Confidence Intervals for the Risk Ratio in Cohort Studies under Inverse Sampling

Three simple interval estimates for the risk ratio in inverse sampling are considered. The first two interval estimates are derived on the basis of Fieller's Theorem and the delta method with the logarithmic transformation, respectively. The third interval estimate is derived on the basis of an F-test statistic proposed by BENNETT (1981) for testing equal probabilities of a disease between two comparison groups when the disease is rare. To evaluate the performance of these three methods, a Monte Carlo simulation is used to compare the actual coverage probability with the nominal confidence level for each method and to estimate the expected length of the corresponding confidence interval in a variety of situations. On the basis of the results found in the simulation, we have concluded that the method with the logarithmic transformation is either equivalent to or better than the other two methods for all situations considered here.     

Human handling and presentation of a novel object evoke independent dimensions of fear in Japanese quail

Fear is a concept comprising several dimensions, but the nature of these dimensions and the relationships between them remain elusive. To investigate these dimensions in birds, we have used two genetic lines of quail divergently selected on tonic immobility duration, a behavioural index of fear. These two lines differ in their behavioural response to some, but not all, fear-inducing situations. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of human intervention in the differentiation between the two lines. To do this, fear responses towards a novel object were compared between lines in three conditions: (1) in the home cage without any human intervention, (2) in the home cage after human handling and (3) after placement in a novel environment by human handling. Fear behaviour differed between lines after human handling, with or without placement in a novel environment, but presentation of a novel object in the home cage without any human intervention induced similar fear responses in the two lines of quail. These results lead us to suggest that in quail, human intervention evokes a dimension of fear that differs from that evoked by sudden presentation of a novel object, in that these two dimensions may be selected independently.     

The Negative Binomial Distribution of Order k and Some of Its Properties

The negative binomial distribution of order k is introduced and briefly studied. First it is shown that it is a proper probability distribution. Then its probability generating function, mean and variance are derived. Finally it is shown that the number of trials until the rth kth consecutive success (r ≧ 1, k ≧ 1) in independent trials with constant success probability p (0 < p < 1) is distributed as negative binomial distribution of order k. The present paper generalizes results of SHANE (1973), PHILIPPOU and MUWAFI (1982), and PHILIPPOU, GEORGHIOU and PHILIPPOU (1982).     

Toxoplasma gondii: Electron microscopic study on the dye test reaction

When intact Toxoplasma trophozoites were stained with isotonic alkaline methylene blue solution, the organelles rich in nucleic acid, i.e., nucleus, free and membrane-bound ribosomes appeared as electron dense areas. When the parasites were incubated with the anti-Toxoplasma antibody and the accessory factor, swelling of the surface membrane occurred first, followed by destruction of the inner structures. In the dye test positive parasites, there were no definite organelles recognizable, as there were in the intact parasites. By the negative staining method, holes (defects) with dark central portions were observed on the surface of the parasites treated with the antibody and the accessory factor, the diameter of the holes measuring about 10–11 nm. These holes, which tended to occur in clusters, were each surrounded by a clear ring.     

Unbiased Estimation of Odds Ratio by Using Negative Binomial Plans

The use of the negative binomial distribution in both the numerator and denominator in prospective studies leads to an unbiased estimate of the odds ratio and an exact expression for its variance. Sample sizes that minimize the variance of odds ratio estimates are specified. The variance of the odds ratio estimate is shown to be close to the Cramér-Rao lower bound.     

八段锦和五行音乐疗法在缓解新型冠状病毒肺炎患者负性情绪中的疗效分析

摘要 目的：观察八段锦和五行音乐疗法对新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）患者负性情绪的疗效。方法：收集孝感市第一人民医院就诊的COVID-19患者40例，采用随机数字表法将40例患者随机分为对照组（n=20）和观察组（n=20），观察组接受八段锦和子午流注理论指导下的择时五行音乐疗法进行干预，对照组保持日常生活方式。两组在干预前、干预2周采用焦虑自评量表（SAS）和抑郁自评量表(SDS)分别评定两组实验对象在实验前和干预后的负性情绪的改变，用患者生活质量量表(QLQ-C30)分别对两组患者进行生活质量的测评。结果：接受八段锦和子午流注理论指导下的择时五行音乐疗法的患者负性情绪明显减低，SAS、SDS评分明显较前明显改善，观察组患者SAS评分、SDS评分较对照组降低程度明显，差异存在统计学差异（P＜0.05）；干预后观察组、对照组的角色功能、认知功能、情感功能、躯体功能及生活质量评分均明显改善，接受八段锦和子午流注理论指导下的择时五行音乐疗法的患者在角色功能、认知功能、情感功能、躯体功能及生活质量评分方面均优于对照组，差异存在统计学差异（P＜0.05）。结论：COVID-19患者通过八段锦和五行音乐疗法能够明显减低负性情绪，此种疗法可有效起到"精神内守，病安从来"的安慰作用。     

Modeling heterogeneity for count data: A study of maternal mortality in health facilities in Mozambique

Count data are very common in health services research, and very commonly the basic Poisson regression model has to be extended in several ways to accommodate several sources of heterogeneity: (i) an excess number of zeros relative to a Poisson distribution, (ii) hierarchical structures, and correlated data, (iii) remaining “unexplained” sources of overdispersion. In this paper, we propose hierarchical zero‐inflated and overdispersed models with independent, correlated, and shared random effects for both components of the mixture model. We show that all different extensions of the Poisson model can be based on the concept of mixture models, and that they can be combined to account for all different sources of heterogeneity. Expressions for the first two moments are derived and discussed. The models are applied to data on maternal deaths and related risk factors within health facilities in Mozambique. The final model shows that the maternal mortality rate mainly depends on the geographical location of the health facility, the percentage of women admitted with HIV and the percentage of referrals from the health facility.     

Envy and egalitarianism in Aboriginal Australia: An integrative approach

The word ‘envy’ directs attention to feelings and cognitions that are especially important sources of information in our complicated sociality. As it is delimited by philosophers, economists, psychologists and others, envy is conceptually nested within a family that includes evil eye beliefs, inequity aversion, strong reciprocity and social comparison. Although the accumulation of work in these areas is substantial, anthropological treatments of envy are rare. Given repeated assertions of envy's universality and its potential importance for understanding widespread aspects of the human condition, a comparative eye seems essential. I present an account of ‘jealous’ in Aboriginal Australia via a framework that casts emotions as emerging from the interaction of psychobiological and sociocultural processes. According to this perspective, ‘envy’ should not be regarded as an invariant human condition but rather as a Western version of what, in a more generic human form, may both defend the individual and the larger sociality.     

Involvement of INF-γ functional single nucleotide polymorphism +874 T/A (rs2430561) in breast cancer risk

According Global Cancer Statistics 2020 GLOBOCAN estimates female breast cancer was found as the most commonly diagnosed cancer, with an estimated 2.3 million new cases (11.7%), and the fourth leading cause (6.9%) of cancer death among women worldwide. Identification of new diagnostic marker sharply characterize the tumor feature is intensive need. The present work was performed to investigate the involvement of the INF-γ + 874 T/A gene polymorphism in different breast cancer prognostic factors. Polymorphism detection analysis was performed on 163 subjects from breast cancer patients, 79 with inflamed cells of breast patients and 144 controls. The gene polymorphism was detected using the amplification refractory mutation system- polymerase chain reaction method (ARMS-PCR). The distribution of INF-γ T + 874A gene polymorphism shows strong significant association between INF-γ + 874 T/A genotypes TT in BC patients (ORTT: 6.41 [95% CI = 2.72–15.1] P < 0.0001) as well as strong significant association regarding T allele (ORT: 1.99 [95% CI = 1.43–2.76] P < 0.0001) when compared to the healthy control. In ICB group the strong association was noted with INF-γ + 874 T/A genotypes AT genotype (ORAT: 2.28 [95% CI = 1.22–4.29] P = 0.007). From the different histological BC hormonal markers the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) was showing significant association in INF-γ + 874 T/A genotypes TT (P = 0.03) and recessive model (TT versus AA + AT P = 0.03). Concerning different BC prognostic models, the poor prognostic one of luminal B, (ER^+ve PR^+ve Her2^+ve) show significant association in the host INF-γ + 874 T/A genotype (TT, P = 0.03) and recessive model (TT versus AA + AT P = 0.02) when compared to the good prognostic hormonal status luminal A model, (ER^+ve PR^+ve Her2-ve). It seems that this is the first study that interested in correlate the INF-γ + 874 T/A gene polymorphisms in Egyptian BC patients. T allele, TT genotype and recessive model of the INF-γ + 874 T/A gene variants were documented as risk factors for BC pathogenesis. It may be used as practical biomarker to guide the BC carcinogenesis and risk process.