for sustainable economic growth.

Association of organ iron levels with type 2 diabetes mellitus and glycemic traits: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Observational studies have found that higher iron levels are associated with an increased risk of diabetes mellitus. Given the limitations of causal inferences from observational studies and the expensive and time-consuming nature of randomized controlled trials, Mendelian randomization analysis presents a reasonable alternative to study causal relationships. Previous MR analyses studying iron levels and diabetes have used indirect markers of iron levels, such as serum ferritin, and found conflicting results. In this study, we performed bidirectional Mendelian Randomization analyses using organ iron (liver, spleen, and pancreas) levels, which are more direct markers of iron status, to study the causal association of iron levels with type 2 diabetes mellitus and glycaemic traits. Two sample MR analyses were employed bi-directionally to study the causal effect of liver, spleen, and pancreas iron levels on type 2 diabetes and glycaemic traits and the causal effect of type 2 diabetes on organ iron levels, using summary data from genome-wide association studies (UK-Biobank, DIAGRAM, and MAGIC consortia). SNPs associated with organ iron levels with a cut-off of P < 5 × 10-7 were used as instrumental variables for the MR analyses of the effect of organ iron levels on type 2 diabetes/glycaemic traits, and SNPs associated with diabetes mellitus with a cut-off of P < 5 × 10-8 were used as instrumental variables for the MR analyses of the causal effect of type 2 diabetes on organ iron levels. Serum ferritin (GWAS meta-analysis of deCODE, UK INTERVAL, and Denmark studies) and haemoglobin (Blood Cell consortium) were used as positive controls for the MR analysis with liver iron as the exposure. Primary analyses used the inverse variance weighted means of Wald's ratio. Sensitivity analyses included inverse variance weighted median, weighted mode, and MR-Egger methods. Our findings reveal no causal association between liver and pancreas iron levels with type 2 diabetes (Liver iron: OR = 1.02, P = 0.1, Pancreas iron: OR = 1.11, P = 0.5). This also holds for glycaemic traits, except for the negative causal effect of liver iron levels on HbA1c (OR = 0.93, P = 0.001). Spleen iron levels had a negative causal effect on type 2 diabetes (OR = 0.94, P = 0.049). However, these exceptions are likely due to possible pleiotropy, as these associations can be explained by the effect of the genetic variants on factors that falsely decrease HbA1c levels. No causal association was found for the effect of type 2 diabetes on organ iron levels. Organ iron levels, which are relatively more direct indicators of iron status, showed no causal association with type 2 diabetes in the European population.

Circulating plasma protein identified as a therapeutic target for intracranial aneurysm through Mendelian Randomization analysis.

Intracranial aneurysms are the main cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), a severe stroke with devastating effects. However, there are no existing medications for intracranial aneurysms (IAs) and novel therapeutic targets are required. We performed a summary data-based Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis to explore the causal association between circulating plasma proteins and the risk of IAs and SAH. Colocalization analysis was conducted to identify shared causal variants between circulating plasma proteins and IAs, as well as SAH. Finally, mediation MR analyses were conducted to clarify the role of potential plasma proteins in aneurysm formation. Proteome-wide MR analysis showed that FGF5 (fibroblast growth factor 5) had a causal effect on IA and SAH risk (Pfdr<0.05). Moreover, genetic variants affecting FGF5 expression levels showed strong evidence of colocalization with IA risk (PPH4=0.993) and SAH risk (PPH=0.988), suggesting that this protein represents a potential direct target for IA intervention. Mediation analysis using two-step MR showed that systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure mediate the effects of FGF5 on IA and SAH. Our investigation identified a causal connection between FGF5 and IAs.

A good start for all children: integrating early-life course medical and social care through Solid Start, the Netherlands’ nationwide action programme

The foundations of human wellbeing are laid in early life during the preconception stage and the 1,000-days of life from conception to the child's second birthday. This period is therefore receiving scrutiny as a concept for guiding pregnancy-care innovation and public health policy. The Dutch government took responsibility to invest in this. In September 2018, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport launched the Solid Start action programme. Coordinated nationally, the programme is implemented locally through coalitions in all 342 Dutch municipalities involving collaboration between medical and social-care professionals, policymakers, parents and organisations. The programme has generated a nationwide movement in which medical and social-care professionals now develop forms of structural collaboration that support (future) parents by offering evidence-based interventions that simultaneously enhance early healthy human development and prevent unwanted pregnancies. Although monitoring of the programme does not currently make it possible to address the causal effects of the programme itself, lessons can be distilled which have contributed to the successful implementation of this nationwide programme. These lessons include 1) having and maintaining an unambiguous narrative, 2) creating a lasting sense of urgency among stakeholders, and 3) ensuring that the programme is multi-sectoral.

The impact of student’s ordinal cognitive ability rank on school violence: Evidence from China

School violence can exert immediate and enduring effects on the human capital development of students. Despite extensive discussions on the causes of school violence, the role of peer effects has been underexplored in the literature. To fill this gap, this paper examines the effect of cognitive ability rankings on students’ propensity for committing school violence. We select schools that randomly assign students to classes to mitigate selection biases and identify the causal effects. Our findings show that improving a student’s rank from the lowest to the highest reduces school violence by 0.5 standard deviations. A mechanism is the higher opportunity cost for students with a high cognitive ability rank. We also find that high-ranking students are more likely to stay with high-quality peers.

Social norms at crosswalks: Impact on pedestrian-yielding behavior and nudge intervention effectiveness

We conduct two surveys to investigate the underlying mechanism of drivers’ pedestrian-yielding behavior (DPYB) from a social norms perspective (Study 1), and design a norm-based intervention to assess its potential to alter DPYB (Study 2). In Study 1, we compare the normative expectations of DPYB between Zhejiang Province, which has a high pedestrian-yielding rate (PYR), and Hubei Province, which has a low PYR. The social norms in these two provinces differ significantly. Respondents from Zhejiang perceive others yielding for pedestrians more frequently (descriptive norm, DN), and are more likely to consider non-yielding behavior inappropriate (injunctive norm, IN). Both DN and IN significantly influence DPYB, indicating the causal effect of social norms on DPYB. In Study 2, to enhance the generalization of Study 1′s results, we expand the target provinces from two to nine, confirming the results from Study 1. Additionally, we design a norm-based ’nudge’ intervention aimed at promoting DPYB. This intervention would be implemented within a ride-hailing platform, which is widely used in China and could potentially provide a cost-effective means of supervising DPYB compared to other interventions like surveillance camera, as ride-hailing cars can access any street while the number of intersections with cameras is limited. Through a survey experiment, we compare the acceptance and perceived effectiveness of the nudge intervention with three other interventions: scrolls, ground paint and surveillance cameras. The nudge intervention and the introduction of surveillance cameras were found to be particularly effective. Interestingly, although there were no significant differences in acceptance among the four tested interventions, respondents from high PYR provinces had significantly higher acceptance and perceived effectiveness of the nudge intervention than those from the low PYR provinces. Our findings suggest that social norms play a crucial role in intervention design and a reliable measure for assessing an intervention’s effectiveness. The results encourage the policymakers to implement norm-based nudge intervention but highlight the need to consider existing social norms in shaping the effectiveness and receptivity of nudge-based strategies. This research underscores the significance of leveraging social norm as a focal point for designing interventions to enhance driver behavior towards increased pedestrian safety.

Modifiable lifestyle factors and risk of intracranial aneurysm: A univariate and multivariate Mendelian randomisation study.

The aim of this study was to assess the potential causal relationship between lifestyle factors and intracranial aneurysms (IAs) using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. The study used a pooled dataset from a genome-wide association study that covered information on 24 lifestyle factors, intracranial aneurysm cases, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and unruptured aneurysms. Five MR methods were applied for analysis by selecting single nucleotide polymorphisms as instrumental variables, with the inverse variance weighting method as the main method. To ensure the stability of the results, horizontal multiple validity tests, sensitivity analyses, and inverse MR were performed, and genetically determined exposure factors were adjusted by multivariate MR. Several lifestyle factors were found to have a significant genetic causal effect on the occurrence and development of intracranial aneurysms. For example, lamb intake, smoking initiation, number of cigarettes smoked per day, length of television viewing, and fatigue were identified as genetic risk factors and strongly associated with aneurysm rupture, whereas red wine intake showed some genetic protection against intracranial aneurysms and similarly affected aneurysm rupture. Sensitivity analyses and inverse MR verified the robustness of these results. After adjusting for exposure factors, multivariate MR confirmed daily smoking and smoking initiation as risk factors for intracranial aneurysms, unruptured aneurysms, and subarachnoid hemorrhage, whereas red wine intake was a genetically protective factor against intracranial aneurysms and subarachnoid hemorrhage. This MR analysis revealed a genetic causal link between specific lifestyle factors and intracranial aneurysms, emphasizing the need for further studies to confirm these findings and explore their mechanisms.

Consistency of interest mediates the positive relationship between growth mindset and presence of meaning in life among Hong Kong adolescents: A cross-lagged panel study.

Meaning in life protects individuals from mental distress during social upheaval. We posit that a growth mindset and consistency of interest positively predict meaning in life during social upheaval. The present research tested the hypothesis that among adolescence living in a period of social upheaval, the presence of a growth mindset (the belief in malleability of valued personal attributes) positively predicts persistent engagement in purpose-congruent interests (consistency of interest), which in turn positively predicts the feeling that life is meaningful (presence of meaning in life). To test this hypothesis and to clarify the temporal causal connections among growth mindset, consistency of interest, and presence of meaning in life, we conducted a 3-wave longitudinal cross-lagged panel study with 275 Hong Kong adolescents between late 2017 and early 2020, which covered a period of social upheaval. As hypothesized, having a growth mindset predicted meaning in life two years later through the mediating effect of consistency of interest. These findings extended past findings by identifying a new causal pathway for the temporal causal effects of a growth mindset on the presence of meaning in life over two years in a population and context with high vulnerability to mental distress. (193 words).

Causal Effects of Crowd Support on Home Advantage: Evidence from Professional Handball

This study examines home advantage in German handball, focusing on the impact of varying attendance due to COVID-19. Like in other sports, home advantage is acknowledged in handball, but the audience’s impact on it remained unexplored. Analyzing data from 3,235 matches of the first and second German handball Bundesliga, we find a statistical home advantage consistent with prior research. During the pandemic, we identify a significant decrease in home advantage without spectators in the first division, while the second division remains unaffected. This applies to both the winning probability and the points achieved by the home teams. Additionally, we demonstrate a pre-pandemic referee bias; however, it only contributed to the existing home advantage to a small extent. Accordingly, spectators appear to be able to influence handball referees, but to a much smaller extent than in other sports.

Genetic evidence of the causal relationships between psychiatric disorders and cardiovascular diseases.

Our primary objective is to investigate the causal relationships between 12 psychiatric disorders (PDs) and atrial fibrillation (AF), coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction (MI), and heart failure (HF). Firstly, we used linkage disequilibrium score regression to calculate the genetic correlations between 12 PDs and 4 cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Subsequently, we performed two-sample and bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses of phenotypes with significant genetic correlations to explore the causal relationships between PDs and CVDs. Inverse variance weighted with modified weights (MW-IVW), Robust Adjusted Profile Score, Inverse Variance Weighted, weighted median and weighted mode were used to evaluate causal effects, with MW-IVW being the main analysis method. And to validate the MR results, we conducted the replicate analyses using data from the FinnGen database. Conducting MR analyses in phenotypes with significant genetic correlations, we identified bidirectional causal relationships between depression (DEP) and MI (DEP as exposure: OR=1.1324, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0984-1.1663, P<0.0001; MI as exposure: OR=1.0268, 95% CI: 1.0160-1.0375, P<0.0001). Similar relationships were observed in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and HF (ADHD as exposure: OR=1.0270, 95% CI: 1.0144-1.0395, P<0.0001; HF as exposure: OR=1.0980, 95% CI: 1.0502-1.1458, P<0.0001). In our study, we conducted the comprehensive analyses between 12 PDs and CVDs. By bidirectional MR analysis, we observed significant causal relationships between MI and DEP, HF and ADHD. These findings suggest possible complex causal relationships between PDs and CVDs.

Dietary, metabolic and gut microbiota influences on primary ovarian failure: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Previous studies have reported there were associations between ovarian function and dietary factors, metabolic factors and gut microbiota. However, it is unclear whether causal associations exist. We aimed to explore the causal relationship of these factors with risk of primary ovarian failure (POF). Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed to genetically predict the causal effects of dietary and metabolic factors and gut microbiota on POF. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary statistical method. A series of sensitivity analyses, including weighted median, MR-Egger, simple mode, weighted mode methods, and leave-one-out analysis, were conducted to assess the robustness of the MR analysis results. IVW analysis revealed that cigarettes smoked per day, coffee intake and cooked vegetable intake were not causally correlated with POF at the genetic level. However, POF were associated with fresh fruit intake, BMI, Eubacterium (hallii group), Eubacterium (ventriosum group), Adlercreutzia, Intestinibacter, Lachnospiraceae (UCG008), and Terrisporobacter. These findings were robust according to extensive sensitivity analyses. This study identified several dietary factors, metabolic factors and gut microbiota taxa that may be causally implicated in POF, potentially offering new therapeutic targets.

Belief Shocks and Implications of Expectations About Growth‐at‐Risk

ABSTRACTThis paper revisits the question of how shocks to expectations of market participants can cause business cycle fluctuations. We use a vector autoregression to estimate dynamic causal effects of belief shocks which are extracted from nowcast errors about output growth. In a first step, we replicate and corroborate the findings of Enders, Kleemann, and Müller (2021). The second step computes nowcast errors about growth‐at‐risk at various quantiles. This involves both recovering the quantiles of the nowcast distribution of output growth from the Survey of Professional Forecasters, and, since the true quantiles of output growth are unobserved, estimating them with quantile regressions. We document a lack of distinct patterns in response to shocks arising from nowcasts misjudging macroeconomic risk. Although the differences are statistically insignificant, belief shocks about downside risk seem to produce somewhat sharper business cycle fluctuations.

Exploring the role of inflammatory biomarkers in trigeminal neuralgia.

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a severe facial pain disorder with complex etiology. Inflammation has been suggested as a contributing factor to TN pathogenesis. This study investigates the causal relationship between inflammatory biomarkers, including 41 circulating inflammatory cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT), and TN using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. A two-sample MR approach was employed using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from 8293 Finnish individuals for inflammatory cytokines and data from the FinnGen database for TN. Instrumental variables (IVs) were selected based on genome-wide significance and clumping thresholds to avoid linkage disequilibrium. Inverse variance weighting (IVW) was used as the primary method, complemented by MR Egger regression, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode methods. Additionally, Bayesian Weighted MR (BWMR) and Multivariable MR (MVMR) were utilized to validate the findings and explore potential confounders. The present MR analysis identified significant causal associations for three inflammatory cytokines with TN. Stem cell growth factor beta (SCGF-β) (OR=1.362, 95% CI=1.049-1.770, p=0.021) and Interleukin-4 (IL-4) (OR=1.533, 95% CI=1.014-2.316, p=0.043) were positively associated with TN, while Interleukin-16 (IL-16) (OR=0.720, 95% CI=0.563-0.921, p=0.009) had a protective effect. CRP levels were also linked to TN risk (OR=0.751, 95% CI=0.593-0.951, p=0.017). No significant causal effect of PCT on TN was observed. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings, showing no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity. This study highlights specific inflammatory biomarkers that may play pivotal roles in TN pathogenesis. SCGF-β and IL-4 are potential therapeutic targets due to their facilitative effects on TN, while IL-16 could offer protective benefits. CRP's association with TN further supports the involvement of systemic inflammation in this condition. These findings provide novel insights into TN's inflammatory mechanisms, suggesting new avenues for targeted interventions.

Understanding the role of hormones in pediatric growth: Insights from a double-debiased machine learning approach.

This study investigates the causal relationships between hormone levels and growth and development of children, focusing specifically on height disparities in cases of dwarfism. Besides utilizing double-debiased machine learning approach, the study integrates three alternative causal inference methods: partialing-out lasso linear regression, cross-fit partialing-out lasso linear regression, and post-double selection LASSO. These machine learning techniques are pivotal in identifying causal effects within observational data. The findings reveal a positive correlation between luteinizing hormone (LH) levels and adolescent height, while follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and the LH/FSH ratio show inverse correlations. The study underscores the significant role of hormone levels, particularly LH, in determining height, offering valuable insights that could guide future interventions or treatments for children and adolescents with dwarfism.