Implications of the Advancing Small Sample Prevention Science Special Section are discussed. Efficiency and precision are inadequately considered in many current prevention-science methodological approaches. As a result, design and analytic practices pose difficulties for the study of contextual factors in prevention, which often involve small samples. Four primary conclusions can be drawn from the Special Section. First, contemporary statistical and measurement approaches provide a number of underutilized opportunities to maximize power. These strategies maximize efficiencies by optimizing design and resource allocation parameters, allowing for the detection of effects with small samples. Second, several alternative research designs provide both rigor and further optimize efficiencies through more complete use of available information, allowing study of important questions in prevention science for which only small samples may be accessible. Third, mixed methods hold promise for enhancing the utility of qualitative data in studies with small samples. Finally, Bayesian analytic approaches, through their use of prior information, allow for even greater efficiencies in work with small samples, and through their introduction in the routines of mainstream software packages, hold particular promise as an emergent methodology in prevention research.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11121-015-0577-4 | DOI Listing |
J Pediatr (Rio J)
January 2025
Department of General Surgery and Neonatal Surgery, Liangjiang Wing, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Pediatrics, Chongqing, China. Electronic address:
Objective: This study aimed to develop a predictive model using a random forest algorithm to determine the likelihood of postoperative adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) in infants under 3 months with intestinal malrotation.
Methods: A machine learning model was used to predict postoperative adhesive small bowel obstruction using comprehensive clinical data extracted from 107 patients with a follow-up of at least 24 months. The Boruta algorithm was used for selecting clinical features, and nested cross-validation tuned and selected hyper-parameters for the random forest model.
Environ Pollut
January 2025
Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Sweden.
Urban environments are exposed to a substantial range of anthropic pressures, including chemical exposure. While trace metals and legacy pollutants have been well documented, the extent of wildlife exposure to emerging contaminants has received little attention, in terrestrial mammals. Concentrations of trace elements (Ag, Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn) and 48 organic pollutants (Polychlorinated Biphenyls: PCBs, Organochlorine Pesticides: OCPs, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: PAHs, phthalates and pyrethroid pesticides) were measured in tissues of European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) in southern Sweden.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Biochem
January 2025
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Program, Health Sciences Centre, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; Memorial University of Newfoundland, Health Sciences Centre, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Electronic address:
Purpose: Rapid determination of cerebrospinal fluid. (CSF) glucose and lactate is required by emergency rooms and intensive care units. Long turnaround time (TAT) on test results negatively impacts timely diagnosis and treatment of neurological infections like meningitis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTalanta
January 2025
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Analytical Science for Food Safety and Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection Technology for Food Safety, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China. Electronic address:
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) has become a robust tool for analyzing a variety of biomacromolecules. However, the strong background interference produced by conventional organic matrices hinders the detection of small molecule analytes, which restricts the widespread application of MALDI-MS in metabolomics studies. Consequently, developing new organic matrices is urgently needed to overcome these issues.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMar Environ Res
December 2024
School of Oceanography, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China.
Diazotrophs have made significant contributions to marine nitrogen cycles. However, their distribution patterns and determined mechanisms have not been fully understood, particularly at the small regional scales. Here, the diazotrophic community structure by different sample sizes (0.
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