The assumption of consistency, defined as agreement between direct and indirect sources of evidence, underlies the increasingly popular method of network meta-analysis. No evidence exists so far ...regarding the extent of inconsistency in full networks of interventions or the factors that control its statistical detection.
In this paper we assess the prevalence of inconsistency from data of 40 published networks of interventions involving 303 loops of evidence. Inconsistency is evaluated in each loop by contrasting direct and indirect estimates and by employing an omnibus test of consistency for the entire network. We explore whether different effect measures for dichotomous outcomes are associated with differences in inconsistency, and evaluate whether different ways to estimate heterogeneity affect the magnitude and detection of inconsistency.
Inconsistency was detected in from 2% to 9% of the tested loops, depending on the effect measure and heterogeneity estimation method. Loops that included comparisons informed by a single study were more likely to show inconsistency. About one-eighth of the networks were found to be inconsistent. The proportions of inconsistent loops do not materially change when different effect measures are used. Important heterogeneity or the overestimation of heterogeneity was associated with a small decrease in the prevalence of statistical inconsistency.
The study suggests that changing the effect measure might improve statistical consistency, and that an analysis of sensitivity to the assumptions and an estimator of heterogeneity might be needed before reaching a conclusion about the absence of statistical inconsistency, particularly in networks with few studies.
The present work studies the effect of redundancies on the reliability of coherent systems formed by modules. Different redundancies at components’ level versus redundancies at modules’ level are ...investigated, including active and standby redundancies. For that, a new model is presented. This model takes into account the dependence among the components, as well as, the dependence among the modules of the system. In both cases, the dependence structure is modeled by copula functions. Several results are provided to compare systems consisting of heterogeneous components. The comparisons are distribution-free with respect to the components. In particular, we consider the cases when the components in the modules are independent and connected (or not) in series, and when the components are dependent within the modules. In both cases, it is assumed that the modules can be dependent. Furthermore, the case in which the components in each module are identically distributed (dependent or independent) is also considered. We illustrate the theoretical results with several examples.
•Reliability analysis of hierarchical system structures.•A new model proposed to study redundancy mechanisms at multiple levels.•Investigate the effects of redundancies in systems at components’ level versus modules’ level.•Applied to coherent systems with heterogeneity and dependency.
•This study elucidated the correlation between individual antibiotics and Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).•Two methodologies were integrated: network meta-analysis and Food and Drug Adverse ...Event Reporting System disproportionality analysis.•Cefepime and imipenem lead to more cases of CDI compared with piperacillin/tazobactam.•A trend indicated increased incidence of CDI with imipenem relative to meropenem.•Lincosamides and oral third-generation cephalosporins exhibit higher CDI risk signals.
Antibiotic utilization stands as the strongest modifiable determinant for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). However, previous studies have relied on aggregated antibiotic categories, leaving prescribers without detailed comparative risk information for individual antibiotics. The objective of this study was to estimate the risk of CDI comprehensively across specific antibiotics.
Two methodologies were integrated to access and rank the risk of CDI associated with individual antibiotics or classes. Initially, a network comparison was conducted by analysing data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Subsequently, a real-world disproportionality analysis using the Food and Drug Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database complemented and enriched the findings from RCTs.
The network comparison, encompassing 61 RCTs with 25,931 patients, revealed that exposure to cefepime odds ratio (OR) 2.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20–5.44; P=0.02 and imipenem/cilastatin (OR 3.86, 95% CI 1.61–9.29; P=0.003) exhibited higher frequencies of CDI compared with piperacillin/tazobactam. No significant differences were observed between the carbapenems, albeit a trend indicating higher incidence of CDI with imipenem/cilastatin compared with meropenem (OR 3.89, 95% CI 0.94–16.09). In the FAERS disproportionality analysis, nearly all antibiotics displayed associations with CDI, and CDI risk signals often clustered within the majority of antibiotic classes. Among these, lincomycin demonstrated the strongest association (OR 112.17, 95% CI 51.68–243.43). Additionally, oral third-generation cephalosporins tended to exhibit higher CDI risk signals than other antibiotics.
The findings unveiled substantial diversity in the risk of CDI, both within and between antibiotic classes, providing valuable guidance for clinicians in antibiotic prescription decisions and for initiatives aimed at antibiotic stewardship.
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Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive, yet concise, overview of the considerations and metrics required for partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) ...analysis and result reporting. Preliminary considerations are summarized first, including reasons for choosing PLS-SEM, recommended sample size in selected contexts, distributional assumptions, use of secondary data, statistical power and the need for goodness-of-fit testing. Next, the metrics as well as the rules of thumb that should be applied to assess the PLS-SEM results are covered. Besides presenting established PLS-SEM evaluation criteria, the overview includes the following new guidelines: PLSpredict (i.e., a novel approach for assessing a model’s out-of-sample prediction), metrics for model comparisons, and several complementary methods for checking the results’ robustness.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper provides an overview of previously and recently proposed metrics as well as rules of thumb for evaluating the research results based on the application of PLS-SEM.
Findings
Most of the previously applied metrics for evaluating PLS-SEM results are still relevant. Nevertheless, scholars need to be knowledgeable about recently proposed metrics (e.g. model comparison criteria) and methods (e.g. endogeneity assessment, latent class analysis and PLSpredict), and when and how to apply them to extend their analyses.
Research limitations/implications
Methodological developments associated with PLS-SEM are rapidly emerging. The metrics reported in this paper are useful for current applications, but must always be up to date with the latest developments in the PLS-SEM method.
Originality/value
In light of more recent research and methodological developments in the PLS-SEM domain, guidelines for the method’s use need to be continuously extended and updated. This paper is the most current and comprehensive summary of the PLS-SEM method and the metrics applied to assess its solutions.
The present study evaluates a brief, cross-cultural scale that maps a wide range of social resources, useful in large-scale assessments of perceived social support. The Brief Perceived Social Support ...Questionnaire (Fragebogen zur Sozialen Unterstützung Kurzform mit sechs Items, F-SozU K-6) was examined in representative and university student samples from the United States (Nrepresentative = 3038), Germany (Nrepresentative = 2007, Nstudent = 5406), Russia (Nrepresentative = 3020, Nstudent = 4001), and China (Nstudent = 13,582). Cross-cultural measurement invariance testing was conducted in both representative and student samples across countries. Scores on the F-SozU K-6 demonstrated good reliability and strong model fit for a unidimensional structure in all samples, with the exception of poor model fit for German students. The scores on F-SozU K-6 correlated negatively with scores on depression, anxiety, and stress measures and positively with scores on positive mental health measures. Norms for gender and age groups were established separately based on each representative sample. Cross-cultural measurement invariance testing found partial strong measurement invariance across three general population samples and three student samples. Furthermore, a simulation study showed that the amount of invariance observed in the partial invariance model had only a negligible impact on mean comparisons. Psychometric findings across diverse cultural contexts supported the robustness and validity of the F-SozU K-6 for cross-cultural epidemiologic studies.
Public Significance Statement
This study found that the brief Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (F-SozU K-6) displayed overall good psychometric properties and validity in three large representative (the United States, Germany, and Russia) and three university student (Germany, Russia, and China) samples. Cross-cultural measurement invariance tests supported partial strong invariance across samples. The scale appears to be a reliable and economical tool for perceived social support measurement.
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CEKLJ, FFLJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PEFLJ
This article challenges the implicit assumption of many cross-national studies that gender-role attitudes fall along a single continuum between traditional and egalitarian. The authors argue that ...this approach obscures theoretically important distinctions in attitudes and renders analyses of change over time incomplete. Using latent class analysis, they investigate the multidimensional nature of gender-role attitudes in 17 postindustrial European countries. They identify three distinct varieties of egalitarianism that they designate as liberal egalitarianism, egalitarian familism, and flexible egalitarianism. They show that while traditional gender-role attitudes have precipitously and uniformly declined in accordance with the “rising tide” narrative toward greater egalitarianism, the relative prevalence of different egalitarianisms varies markedly across countries. Furthermore, they find that European nations are not converging toward one dominant egalitarian model but rather, remain differentiated by varieties of egalitarianism.
In the context of global warming, increasing carbon productivity is an important way to balance environmental goals with economic growth and development. In this study, we measure the provincial ...industrial carbon productivity (ICP) in China. Employing spatial production-theoretical decomposition analysis and data from the industrial sector in each province of China, we investigate the regional disparities in ICP and the driving factors at the provincial and sectoral levels. The results indicate that the ICP discrepancies across different regions are obvious: the eastern region had the highest ICP, followed by the northeastern, central, and western regions. The capital-energy substitution effect and CO2 emission performance were two principal contributors to increasing the regional disparities for most provinces. By contrast, the labor-energy substitution effect and energy consumption structure remained relatively backward and resulted in lower ICP than the average level in most provinces. Furthermore, 12 key industrial subsectors, including electricity generation sector, five energy-intensive manufacturing sectors and six nonenergy intensive manufacturing sectors, in 13 provinces (including Hebei, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Anhui, and all the other western provinces) were identified as the main drivers of the lower than average ICP in these 13 provinces. For the12 industrial sectors in the 13 provinces, industrial structure, and CO2 emission performance were the main causes of their backward carbon productivity. Based on the findings of this study, several relevant suggestions for policymakers are provided.
Individualism–collectivism is one of the best researched dimensions of culture in psychology. One frequently asked but underexamined question regards its cross-temporal changes: Are cultures becoming ...individualistic? One influential theory of cultural change, modernization theory, predicts the rise of individualism as a consequence of economic growth. Findings from past research are generally consistent with this theory, but there is also a body of evidence suggesting its limitations. To examine these issues, cross-temporal analyses of individualism–collectivism in the United States and Japan were conducted. Diverging patterns of cultural changes were found across indices: In both countries, some of the obtained indices showed rising individualism over the past several decades, supporting the modernization theory. However, other indices showed patterns that are best understood within the frameworks of a shifting focus of social relationships and a persisting cultural heritage. A comprehensive theory of cultural change requires considerations of these factors in addition to the modernization effect.
Globales Paradigma, nationale Normen und lokale Praxen. Das Handbuch Inklusion international verbindet theoretische Entwicklungslinien und vielfältige vergleichende Perspektiven der Inklusiven ...Bildung in ihrer globalen Verbreitung. Die Beiträge bieten einen umfassenden Zugang zu internationalen Diskursen, vergleichenden Forschungsergebnissen und ‚inspiring practices‘ aus diversen Weltregionen – Europa, Afrika, Asien und Nordamerika. Besondere Aufmerksamkeit wird dabei der Relevanz komparativer Studien gewidmet.
Global paradigm, national norms and local practices. The International Handbook of Inclusive Education combines theoretical approaches and myriad comparative perspectives on inclusive education considering its global diffusion. Its contributions provide comprehensive access to international discourses, comparative research results, and inspiring practices from diverse world regions—Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America—and emphasize the relevance of comparative studies.
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