Statistical Interaction Research Articles

The Effect of Alkaline Treatment to Pseudo-Stem Banana Fibers on the Performance of Polylactic Acid/ Banana Fiber Composite

ABSTRACT Banana fiber (BF) is a renewable resource which can be a good reinforcer to polylactic acid, enhancing the polymers stiffness and accelerating biodegradability rates. However, due to the difference in nature between banana fibers (hydrophilic) and polylactic acid (hydrophobic), a good adhesion between the fiber and the matrix cannot be achieved. To tackle the problem, the fibers were chemically treated using sodium hydroxide under three factors (temperature, concentration, and treatment time). The factors interactions were given by response surface methodology and the statistical interactions were observed by ANOVA. Alkaline effect on fiber’s morphology, composition, mechanical, and morphological properties of composites produced were observed. Young’s modulus values have increased substantially compared to untreated fiber’s composites, with a slight increase in the tensile strength values. However, the elongation at break values have slightly dropped with the fiber’s alkaline treatment. Scanning electron microscope observations had shown a successful removal of impurities (e.g. hemicellulose, wax) and between the fiber’s strands, and an improvement of surface structure. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed the successful removal of impurities, and interaction between PLA and banana fibers.

Socioeconomic Status and Domostic Violence Interact in Perdict of Quality of Life in Married Women: A Population-Based Study in Westeren Iran.

Women's quality of life is essential both for women's and their family's health. The aim of this study was to examine the quality of life status and interaction of subjective socioeconomic status and violence, on quality of life of married women in west of Iran. This was a cross-sectional study that recruited 1533 married women using multi-stages sampling method. Multiple linear regression was employed for estimating adjusted association and 95% confidence intervals. The mean (SD) age of the participants was 33.67(11). The majority of participants (92%) experienced some degree of domestic violence. Less than half of women (46.70%) perceived medium socioeconomic status. Mean (SD) score of quality of life was 3.57 (0.94). There was a significant statistical interaction between socioeconomic status and domestic violence on quality of life. These findings suggest that considering the interaction of subjective socioeconomic status with domestic violence in prevention program, especially in poor categories of family, appears to be one of the important ways in improving married-females' quality of life.

Association of Brain Arterial Elongation With Risk of Stroke and Death in Stroke-Free Individuals: Results From NOMAS.

Brain arterial dilation and elongation characterize dolichoectasia, an arteriopathy associated with risk of stroke and death. We aim to determine whether brain arterial elongation increases the risk of stroke and death independent of brain arterial diameters. We analyzed 1210 stroke-free participants (mean age 71±9 years, 41% men, 65% Hispanic) with available time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiogram from the Northern Manhattan Study, a population-based cohort study across a multiethnic urban community. We obtained baseline middle cerebral artery M1-segment (MCA-M1) and basilar artery (BA) mean lengths and diameters using a semi-automated software. Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for brain arterial diameters and potential confounders yielded adjusted hazards ratios with 95% CIs for the primary outcomes of incident stroke and all-cause mortality, as well as secondary outcomes including noncardioembolic stroke, vascular death, and any vascular event. Neither MCA-M1 nor BA lengths correlated with incident stroke or all-cause mortality. Both MCA-M1 and BA larger diameters correlated with all-cause mortality (MCA-M1 aHR, 1.52 [95% CI, 1.03-2.23], BA aHR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.02-1.61]), as well as larger MCA-M1 diameters with vascular death (aHR, 1.84 [95% CI, 1.02-3.31]). Larger MCA-M1 and BA diameters did not correlate with incident stroke. However, larger BA diameters were associated with posterior circulation noncardioembolic stroke (aHR, 2.93 [95% CI, 1.07-8.04]). There were no statistical interactions between brain arterial lengths and diameters in relation to study outcomes. In a multiethnic cohort of stroke-free adults, brain arterial elongation did not correlate with risk of stroke or death, nor influenced the significant association between brain arterial dilation and vascular risk.

School greenspace is associated with enhanced benefits of academic interventions on annual reading improvement for children of color in California

The restorative benefits of nature on children's cognition suggest the potential for nature exposure to further enhance the impacts of instruction on academic achievement. However, prior research has focused primarily on examining main effects of greenspace on academic performance, and have seldom examined interactions (i.e., moderation) between greenspace and other school variables on academic performance. We examined the statistical interaction of school greenspace (based on 1 m by 1 m land-use classification) and a standard literacy enrichment program on reading improvement over a one-year period for a large sample of ethnic minority (95%) elementary school children (n = 6080, k-6th grade, estimated mean age = 7.9 years) attending predominantly low-income schools (n = 85) throughout the state of California. Our analyses employed multi-level modeling to account for random effects associated with school and neighborhood environments, and incorporated extensive individual, school, and community level covariates. Results from the hypothesized interaction effects demonstrate school greenspace to accentuate the positive association between literacy interventions and improved test scores. Moreover, specific components of greenspace, namely herbaceous and tree cover each enhanced the effect of academic instruction on annual reading improvement. However, no direct association between greenspace cover and academic improvement was found. In addition to several methodological strengths, this study is one of the first to show the interaction between nature and school instruction affecting academic learning.

Abstract WMP36: Pain In Stroke Patients At Hospital Discharge

Introduction: Persistent pain after stroke significantly impacts patients’ function, ability to participate in rehabilitation, and quality of life. We examined characteristics of stroke survivors discharged with pain. Methods: The sample consisted of 824 stroke patients admitted to a large, urban university based acute care facility in Texas with a completed pain assessment (numeric rating scale or Behavior Pain Scale) at discharge. Descriptive analysis of means and frequency distributions was conducted using a two-sided t-test for continuous variables and a Chi-squared test for categorical variables. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the association between pain at discharge and type of stroke, adjusting for age, sex, race, smoking status, prevalent hypertension, BMI, and length of stay (LOS). We also tested for statistical interactions between stroke type and age, sex, and race. Results: The mean age was 64 years, with 56% (n=462) being males. Of the 824 stroke patients, 584 (71%) had ischemic stroke while 237 (29%) had hemorrhagic (ICH) stroke. At discharge, 43% (n=358) reported pain. In unadjusted analyses, those reporting pain were younger (p<0.001), had a higher BMI (p=0.009), had longer LOS (p<0.001), and were less likely to have ischemic stroke (p<0.001). Only sex modified the association between stroke type and pain at discharge (p=0.002; AUC=0.716). In sex-stratified analysis females with ischemic stroke had lowered odds of reporting pain at discharge by 75% compared to those having ICH (OR=0.25; 95% CI: 0.15-0.41). Conclusions: Our study finds that 43% of stroke survivors reported pain at discharge. Younger females with an increased BMI and an increased LOS were more likely to report pain. Our model AUC suggests that post stroke pain may be a complicated phenomenon that requires more complex models.

End-of-neoadjuvant treatment circulating microRNAs and HER2-positive breast cancer patient prognosis: An exploratory analysis from NeoALTTO.

The absence of breast cancer cells in surgical specimens, i.e., pathological complete response (pCR), is widely recognized as a favorable prognostic factor after neoadjuvant therapy. In contrast, the presence of disease at surgery characterizes a prognostically heterogeneous group of patients. Here, we challenged circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) at the end of neoadjuvant therapy as potential prognostic biomarkers in the NeoALTTO study. Patients treated within the trastuzumab arm (i.e., pre-operative weekly trastuzumab for 6 weeks followed by the addition of weekly paclitaxel for 12 weeks; post-operative FEC for 3 cycles followed by trastuzumab up to complete 1 year of treatment) were randomized into a training (n= 54) and testing (n= 72) set. RT-PCR-based high-throughput miRNA profile was performed on plasma samples collected at the end of neoadjuvant treatment of both sets. After normalization, circulating miRNAs associated with event free survival (EFS) were identified by univariate and multivariate Cox regression model. Starting from 23 circulating miRNAs associated with EFS in the training set, we generated a 3-circulating miRNA prognostic signature consisting of miR-185-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-22-3p, which was confirmed in the testing set. The 3-circulating miRNA signature showed a C-statistic of 0.62 (95% confidence interval [95%CI] 0.53-0.71) in the entire study cohort. By resorting to a multivariate Cox regression model we found a statistical significant interaction between the expression values of miR-194-5p and pCR status (p.interaction =0.005) with an estimate Hazard Ratio (HR) of 1.83 (95%CI 1.14- 2.95) in patients with pCR, and 0.87 (95%CI 0.69-1.10) in those without pCR. Notably, the model including this interaction along with the abovementioned 3-circulating miRNA signature provided the highest discriminatory capability with a C-statistic of 0.67 (95%CI 0.58-0.76). Circulating miRNAs are informative to identify patients with different prognosis among those with heterogeneous response after trastuzumab-based neoadjuvant treatment, and may be an exploitable tool to select candidates for salvage adjuvant therapy.

Regular glucosamine use may have different roles in the risk of site-specific cancers: findings from a large prospective cohort.

Previous studies indicated that glucosamine supplements may have a general anti-cancer effect. This study aimed to assess whether the potential effect differs across different types of cancers in a large prospective cohort study. All participants from the UK Biobank who were free of cancers and had complete information on glucosamine use at baseline were included and followed up from 2006 until 2021. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the associations between regular glucosamine use and different site-specific cancers. Subgroup analyses were performed to explore potential interactions. Several sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the main findings. A total of 450,207 eligible participants (mean age: 56.2 years; females: 53.3%) were included, of whom 84,895 (18.9%) reported regular glucosamine use at baseline. During a median of 12.5 years follow-up, glucosamine use was significantly associated with an increased risk of overall cancer (HR=1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.06), skin cancer (HR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.07-1.15) and prostate cancer (HR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.01-1.13), and with a reduced risk of lung cancer (HR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.79-0.97) after adjusting for potential confounders. Statistical interaction was observed for gender, age and education for the association of glucosamine use with overall cancer risk (all P-interaction <0.027). These results remained unchanged in the sensitivity analysis. Regular glucosamine use was associated with lower risk of lung cancer but higher risk of skin cancer, prostate cancer and overall cancer. The roles of glucosamine use potentially differ in the development of different site-specific cancers.

Impact of Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA) on Learning Retention: A Study on Nuclear Chemistry

Poor performance of students in chemistry shows that they are having difficulties in learning, mastering the content, and applying what they have learned in examinations. The purpose of this study was to find out the difference in (a) retention of information by students taught nuclear chemistry using the culturo-techno-contextual approach (CTCA) and lecture; (b) retention of information by male and female students taught nuclear chemistry using CTCA, and (c) the interaction effects of gender and method on retention of information by students taught nuclear chemistry using CTCA and lecture. Learning theories of Vygotsky’s constructivism theory, Ausubel’s theory of meaningful learning, and CTCA’s philosophical framework were adopted. This study used explanatory sequential mixed methods; quasi-experimental research design was adopted. A total of 91 senior secondary II students (SS2) (equivalent of grade 11 in the American system) participated. Split-half was used to test the reliability of the nuclear chemistry achievement test (NCAT), and a Spearman–Brown of unequal length coefficient value of 0.80 was obtained. A statistically significant difference was found in the retention of information by students taught nuclear chemistry using CTCA and lecture [F(1,88) = 263.06; p = 0.00] which was in favor of the CTCA group (experimental). A statistically significant difference was not found for gender [F(1,46) = 0.39; p = 0.53]. The statistical interaction effect of method and gender was not significant [F(1,86) = 0.25; p = 0.62]. We recommended that the use of CTCA should be adopted by chemistry teachers in secondary schools to enhance learning.

Over-the-counter fish oil supplementation and pro-resolving and pro-inflammatory lipid mediators in rheumatoid arthritis

ObjectiveLittle is known about the effects of over-the-counter fish oil (FO) supplements on circulating omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA)-derived specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), nor about whether having a chronic inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) influences SPM levels. We investigated associations between over-the-counter n-3 PUFA FO supplementation and circulating SPMs among patients with vs. without RA. MethodsWe studied 104 participants: 26 with RA taking FO matched by age and sex to 26 with RA not taking FO, 26 without RA taking FO, and 26 without RA not taking FO. Targeted-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy was performed on patient plasma to identify and quantify 27 lipid mediators (including eicosanoids and SPMs). We performed t-tests and then multivariable linear regression analyses to assess whether having RA or taking FO supplements was associated with circulating lipid mediator concentrations, adjusting for age, race, sex, smoking, body mass index, and current medication use (statins, prednisone and immunomodulators among RA cases only). We tested for interactions between FO supplementation and RA status. We also conducted Spearman's correlations between EPA, DHA, and ARA and their downstream metabolites. ResultsAmong patients who were taking FO compared to those who were not, in multivariable- adjusted analyses, SPM substrates EPA and DHA were both elevated as were several of their pro-resolving bioactive products, including 15- and 18-HEPE from EPA, and 14- and 17-HDHA from DHA, which are substrates for specific SPMs. While E-series and D-series resolvins were present and identified, we did not find statistical elevations of other SPMs. Results were similar among patients with RA and patients without RA, taking vs. not taking FO supplementation (no formal statistical interaction observed). There was a strong positive correlation between EPA and DHA and their immediate downstream SPM precursors (18-HEPE and15-HEPE from EPA; 17-HDHA and 14-HDHA from DHA) among all patients. ConclusionPatients taking FO supplements, regardless of RA status, not only had higher blood levels of EPA and DHA, but also of their enzymatic products 18-HEPE (E-series resolvin precursors), 15-HEPE and 17-HDHA (D-series resolvin and protectin precursors). Patients with RA, an inflammatory autoimmune disease, may be able to augment some SPM precursor reserves, similarly to matched controls without RA, by taking oral FO supplements.

Co‐occurrence of herbivorous fish functional groups correlates with enhanced coral reef benthic state

AbstractAimBiodiversity loss is impacting essential ecosystem functions and services across the globe. Recently, our interest in the benefits of biodiversity for ecosystem function has shifted focus from measurements of species richness to functional diversity and composition. However, the additional importance of other community characteristics, such as species evenness and co‐occurrence, for diversity‐driven ecosystem function is less known. We used herbivorous coral reef fish as a model system to investigate how co‐occurrence of different functional groups, rather than purely functional diversity, within an assemblage might affect the coral reef benthic state.LocationWestern Atlantic.Time period2007–2017.Major taxa studiedHerbivorous reef fish.MethodsWe analysed benthic and fish assemblage data from 601 sites across 12 countries in the western Atlantic. Using diversity–interaction models, we investigated how the composition and relative abundances of reef fish functional groups were correlated with benthic cover and estimates of coral calcification rates. We used statistical interactions to explore the importance of co‐occurrence of herbivorous fish functional groups for the coral reef benthic state.ResultsWe found that co‐occurrence of herbivorous fish functional groups, in addition to functional diversity, was correlated with reduced algal cover and increased coral accretion. Moreover, pairwise statistical interactions between functional groups were significantly correlated with an improvement in the coral reef benthic state.Main conclusionsOur results support the idea that functional group co‐occurrence, in addition to functional diversity, within herbivorous fish offers additional benefits to the coral reef benthic state. We identify farming damselfish and excavating parrotfish as potential key determinants of the coral reef benthic state and highlight that co‐occurrence of cropping and scraping herbivores might promote coral accretion. Our findings support the argument that protecting herbivore abundance without regard to the species and functional groups present is not enough to preserve coral reef health and that fine‐scale community composition must be considered.

Individual and joint effects of glyphosate and cypermethrin formulations on two human cell lines

The final effect of pesticides and their mixtures on living organisms is determined by the particular toxicodynamics of the system. Oxidative stress is one of the most studied molecular mechanisms of toxicity due to increasing evidence supporting its association with the toxic effects of different agrochemicals. In the present study we evaluated the presence of redox balance alterations in the cell lines HEp-2 and A549 exposed to formulations of glyphosate (March®) and cypermethrin (Superfina®) used separately or in combination (in a proportion equivalent to that used in soybean fields). We determined the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase, intracellular GSH content, content of oxidized proteins (as measure of damage) and intracellular ROS content in both cell lines at two different mixture concentrations. Additionally, we evaluated the presence of statistical interaction to determine if the effect of the mixture on the parameters evaluated was additive, synergistic, or antagonistic. For this purpose, we used the Combination Subthresholding, Cooperative Effect and Statistical Linear Interaction approaches. We found that the interaction between pesticides depended on their concentration and the cellular models studied.

The effect of interactions between BMI and sustained depressive symptoms on knee osteoarthritis over 4 years: data from the osteoarthritis initiative

BackgroundTo assess the compound effects of BMI and sustained depressive symptoms on changes in knee structure, cartilage composition, and knee pain over 4 years using statistical interaction analyses.MethodsOne thousand eight hundred forty-four individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative Database were analyzed at baseline and 4-year follow-up. Individuals were categorized according to their BMI and presence of depressive symptoms (based on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (threshold≥16)) at baseline and 4-year follow-up. 3 T MRI was used to quantify knee cartilage T2 over 4 years, while radiographs were used to assess joint space narrowing (JSN). Mixed effects models examined the effect of BMI-depressive symptoms interactions on outcomes of cartilage T2, JSN, and knee pain over 4-years.ResultsThe BMI-depressive symptoms interaction was significantly associated with knee pain (p < 0.001) changes over 4 years, but not with changes in cartilage T2 (p = 0.27). In women, the BMI-depressive symptoms interaction was significantly associated with JSN (p = 0.01). In a group-based analysis, participants with obesity and depression had significantly greater 4-year changes in knee pain (coeff.(obesity + depression vs. no_obesity + no_depression) = 4.09, 95%CI = 3.60–4.58, p < 0.001), JSN (coeff. = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.44–0.77, p < 0.001), and cartilage T2 (coeff. = 1.09, 95%CI = 0.68–1.49, p < 0.001) than participants without depression and normal BMI.ConclusionsThe compound effects of obesity and depression have greater impact on knee pain and JSN progression compared to what would be expected based on their individual effects.

Alcohol consumption and epigenetic age acceleration in young adults.

Alcohol is a widely consumed substance in the United States, however its effect on aging remains understudied. In this study of young adults, we examined whether cumulative alcohol consumption, i.e., alcohol years of beer, liquor, wine, and total alcohol, and recent binge drinking, were associated with four measures of age-related epigenetic changes via blood DNA methylation. A random subset of study participants in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study underwent DNA methylation profiling using the Illumina MethylationEPIC Beadchip. Participants with alcohol consumption and methylation data at examination years 15 (n = 1,030) and 20 (n = 945) were included. Liquor and total alcohol consumption were associated with a 0.31-year (P = 0.002) and a 0.12-year (P = 0.013) greater GrimAge acceleration (GAA) per additional five alcohol years, while beer and wine consumption observed marginal (P = 0.075) and no associations (P = 0.359) with GAA, respectively. Any recent binge drinking and the number of days of binge drinking were associated with a 1.38-year (P < 0.001) and a 0.15-year (P < 0.001) higher GAA, respectively. We observed statistical interactions between cumulative beer (P < 0.001) and total alcohol (P = 0.004) consumption with chronological age, with younger participants exhibiting a higher average in GAA compared to older participants. No associations were observed with the other measures of epigenetic aging. These results suggest cumulative liquor and total alcohol consumption and recent binge drinking may alter age-related epigenetic changes as captured by GAA. With the increasing aging population and widespread consumption of alcohol, these findings may have potential implications for lifestyle modification to promote healthy aging.

Association of obesity with outcomes of attempted operative vaginal delivery

To assess whether outcomes of attempted operative vaginal delivery (OVD) are associated with obesity among nulliparous individuals. This is a secondary analysis from the prospective cohort Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-To-Be study. This analysis included participants with cephalic liveborn non-anomalous singletons who delivered ≥34 weeks of gestation and had attempted OVD. The primary exposure was maternal obesity defined by body mass index (BMI) at delivery (obese: BMI ≥30 kg/m2 vs. non-obese: BMI < 30 kg/m2 [referent]). The primary outcome was failed OVD, defined as a cesarean delivery following attempted OVD, and secondarily maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for covariates, and statistical interaction between BMI and instrument type (forceps or vacuum) was assessed. When the interaction was significant, stratified analyses were performed and presented. Of 10,038 individuals in the parent study, 791 (7.9%) had an attempted OVD and were included in the analysis. 325 (41%) had BMI ≥30 at delivery. The type of instrument used was no different based on obesity status. Failed OVD, which occurred in 6.8% of attempts, was more frequent in those with obesity (10.1 vs 4.2%; p=0.005; aOR 2.23, 1.16-4.28), with no significant interaction by instrument type (Table 1). There was an interaction (p=0.046) between composite neonatal morbidity and instrument type. Stratified analysis revealed that composite neonatal morbidity was more likely following attempted vacuum in infants of people with obesity (32.7 vs 22.3%, aOR 1.61, 1.07-2.43) but not following forceps attempt. Other adverse outcomes were neither different by obesity status nor had significant interactions with instrument type (Table 2). Among nulliparas, attempted OVD was more likely to fail in people with obesity. Neonates of people with obesity who underwent attempted vacuum, but not attempted forceps, had higher composite morbidity than those with BMI < 30.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)

Purposeful practice: Constraints and temperament impact on physical performance of collegiate division ii soccer athletes

This quantitative quasi-experimental study examined differences in mean and median differences of millennial soccer athlete’s performance. Research indicates that millennials struggle with complex tasks due to their fear of failure. Individual productivity has been shown to be positively influenced by the use of designed constraints. The study employed the C-BMN framework and the GPAI to analyze data pertaining to constraint-type and its influence on the productivity of 18 soccer players. Individual components teamwork and trapping showed statistical significance during the intervention, while positioning, passing, and dribbling did not. The overall GPAI showed statistical significance between the control and both constraint types. A two-mixed ANOVA showed no statistical significant interaction between constraints and temperaments however only 72% of participants completed the temperament assessment.

Daytime Sleepiness Is Associated with Lower Cognitive Scores: The Look AHEAD Study.

Daytime sleepiness is common in older adults and may result from poor nighttime sleep due to sleep disordered breathing, fragmented sleep, or other sleep disorders. Daytime sleepiness may be associated with cognition in older adults. We investigated the association between self-reported daytime sleepiness and cognitive function in the Look AHEAD clinical trial. Observational follow-up of a randomized clinical trial of an intensive lifestyle intervention. Clinic. Participants (n=1,778) aged 45-76 years at baseline with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity. Participants were randomized to an intensive lifestyle intervention for weight loss or a control condition of diabetes support and education. Participants provided self-reported levels of daytime sleepiness at baseline and years 12-13. Cognitive function was assessed with a neurocognitive battery at years 12-13 and 18-20. Participants who reported having frequent daytime sleepiness (often or always) performed significantly worse than others on the cognitive composite (-0.35; p-value=0.014) after controlling for covariates. When stratified by intervention arm, participants assigned to the intensive lifestyle intervention who reported often/always having daytime sleepiness performed worse on Digit Symbol Coding (-0.63; p-value=0.05) and Trail Making Part-B (-0.56; p-value=0.02) after controlling for covariates. Statistical interactions revealed associations between daytime sleepiness and the following covariates: race and ethnicity, APOE ε4 carrier status, baseline history of cardiovascular disease, and depression. Daytime sleepiness over ~13 years predicted poorer cognitive performance in older individuals who, by virtue of having diabetes and overweight/obesity, are at high risk for sleep disorders and cognitive impairment.

Moderation effects in personality disorder research.

Tests of statistical interactions (or tests of moderation effects) in personality disorder research are a common way for researchers to examine nuanced hypotheses relevant to personality pathology. However, the nature of statistical interactions makes them difficult to reliably detect in many research scenarios. The present study used a flexible, simulation-based approach to estimate statistical power to detect trait-by-trait interactions common to psychopathy research using the Triarchic model of Psychopathy and the Psychopathic Personality Inventory. Our results show that even above-average sample sizes in these literatures (e.g., N = 428) provide inadequate power to reliably detect trait-by-trait interactions, and the sample sizes needed to detect interaction effect sizes in realistic scenarios are extremely large, ranging from 1,300 to 5,200. The implications for trait-by-trait interactions in psychopathy are discussed, as well as how the present findings might generalize to other areas of personality disorder research. We provide recommendations for how to design research studies that can provide informative tests of interactions in personality disorder research, but also highlight that a more realistic option is to abandon the traditional approach when testing for interaction effects and adopt alternative approaches that may be more productive. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

No evidence for an association between alcohol consumption and Multiple Sclerosis risk: a UK Biobank study

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has been linked to a variety of environmental risk factors, including smoking, Epstein-Barr Virus infection, and childhood obesity. There is some evidence to support a relationship between alcohol consumption and MS risk, but this finding has been inconsistent across cohorts. A protective link between alcohol consumption and MS risk is seen in Swedish and Danish cohorts, however evidence from other cohorts and mendelian randomisation studies have failed to support this relationship. We assessed the relationship between alcohol consumption (never vs. ever drinking) and MS in 409,228 individuals (2100 with MS) from UK Biobank (UKB). We used multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for age and sex. To determine whether there was evidence of statistical interaction between alcohol consumption and HLA-DRB1*15:01 genotype, we calculated interaction on the additive and multiplicative scales. We analysed data from 2100 individuals with MS (72.3% female, median age at recruitment 56) and 407,128 controls (53.9% female, median age at recruitment 58). We found no evidence for an association between alcohol consumption and MS risk (OR = 1.12, 95% CI 0.61–2.08, p = 0.314). As expected, the HLA-DRB1*15:01 allele was strongly associated with MS risk (OR = 2.72, 95% CI 2.72–2.72, p < 2 × 10−16). We found no evidence of statistical interaction between non-drinking and MS risk on either the multiplicative scale (p = 0.8) or on the additive scale (Attributable Proportion = 0.03, 95% CI − 0.43–0.29, P = 0.45). Empirical power calculations indicated reasonable statistical power (85%) to detect a protective effect of alcohol consumption of Relative Risk ≤ 0.7. We were thus unable to replicate findings from other cohorts within UK Biobank. The inconsistent association seen between studies may reflect limited statistical power to detect a weak effect, differences in population characteristics, or the lack of a true causal association.

Surgical approach to microwave and radiofrequency liver ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma and colorectal liver metastases less than 5cm: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) represent the two most common malignant neoplasms of the liver. The objective of this study was to assess outcomes of surgical approaches to liver ablation comparing laparoscopic versus percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA), and MWA versus radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with HCC or CRLM lesions smaller than 5cm. A systematic review was conducted across seven databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane, to identify all comparative studies between 1937 and 2021. Two independent reviewers screened for eligibility, extracted data for selected studies, and assessed study bias using the modified Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Random effects meta-analyses were subsequently performed on all available comparative data. From 1066 records screened, 11 studies were deemed relevant to the study and warranted inclusion. Eight of the 11 studies were at high or uncertain risk for bias. Our meta-analyses of two studies revealed that laparoscopic MW ablation had significantly higher complication rates compared to a percutaneous approach (risk ratio = 4.66; 95% confidence interval = [1.23, 17.22]), but otherwise similar incomplete ablation rates, local recurrence, and oncologic outcomes. The remaining nine studies demonstrated similar efficacy of MWA and RFA, as measured by incomplete ablation, complication rates, local/regional recurrence, and oncologic outcomes, for both HCC and CRLM lesions less than 5cm (p > 0.05 for all outcomes). There was no statistical subgroup interaction in the analysis of tumors < 3cm. The available comparative evidence regarding both laparoscopic versus percutaneous MWA and MWA versus RFA is limited, evident by the few studies that suffer from high/uncertain risk of bias. Additional high-quality randomized trials or statistically matched cohort studies with sufficient granularity of patient variables, institutional experience, and physician specialty/training will be useful in informing clinical decision making for the ablative treatment of HCC or CRLM.

THE ROLE OF VIRTUAL PEER HEALTH SUPPORT IN ALTERNATIVE ILLNESS APPRAISALS AND PATIENT SELF-REAPPRAISAL AFTER CANCER

Abstract Technology is transforming how older adults find health-related support and get connected with others who cope with similar healthproblems. This study examined the relationship between virtual peer health support and alternative appraisals of illness experience in old age among people who use the Internet for cancer related support (N=157, Age Range: 50-79, Mean = 57). Regression models with interaction terms examined whether and to what extent virtual peer health support was associated with differential illness appraisal as well as and post-diagnosis self-reappraisal. Results demonstrated that a) perceived benefits of virtual peer health support is a significant predictor of self-reported self-reappraisal (β = .24, p &amp;lt; .01) b) appraisals of illness experience as a traumatic event and/or as a life challenge are both significantly associated with virtual peer health support (β = .18, p &amp;lt; .05 and β = .23, p &amp;lt; .01), and c) appraisal of illness experience as a personal growth growth opportunity is not significantly associated with virtual peer health support (β = .10, p &amp;lt; .23). These results suggest the statistical interactions of the virtual peer health support with illness appraisals are significant predictors of self-reappraisal post-diagnosis. Specifically, those who appraised cancer to have been a traumatic experience and/or life challenge for them perceived virtual peer support to be positively influential on their self-perception after cancer diagnosis, which is in contrast to those who perceived cancer experience as an opportunity for personal growth and thus possibly not deriving further significant additional benefits from virtual peer support.