Restricted Maximum Likelihood Research Articles

Estimation of (co)variance components for body weight traits in intercross synthetic sheep

This study was carried out on the recently developed intercross sheep developed from Bharat merino and Gaddi sSynthetic in the temperate region in the state of Himachal Pradesh of India. Study aimed to estimate the genetic parameters and (co)variance components for body weights at birth (BW) and 3-month (3BW), 6-month (6BW), 9-month (9BW) and 12-month (12BW) month age in a closed flock of intercross sheep maintained at North Temperate Regional Station of ICAR-CSWRI, Garsa, India. Data records on 1505 sheep descended from 565 dams and 154 sires over the period of 10 years were utilized. Data were corrected for possible fixed environmental effects such as lambing year, parity, sex of lamb, ewe weight at lambing for further genetic analysis. The restricted maximum likelihood procedure fitting animal models with different combinations of direct and maternal effects were used for genetic analysis. Analysis revealed significant influences of lambing year, parity, sex of lamb and ewe weight at lambing on studied traits. Direct heritability estimates for BW, 3BW, 6BW, 9BW and 12BW were 0.14±0.04, 0.18±0.05, 0.00±0.04, 0.05±0.05 and 0.05±0.05, respectively. Maternal effects significantly influenced the BW and estimated maternal heritability for the trait was 0.17±0.03. The correlation among body weights were medium to high except between BW and 12BW and it ranged from 0.16±0.51 to 0.99±0.19. Results suggest that maternal effects were important for initial growth performance. The heritability estimates for weaning weight was moderate and its positive association with other growth traits indicated that the present selection practice at six months may be shifted to early selection at weaning weight for further genetic improvement.

Estimation of Additive and Dominance Genetic Variances for Growth and Multiple Stress at Different Ages in Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

AbstractThis study aimed to estimate the additive and dominance genetic variance in growth and multiple‐stress tolerance traits in 7‐week‐old and 15‐week‐old Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Four different animal models were studied by including all or different subsets of the following effects: additive genetic effects (A), additive genetic and common environmental effects (A + C), additive genetic and dominance effects (A + D), and additive, common environmental, and dominance effects (A + D + C). Variance components were estimated using the average information restricted maximum likelihood method. In general, estimates of additive genetic variance were inflated under the simple model (A) and decreased remarkably under the more complex models (A + C, A + D, and A + D + C). The genetic parameters of two‐stage (7‐week and 15‐week shrimp) growth and multiple‐stress tolerance traits were more suitable for estimation using the A + C model. The additive effects (0.311–0.754) of seven traits in 7‐week shrimp were greater than the dominance effects (4.950 × 10−7 to 0.201), whereas the additive effects of the same seven traits in adult shrimp ranged from 7.712 × 10−8 to 0.468 and the dominance effects ranged from 0.074 to 0.577. Except for survival time, carapace length, and carapace width, the additive effects of the other traits were smaller than the corresponding dominance effects. Thus, better genetic improvement of 7‐week and 15‐week shrimp growth and multiple‐stress tolerance can be obtained with selective breeding than with crossbreeding and better genetic improvement of 7‐week shrimp growth traits can be obtained with crossbreeding than with selective breeding. Our study further enriches the database for enhancing growth and stress resistance in Pacific white shrimp and provides reference information for growth improvement and multiple‐stress resistance breeding.

Topical NSAIDs impact on macular oedema and visual outcome after phacoemulsification: systematic review of RCTs with network meta-analysis.

The aim of this Network Meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy of the different topical Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) when added or not to topical steroids in preventing the thickening of the macula and their impact on visual acuity and intraocular pressure after phacoemulsification. Five electronic databases were searched, including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Our primary outcome was one-month post-surgery visual outcome. We also considered change in Foveal thickness (FT) and Intraocular pressure (IOP) at one-month post-surgery. We summarized our analyses by calculating the mean differences (MD) with associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) using restricted maximum likelihood in random effects models for continuous outcomes. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed with Cochrane Collaboration's tool. The network meta-analysis was conducted using frequentist approach considering Nepafenac 0.1% as a reference medication. Eleven Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including 2175 subjects were selected for quantitative analysis. At one-month post-surgery, Bromfenac had statistically significant better visual acuity compared to Nepafenac 0.1% (p < 0.001), regarding FT, Nepafenac 0.3% had the least increase in FT compared to Nepafenac 0.1% (p = 0.09), regarding IOP, Diclofenac had the lowest IOP. No significant results regarding FT and IOP. Interestingly Ketorolac had the worst results regarding BCVA and IOP, and came last but one for FT. Overall, our network meta-analysis demonstrated that Bromfenac was associated with a significant improvement in visual acuity compared to Nepafenac 0.1% at one-month following cataract surgery, while Nepafenac 0.3% was associated with the least increase in foveal thickness.

Exploring the Genetic Risk of Childhood Daytime Urinary Incontinence: A Genome-Wide Association Study.

Childhood incontinence is stigmatized and underprioritized, and a basic understanding of its pathogenesis is missing. Our goal was to identify risk-conferring genetic variants in daytime urinary incontinence (DUI). We conducted a genome-wide association study in the Danish iPSYCH2015 cohort. Cases (3024) were identified through DUI diagnosis codes and redeemed prescriptions for DUI medication in children aged 5 to 20. Controls (30,240), selected from the same sample, were matched to cases on sex and psychiatric diagnoses, if any, and down-sampled to a 1:10 case:control ratio. Replication was performed in the Icelandic deCODE cohort (5475 cases/287,773 controls). Single-nucleotide polymorphism heritability was calculated using the genome-based restricted maximum likelihood method. Cross-trait genetic correlation was estimated using linkage disequilibrium score regression. Polygenic risk scores generated with LDpred2-auto and BOLT-LMM were assessed for association. Variants on chromosome 6 (rs12210989, OR = 1.24 [95% CI: 1.17-1.32], P = 3.21 × 10-12) and 20 (rs4809801, OR = 1.18 [95% CI: 1.11-1.25], P = 3.66 × 10-8) reached genome-wide significance and implicated the PRDM13 and RIPOR3 genes. Chromosome 6 findings were replicated (P = .024, OR = 1.09 [95% CI: 1.01-1.16]). Liability scale heritability ranged from 10.20% (95% CI: 6.40%-14.00%) to 15.30% (95% CI: 9.66%-20.94%). DUI and nocturnal enuresis showed positive genetic correlation (rg = 1.28 ± 0.38, P = .0007). DUI was associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (OR = 1.098 [95% CI: 1.046-1.152], P < .0001) and body mass index (OR = 1.129 [95% CI: 1.081-1.178], P < .0001) polygenic risk. Common genetic variants contribute to the risk of childhood DUI and genes important in neuronal development and detrusor smooth muscle activity were implicated. These findings may help guide identification of new treatment targets.

Comparative Effectiveness of Sotatercept and Approved Add-On Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Therapies: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: There are no direct comparisons of sotatercept to add-on therapies approved for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Objective: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of add-on sotatercept versus other add-on therapies using a network meta-analysis. Data Sources: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and clinicaltrials.gov until April 15, 2023, for randomized trials involving patients with PAH who were treated with add-on sotatercept or other add-on PAH therapies. Data Extraction: Data extraction and risk-of-bias assessments were performed independently and in duplicate using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool. We performed a frequentist random-effects network meta-analysis using the restricted maximum-likelihood estimator and assessed the certainty of evidence using the GRADE (grading of recommendations assessment development, and evaluation) approach. Synthesis: Our search found 18 trials (5,777 patients) eligible for analysis. Sotatercept reduces clinical worsening as compared with placebo (relative risk [RR], 0.21; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.11-0.41; with high certainty). Sotatercept probably reduces clinical worsening more, compared with add-on endothelin receptor antagonists (RR, 0.28; 95% CI = 0.14-0.55), inhaled prostanoid (RR, 40.21; 95% CI = 0.07-0.67), and prostanoid taken orally (RR, 0.32; 95% CI = 0.16-0.67; all with moderate certainty). Sotatercept probably improves 6-minute-walk distance compared with placebo (mean difference [MD], 36.89 m; 95% CI = 25.26-48.51). Although sotatercept probably improves 6-minute-walk distance more than add-on endothelin receptor antagonists (MD, 18.38 m; 95% CI = 5.92-30.84) and prostanoid taken orally (MD, 25.66 m; 95% CI = 13.71-37.61), it did not exceed the minimal clinically important difference of 33 m (both with moderate certainty). Conclusions: Sotatercept is an effective add-on therapy for PAH, likely superior to many approved add-on PAH therapies in reducing clinical worsening.

Regression‐based network‐flow and inner‐matrix reconstruction

AbstractNetwork or matrix reconstruction is a general problem that occurs if the row‐ and column sums of a matrix are given, and the matrix entries need to be predicted conditional on the aggregated information. In this paper, we show that the predictions obtained from the iterative proportional fitting procedure (IPFP) or equivalently maximum entropy (ME) can be obtained by restricted maximum likelihood estimation relying on augmented Lagrangian optimization. Based on this equivalence, we extend the framework of network reconstruction, conditional on row and column sums, toward regression, which allows the inclusion of exogenous covariates and bootstrap‐based uncertainty quantification. More specifically, the mean of the regression model leads to the observed row and column margins. To exemplify the approach, we provide a simulation study and investigate interbank lending data, provided by the Bank for International Settlement. This dataset provides full knowledge of the real network and is, therefore, suitable to evaluate the predictions of our approach. It is shown that the inclusion of exogenous information leads to superior predictions in terms of and errors.

Risk Assessment of Hepatitis B virus-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development Using Transient Elastography: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) using transient elastography (TE) can assess fibrotic burden in chronic liver diseases. The systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine whether LSM using TE can predict the risk of development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. A systematic literature search of the Ovid-Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, and KoreaMed databases (from January 2010 to June 2023) was conducted. Of the 1,345 individual studies identified, 10 studies that used TE were finally registered. Hazard ratios (HRs) and the 95% confidence interval (CIs) were considered summary estimates of treatment effect sizes of ≥ 11 kilopascal (kPa) standard for HCC development. Meta-analysis was performed using the restricted Maximum Likelihood random effects model. Among the ten studies, data for risk ratios for HCC development could be obtained from nine studies. When analyzed for the nine studies, the HR for HCC development was high at 3.33 (95% CI, 2.45-4.54) in CHB patients with a baseline LSM of ≥ 11 kPa compared to patients who did not. In ten studies included, LSM of ≥ 11 kPa showed the sensitivity and specificity for predicting HCC development were 61% (95% CI, 50-71%) and 78% (95% CI, 66-86%), respectively, and the diagnostic accuracy was 0.74 (95% CI, 0.70-0.77). The risk of HCC development was elevated in CHB patients with TE-determined LSM of ≥11 kPa. This finding suggests that TE-determined LSM values may aid the risk prediction of HCC development in CHB patients.

Genetic Variants at Exon 3 in AAT Gene in Relation to Milk Production Traits in Sahiwal and Karan Fries Cattle

Background: The present study pertained to records on milk production and milk constituents of 100 Sahiwal cattle and 115 Karan Fries cattle, the data collected over a period of 2004 to 2016 from Animal Genetics and Breeding division from ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal Haryana. Methods: Good quality genomic DNA was used for amplification of exon 3 of AAT gene (474bp) by polymerase chain reaction under optimized conditions and Sequenced data analysis for SNPs detection. The analysis was carried out with appropriate Statistical method using software’s in the computer centre of the institute under the Restricted Maximum Likelihood Method (REML), Estimation of breeding value, Association Estimation, Effect of genotypes on Breeding Value. Result: In Sahiwal SNP at position G6997C was highly associated for FL305DMY, FLTMY, and FL305DSNFY. The mean ± SE of GG genotype for FL305DMY, FLTMY, FL305DFY, FL305DSNFY and FL305DPYwere found to be 1748.45±6.47, 1962.30±8.47, 100.33±0.44, 154.41±0.09 and 43.99±0.10 respectively and for GC genotype 1860.17±5.86, 2050.44±7.66, 100.35±0.39, 155.28±0.08 and 43.82±0.10 respectively. GG genotype was superior for FL305DPYand Heterozygous GC genotype was superior for rest of other traits. In Karan Fries cattle SNP at position G6997C was highly associated for FL305DMY, FLTMY, FL305DSNFY and FL305DPY. The mean ± SE of GG genotype for FL305DMY, FLTMY, FL305DFY, FL305DSNFY, FL305DPY were found to be 3564.74±6.0, 4584.50±6.00, 135.05±4.76, 278.53±0.06 and 113.80±0.06 respectively and for GC genotypeswere 3459.23±7.48, 4478.76±7.48, 136.19±5.96, 277.50±0.07, 112.75±0.08 respectively. Heterozygous (GC) genotype was superior for FL305DFY and GG genotype was superior for FL305DMY, FLTDMY, FL305DSNFY and FL305DPY.

Meta-analysis of soil and dust ingestion studies

The ingestion of soil and dust by children and adults is a potential source of exposure to environmental contaminants. To advance beyond the simple averaging of estimates used in the U.S. EPA's Exposure Factors Handbook (EFH), we describe a novel meta-analysis of all available studies that provided soil or dust ingestion estimates for children or adults conducted in the United States and Canada. Using meta-analytic techniques, we estimate the mean total soil plus dust ingestion rates and confidence intervals (CIs) for eleven age groups (0 - <1 month (m), 1 - <3 m, 3 - <6 m, 6 - <12 m, 1 - <2 years (y), 2 - <3 y, 3 - <6 y, 6 - <11 y, 11 - <16 y, 16 - <21 y, and 21+ y). These age groups were selected for consistency with the EFH update to Chapter 5 and the U.S. EPA's Age Grouping Guidance. For each age group, we calculated best estimates for the three main types of ingestion studies: tracer studies based on the aluminum tracer, biokinetic studies, and activity pattern (modeling) studies, as well as overall estimates for all three study types combined. Our meta-analysis combined study estimates using the alternative statistical approaches of the fixed effect method (inverse variance method, “I–V”) and two random effects methods, DerSimonian and Laird's method of moments (“DSL”) and the restricted maximum likelihood method (“MIXED”). For each approach, the mean total soil plus dust ingestion rate estimates for each study type generally aligned well with the EFH, ranging from 36 to 68 mg/day for infants, 56–72 mg/day for young children, and 12–32 mg/day for adolescents and adults. When all three study types were combined, the upper bounds of the 95% CI were generally the lowest for the I–V method and the highest for the MIXED method. The estimates produced here can be used for stochastic risk assessments and provide a better estimate of soil and dust ingestion rates across age groups.

Association Between Immunoparesis and Treatment Outcomes of Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BackgroundImmunoparesis, defined as suppression of uninvolved polyclonal immunoglobulins, occurs in up to 80% of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM). Infections are the second most common cause of mortality in this population, yet evidence regarding prognostic impact of immunoparesis in NDMM remains unclear. Materials and MethodsUsing a prepublished protocol (CRD42022308687), we searched seven bibliographic databases from inception to February 2023 for studies reporting the impact of immunoparesis on clinical outcomes among adults with NDMM. The primary outcome of interest was overall survival (OS) and secondary outcomes were progression free survival (PFS) and infection risk. Effect sizes were quantified in terms of hazards ratio (HR) and pooled across studies using a random effects restricted maximum likelihood method. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran Q and the I2 statistic. Publication bias was assessed using contour enhanced funnel plots. ResultsOf 5175 studies screened, 7 studies involving 6091 patients met our search criteria. Immunoparesis was not associated with worse OS (pooled hazard ratio 1.30; 95% CI, 0.91-1.84; P-value .11), with significant heterogeneity among the studies (I2 = 72.9%; Cochran's Q P-value .003). However, immunoparesis was associated with a significantly worse PFS (pooled hazard ratio 1.42; 95% CI 1.11-1.82; p value 0.013), with moderate heterogeneity (I2 statistic = 51%; Cochran's Q P-value .056). Infection rates were not uniformly reported precluding meta-analysis. Visual examination of funnel plot revealed the possibility of publication bias. ConclusionOverall, our findings suggest that immunoparesis did not have a detrimental impact on OS, but was associated with a significantly shorter PFS. Further studies are needed to understand the complexity of immune system perturbations in NDMM.

Association between perivascular spaces burden and future stroke risk in ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This meta-analysis aimed to explore the association of perivascular spaces (PVS) burden with the risks of future stroke events and mortality in patients with ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA). We systematically searched PubMed, Embase and Cochrane database from inception to 31 December 2023. We included eligible studies that reported adjusted estimated effects for future intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), ischemic stroke and mortality with baseline PVS burden in patients with ischemic stroke and TIA. Data were pooled using an inverse-variance method for fixed effect (FE) model and a restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method for random effects (RE) model. Thirteen observational studies (5 prospective, 8 retrospective) were included, comprising 20256 patients. Compared to 0 - 10 PVS at basal ganglia (BG), a higher burden (&gt;10) of BG-PVS was significantly associated with an increased risk of future intracranial hemorrhage (adjusted hazards ratio [aHR] 2.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16 - 6.73, RE model; aHR 2.14, 95%CI 1.34 - 3.41, FE model; I2 = 64%, n = 17084 from four studies) followed-up for at least one year. There was no significant association between &gt;10 BG-PVS and intracranial hemorrhage within 7 days after reperfusion therapy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.69, 95%CI 0.74 - 3.88, RE model; aOR 1.43, 95%CI 0.89 - 2.88, FE model; I2 = 67%, n = 1176 from four studies). We did not detect a significant association of recurrent ischemic stroke, mortality or disability with BG-PVS burden. Neither &gt;10 PVS at centrum semiovale (CSO-PVS) nor increasing CSO-PVS burden was significantly associated with the risk of future intracerebral hemorrhage or ischemic stroke recurrence. Current evidence suggests that a higher BG-PVS burden may be associated with an increased risk of future intracranial hemorrhage in patients with ischemic stroke and TIA. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021232713 Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021232713.

Uncertainty modeling and propagation for groundwater flow: a comparative study of surrogates

We compare sparse grid stochastic collocation and Gaussian process emulation as surrogates for the parameter-to-observation map of a groundwater flow problem related to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, NM. The goal is the computation of the probability distribution of a contaminant particle travel time resulting from uncertain knowledge about the transmissivity field. The latter is modelled as a lognormal random field which is fitted by restricted maximum likelihood estimation and universal kriging to observational data as well as geological information including site-specific trend regression functions obtained from technical documentation. The resulting random transmissivity field leads to a random groundwater flow and particle transport problem which is solved realization-wise using a mixed finite element discretization. Computational surrogates, once constructed, allow sampling the quantities of interest in the uncertainty analysis at substantially reduced computational cost. Special emphasis is placed on explaining the differences between the two surrogates in terms of computational realization and interpretation of the results. Numerical experiments are given for illustration.

Genetic analysis of efficiency-related traits in Boer x Central Highland goats.

This study aimed to identify important non-genetic factors and estimate genetic parameters for efficiency-related traits in Boer x Central Highland goats. The genetic parameters were estimated using the Average Information Restricted Maximum Likelihood algorithm using the WOMBAT program fitting animal model. The least-squares means for growth efficiency from birth to 3 months (GE1), 3-6 months (GE2), 6-12 months (GE3), relative growth rate from birth to 3 months (RGR1), 3-6 months (RGR2) and 6-12 month (RGR3) were 294.0 ± 5.06, 36.6 ± 1.20, 44.9 ± 1.81, 1.46 ± 0.01, 0.32 ± 0.01 and 0.19 ± 0.01, respectively. Birth type, blood level, sex of the kid, and year of kidding had a sizable effect on efficiency-related traits. About 18, 3.0, 23, 20, and 12% of the phenotypic variation in GE2, GE3, RGR1, RGR2, and RGR3 was explained by the direct additive genetic effect. Except for RGR3, all investigated traits were under the influence of maternal genetic effect, and maternal heritability ranged from 0.09 to 0.17. The total heritability estimate depicts that slow genetic progress would be expected from selection. Nevertheless, even with this level of heritability, selection for efficiency-related traits would improve the efficiency of chevon production as these traits are economically important traits. Nearly six-months of age was when farmers sold Boer crossbred goats. Therefore, improving the growth efficiency till the marketing age (GE2) in such a scenario could increase the production efficiency.

Genetic parameter estimates for growth traits in Texel sheep of Brazil

The present study aimed to estimate the genetic parameters for direct and maternal influences on birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW) and postweaning weight (PW) of Texel sheep, raised in an extensive system from Brazil. Data file used in this study consisted of 834 body weight records of 834 Texel lambs (376 males and 458 females) born from 2020 to 2021, offspring of 475 ewes and 45 rams. Multivariate animal model was conducted to estimate the variance components, heritability and genetic correlations using the restricted maximum likelihood method in ASReml-R software, while the effects of fixed factors were analyzed by the general linear model procedure of statistical analysis system. Five different animal models, with or without maternal genetic effect, maternal permanent environment effect and covariance between additive genetic and maternal genetic effects, were fitted on the growth traits data of the Texel sheep population. AIC and BIC test results were used to evaluate the best fit models for growth traits. The effect of lamb's sex was significant on BW, WW and PW while birth type and year of lambing effects were on all traits (P < 0.05). Model 4, incorporating direct additive genetic, maternal additive genetic and maternal permanent environmental effects showed the minimum AIC estimate for all growth traits. The direct additive genetic heritability for BW, WW and PW were 0.11 ± 0.03, 0.37 ± 0.05 and 0.31 ± 0.08, respectively and maternal heritability for these traits were 0.00 ± 0.00, 0.04 ± 0.02 and 0.00 ± 0.00, respectively. The total heritability estimates for BW, WW and PW were 0.11 ± 0.03, 0.39 ± 0.05 and 0.31 ± 0.08, respectively. The estimates of the direct additive genetic correlation between BW-WW, BW-PW and WW-PW were 0.68 ± 0.12, 0.66 ± 0.12 and 0.78 ± 0.07, respectively. The maternal permanent environmental correlation between BW-WW, BW-PW and WW-PW were 0.38 ± 0.27, 0.29 ± 0.20 and 0.74 ± 0.16, respectively. Phenotypic correlation ranged from 0.43 ± 0.03 to 0.75 ± 0.02. It is concluded that due to the existence of genetic variation for BB, WW and PW and strong genetic correlation among them, genetic progress for these traits is possible by selection in Texel sheep from Brazil.

The Global Prevalence of Seborrheic Dermatitis

ImportanceSeborrheic dermatitis is a prevalent chronic inflammatory skin disease, yet its global prevalence, pathogenesis, and epidemiology remain inadequately defined.ObjectiveTo provide a detailed estimation of the global prevalence of seborrheic dermatitis, analyze demographic variations, and explore differences in various settings.Data SourcesEmbase, PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from inception through October 2023.Study SelectionOriginal investigations on seborrheic dermatitis prevalence were included after duplicate screening of titles, abstracts, and full articles, including only studies with clinician-diagnosed cases.Data Extraction and SynthesisFollowing PRISMA guidelines, data were extracted and quality was assessed independently by multiple reviewers. A random-effects model using restricted maximum likelihood was used for meta-analysis and subgroup analyses.Main Outcome and MeasureThe primary outcome was the pooled estimate of global seborrheic dermatitis prevalence.ResultsFrom 1574 identified articles, 121 studies were included, encompassing 1 260 163 individuals and revealing a pooled global seborrheic dermatitis prevalence of 4.38% (95% CI, 3.58%-5.17%), with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 99.94%). Subgroup analyses showed variations by age, with a higher prevalence in adults (5.64% [95% CI, 4.01%-7.27%]) compared to children (3.70% [95% CI, 2.69%-4.80%]) and neonates (0.23% [95% CI, 0.04%-0.43%]). Geographic analyses indicated variability, with the highest prevalence in South Africa (8.82% [95% CI, 3.00%-14.64%]) and the lowest in India (2.62% [95% CI, 1.33%-3.92%]).Conclusions and RelevanceThis comprehensive meta-analysis provides a detailed estimation of the global prevalence of seborrheic dermatitis, highlighting significant variability across different demographics and settings.

Methane in Dairy Farms in Aguascalientes: Corn Silage

Objective: To evaluate the potential methane gas production from corn silages (CS) intended for Holstein cattle in dairy farms in the state of Aguascalientes (Ags), Mexico. Design/Methodology/Approach: Methane (CH4) is one of the greenhouse gases, and worldwide plans and actions are being developed to monitor, control, and reduce their environmental impact. In Mexico, methane emissions from livestock are equivalent to 10.1% of CO2 equivalent are recorded. CS samples were collected from six municipalities in Ags, representing a total of 18 dairy farms. The in vitro gas production technique was used to determine methane gas production, employing a nested mixed model to compare variables between municipalities using residual maximum likelihood method. Results: The average methane production in CS was 29.3 mL/gDM. The Ags municipality showed significantly higher methane production (35.9 mL/gDM, p&lt;0.05), while San Francisco de los Romo (SFR) displayed the lowest production (21.5 mL/gDM, p&lt;0.05). In the state of Aguascalientes, CS-derived CH4 production was projected at approximately 2,884 metric tons (MT) annually. Study Limitations/Implications: There were no identified limitations in the study. Findings/Conclusions: The potential CH4 gas production derived from CS projected in the study represented 0.103% of what was reported by INEGyCEI in 2019.

Harmonization of Longitudinal Diffusion Tensor Imaging Data of the Pediatric Cervical and Thoracic Spinal Cord at 3T Using Longitudinal ComBat.

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the spinal cord has been extensively used to identify biomarkers for spinal cord pathology. Previously, the longitudinal ComBat (longComBat) technique was examined to reduce scanner effects in multi-site, multi-scanner spinal cord DTI data. This study aimed to assess its effectiveness on longitudinal scans using a single-scanner pediatric dataset, including healthy and spinal cord injury (SCI) subjects. Two identical datasets were collected from 42 healthy and 27 SCI subjects with a 2-hour interval between scans on a 3T Siemens MRI scanner. Axial DTI images of the entire cervical and thoracic spinal cord were obtained, and various average diffusion tensor metrics (FA, MD, RD, & AD) were measured at each vertebral level. Pearson correlation and intraclass correlation coefficients were used to evaluate inter- and intra-subject agreement pre- and post-harmonization. Minimal improvement in agreement was observed with the mean square residual (MSR) model, while the restricted maximum likelihood estimator (REML) model showed reduced intra-subject agreement in all the tensor metrics. The significant variability between longitudinal DTI scans within a single scanner was likely due to physiological motion rather than scanner effects. Post-harmonization using the longComBat MSR model showed limited improvement in agreement.

Sensitivity of GNSS to vertical land motion over Europe: effects of geophysical loadings and common-mode errors

We perform a statistical sensitivity analysis on a parametric fit to vertical daily displacement time series of 244 European Permanent GNSS stations, with a focus on linear vertical land motion (VLM), i.e., station velocity. We compare two independent corrections to the raw (uncorrected) observed displacements. The first correction is physical and accounts for non-tidal atmospheric, non-tidal oceanic and hydrological loading displacements, while the second approach is an empirical correction for the common-mode errors. For the uncorrected case, we show that combining power-law and white noise stochastic models with autoregressive models yields adequate noise approximations. With this as a realistic baseline, we report improvement rates of about 14% to 24% in station velocity sensitivity, after corrections are applied. We analyze the choice of the stochastic models in detail and outline potential discrepancies between the GNSS-observed displacements and those predicted by the loading models. Furthermore, we apply restricted maximum likelihood estimation (RMLE), to remove low-frequency noise biases, which yields more reliable velocity uncertainty estimates. RMLE reveals that for a number of stations noise is best modeled by a combination of random walk, flicker noise, and white noise. The sensitivity analysis yields minimum detectable VLM parameters (linear velocities, seasonal periodic motions, and offsets), which are of interest for geophysical applications of GNSS, such as tectonic or hydrological studies.

Genetic parameters and genome-wide association analyses for lifetime productivity in Chinese Holstein cattle

Lifetime productivity is a trait of great importance to dairy cattle populations as it combines information from production and longevity variables. Therefore, we investigated the genetic background of lifetime productivity in high-producing dairy cattle by integrating genomics and transcriptomics data sets. A total of 3,365,612 test-day milk yield records from 134,029 Chinese Holstein cows were used to define 6 lifetime productivity traits, including lifetime milk yield covering full lifespan and 5 cumulative milk yield traits covering partial lifespan. Genetic parameters were estimated based on univariate and bivariate linear animal models and the Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) method. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and weighted gene co-expression network analyses (WGCNA) were performed to identify candidate genes associated with lifetime productivity based on genomic data from 3,424 cows and peripheral blood RNA-seq data from 23 cows, respectively. Lifetime milk yield averaged 24,800.8 ± 14,396.6 kg (mean ± SD) across an average of 2.4 parities in Chinese Holstein population. The heritability estimates for lifetime productivity traits ranged from 0.05 (±0.01 for SE) to 0.10 (±0.02 for SE). The estimate of genetic correlation between lifetime milk yield and productive life is 0.88 (±0.3 for SE) while the genetic correlation with 305d milk yield in the first lactation was 0.49 (±0.08 for SE). Absolute values for most genetic correlation estimates between lifetime productivity and type traits were lower than 0.30. Moderate genetic correlations were found between udder related traits and lifetime productivity, such as with udder depth (0.33), rear udder attachment height (0.33), and udder system (0.34). Some single nucleotide polymorphisms and gene co-expression modules significantly associated with lifetime milk yield were identified based on GWAS and WGCNA analyses, respectively. Functional enrichment analyses of the candidate genes identified revealed important pathways related to immune system, longevity, energy utilization and metabolism, and FoxO signaling. The genes NTMT1, FNBP1, and S1PR1 were considered to be the most important candidate genes influencing lifetime productivity in Holstein cows. Overall, our findings indicate that lifetime productivity is heritable in Chinese Holstein cattle and important candidate genes were identified by integrating genomic and transcriptomic data sets.

Effect of perinatal consumption of low-calorie sweetener on maternal health: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and AimsEvidence regarding perinatal low-calorie (or artificial) sweetener (LCS) consumption and its effect on maternal health outcomes is limited and inconclusive. The primary outcomes of our systematic review and meta-analysis were the effect of preconception and pregnancy LCS exposure on reproductive and pregnancy outcomes. Secondary outcomes included long-term maternal health . MethodsA systematic search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ProQuest Health and Medical, ClinicalTrials.gov and Google Scholar, was conducted up to 20 November 2023. Primary studies, including interventional studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, which reported any LCS consumption during perinatal period and pregnancy and maternal health outcomes were eligible. A random effects model with restricted maximum likelihood estimation was used for the meta-analysis. We appraised the quality of the included studies using the National Institute of Health study quality appraisal tool and the overall quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. ResultsA total of 19 eligible studies with 203,706 participants were included. LCS consumption during pregnancy was associated with 11% increased risk of preterm birth (RR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.07-1.16, I2 = 0.01%) and 42% increased risk of gestational diabetes (RR = 1.42, 95% CI: 0.98-2.04, I2 = 67.60%) compared with no consumption, however, the effect size for gestational diabetes was not precise as the 95% CI indicated that the effect estimate could range from 2% lower risk to 204% (or 2.04 times) higher risk. We found no association between LCS consumption during pregnancy and gestational weight gain (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.04; 95% CI: -0.17 - 0.24, I2 = 41.31%) or gestational age at birth (SMD = 0.00; 95% CI: -0.13 – 0.14, I2 = 80.13%). The effect of LCS consumption on reproductive treatment outcomes were inconsistent. ConclusionsBased on the evidence available, LCS consumption in pregnancy was associated with increased risk of preterm birth and gestational diabetes. Robust research, such as well-designed randomized trials and large prospective cohort studies, is required to confirm the causal effect of LCS consumption during perinatal period on adverse maternal health outcomes.