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Adolescent depression is a major public health concern. Although stress has been linked to more severe depression, its association with mild depression among adolescents is not understood. This study assesses the relationship between perceived stress and cortisol (a physiologic measure of stress) and examines the relationships between these stress measures and depressive symptoms among adolescents 13–19 years of age. Stress was measured with the Perceived Stress Scale-10 and through salivary sampling for cortisol four times throughout the day. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to measure depressive symptoms (range 0–27), where ≥5 indicated the threshold for experiencing at least mild depressive symptoms. Spearman coefficients and multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the relationships between our variables of interest. The mean age of the 73 participants in our study was 15.82 years. 49 % of the participants reported depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score ≥ 5). Both higher perceived stress (odds ratio [OR] = 1.11, p = 0.022) and lower cortisol (area-under-the curve; AUC G) (OR = 0.99, p = 0.009) were associated with increased odds of having depressive symptoms. Few participants had moderate to severe PHQ-9 depression, therefore our study reported findings on mild depression or greater. Perceived stress and cortisol appear to reflect distinct, independent components of the stress experience. However, both greater perceived stress and less circulating cortisol may indicate difficulties in regulating stress as potential factors underlying depressive symptoms. Future research should focus on the different types of adolescent stressors and the importance of routine screening of stress and depression, including mild depression. • Adolescents (ages 13 to 19 years) from a community setting were recruited into this study. • Salivary sampling for cortisol was used to calculate the diurnal cortisol slope, average cortisol levels, AUC G , and cortisol awakening response. • Perceived stress and cortisol measures were not related to one another. • Higher perceived stress and lower AUC G were associated with increased odds of experiencing depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) in the aqueous humor of patients with Posner-Schlossman syndrome (PSS), and the association between MMP-3 and PSS. Methods: Peripheral blood and aqueous humor were routinely collected from 29 patients with PSS (PSS group) and 30 patients with age-related-cataract (ARC) (control group). The content of MMP-3 in serum and aqueous humor was measured by immunoturbidimetry. The correlation between MMP-3 and ophthalmic examination results were verified by Spearman's correlation analysis. Results: The MMP-3 level in the aqueous humor of the PSS group was (25.86 ± 13.4)ng/ml, significantly higher than that in the control group (3.9 ± 2.7)ng/ml(p < 0.001), while there was no significant difference in serum MMP-3 level between the two groups (p = 0.125). The endothelial cell density (ECD) in the aqueous humor of the PSS group was (2078 ± 440) cell/mm2, intraocular pressure (IOP) in the aqueous humor of the PSS group was (33 ± 12) mmHg. The correlation analysis of aqueous humor MMP-3 and various ophthalmic examination results showed that aqueous humor MMP-3 had a moderate correlation with IOP and the difference in ECD between the affected eye and the fellow eye. Conclusions: MMP-3 level is elevated in the aqueous humor of PSS patients, and it may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New approaches to maternal blood loss quantification should be investigated. • A novel device was more accurate than volumetry and is highly usable. • The device my address limitations of current blood loss quantification practices. • The device may impact PPH related morbidity and needs further testing. To study the accuracy and usability of a novel obstetric blood loss quantifying tool in clinical settings. A mixed-methods study was conducted in an Irish tertiary maternity unit. The accuracy of measuring the blood content (hemoglobin concentration) of elective Caesarean section birth waste with a novel obstetric blood loss quantifying device was compared, using Bland-Altman and correlation analysis, with staff volumetry and a reference hemoglobinometer. Hospital staff (nurses, midwives and doctors) opinion of the usability of the device was studied by an anonymous questionnaire which generated a System Usability Scale (SUS) score. SUS scores range from 0 to 100 with higher scores reflecting greater usability. The device was used by 19 different hospital staff members (nine nurses, four midwives and six doctors) in 19 elective Caesarean deliveries that had varying levels of PPH risk. Bland-Altman analysis produced mean biases of −0.7 ± 1.5 g/dL and 0.2 ± 1.2 g/dL for the device and staff measurements respectively. The width of the limits of agreement was narrower for device measurements than for staff measurements (4.5 g/dL and 5.7 g/dL respectively). The device's measurements of hemoglobin content correlated more strongly with the hemoglobinometer rather than with hospital staff measurements (Spearman correlation coefficients of 0.9 and 0.6 respectively). This suggests that the device is more accurate in determining the blood content of the birth waste than hospital staff volumetric measurements. Hospital staff members assigned the device a mean SUS score of 82 which suggests that the device is highly usable. An early feasibility study in clinical settings suggests that a novel device for quantifying obstetric blood loss was more accurate than volumetry in measuring the hemoglobin content of birth waste. Health professionals also found the device highly usable. This data suggests that there is much potential in transitioning from a "human-made" to a "machine-made" assessment of blood loss. Future studies will entail additional testing of the device to assess its impact on the morbidities associated with postpartum hemorrhage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the anatomical position of the anterior arm of the mesh, measured by ultrasound through the bladder neck–mesh distance technique and the surgical outcomes after laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (SCP) for apical prolapse. Study design: It was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data in a tertiary care hospital. Between January 2019 and September 2019, 63 women who underwent laparoscopic SCP due to apical prolapse were included. Bladder neck–mesh distance was measured immediately after surgery. The pelvic floor was evaluated using the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification (POP-Q) System before, 1 month, and 2.7 years (mid-term) after the surgery. Post-operative stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scores were also assessed. The correlation between bladder neck–mesh distance and the post-operative outcomes was investigated using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results: At mid-term follow-up visit, bladder neck–mesh distance was inversely correlated with the correction of apical prolapse and post-operative SUI. No correlation was detected with the anterior compartment prolapse correction. PGI-I scores were high in all patients at mid-term follow-up, irrespective of bladder neck–mesh distance values. Conclusion: The shorter the bladder neck–mesh distance, the better the outcome for apical compartment repair. Bladder neck–mesh distance had no correlation with the anterior anatomical correction. Shorter bladder neck–mesh distance values were positively correlated to better PGI-I scores and a higher risk of SUI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colonic transit (CT) measured by validated scintigraphy using 111In‐labeled activated charcoal particles is summarized using geometric center (GC) of isotopic distribution in four colonic regions and stool at 24 and 48 h. Diagnosis of rapid CT is currently based on GC24 ≥4.4 in females and >4.7 in males, which lack sensitivity. Our aim was to evaluate, in patients with chronic diarrhea with normal CT by GC24 and GC48, the diagnostic utility of CT change (∆GC) relative to sex‐matched normal values. Methods: We evaluated two adult patient cohorts: 701 clinical patients (1994–2023) with chronic diarrhea and 76 research participants with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (N = 63) or bile acid diarrhea (BAD, N = 13). Results of ∆GC were compared to 220 healthy controls' 95th percentiles (%ile) (≥2.0 females and ≥2.2 males). In the research cohort, we also analyzed (Spearman correlation) colonic ∆GC with ascending colon emptying T1/2 (AC T1/2), average stool frequency and consistency based on a daily diary, total fecal bile acid (BA) concentration, and % primary BA in a single stool sample. Key Results: Among 701 clinical patients with normal GC24, 160 (22.3%) had rapid CT based on ∆GC 95th %ile in health. Among 76 research participants, an additional 20.6% IBS‐D and 23% BAD had rapid CT ∆GC. Younger age and absence of diabetes mellitus were predictive of rapid ∆GC. ∆GC significantly correlated with AC T1/2 and with fecal BA. Conclusions & Inferences: ∆GC identified an additional 21%–23% patients with rapid colonic transit among patients with diarrhea and normal GC24. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was the measurement of the test–retest reliability of n-back in Chinese stroke patients. Methods: Seventy-five sub-acute stroke patients performed n-back twice in three days. The test–retest reliability of n-back was analyzed by correlation coefficient. Results: The n-back had excellent test–retest reliability in stroke patients. Pearson or Spearman coefficients ranged from 0.81 to 0.88. The intra-class correlation coefficients ranged from 0.72 to 0.87. The Chinese version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Basic (MoCA-BC) score was significantly correlated with the performance of n-back. MoCA-BC and n-back accuracy were significantly related in the Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) group (r = 0.60 in 1-back, p =.002; r = 0.43 in 2-back, p =.040). However, MoCA-BC was correlated with reaction time (RT) in the Cognitively Normal (CN) group (r = –0.44 in 1-back, p =.003; r = –0.36 in 2-back, p =.018). The test–retest reliability of CN group was mostly higher than that of MCI group RT: 0.71–0.76 in MCI, 0.80–0.88 in CN; accuracy: 0.80–0.85 in MCI, 0.75–0.86 in CN). The practice effect was observed in the CN group instead of the MCI group. Conclusions: This study indicated that the test–retest reliability of n-back was high in stroke patients. N-back was correlated with cognition. It was preferable to conduct subgroup analyses according to the level of cognitive assessment of patients with stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a growing public health problem worldwide. Respecting the significance of the modified Lund-Kennedy (MLK) score in rhinitis assessment, we delved into its evaluation value on the sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) efficacy in AR patients. Methods: Totally 100 AR patients were enrolled, with pre- and post-SLIT MLK score, total nasal symptoms score (TNSS), total medication score (TMS), visual analogue scale (VAS), inflammatory cytokines, and immune function-related parameters compared. The correlations of MLK score with TNSS/TMS/VAS, as well as with IL-4/INF-γ/eosinophil (EOS)/percentage/specific immunoglobulin (sIgE)/sIgG were assessed by Spearman correlation analysis. The value of MLK score on assessing SLIT efficacy in AR patients was analyzed. Results: SLIT treatment reduced MLK/TNSS/TMS/VAS scores, abated IL-4 level/EOS percentage/sIgE, and elevated INF-γ/sIgG levels. MLK score was positively correlated with pre- and post-SLIT TNSS score (rpre−treatment = 0.592, rpost−treatment = 0.756), TMS score (rpre−treatment = 0.385, rpost−treatment = 0.718), VAS score (rpre−treatment = 0.369, rpost−treatment = 0.704), IL-4 (rpre−treatment = 0.553, rpost−treatment = 0.639), EOS percentage (rpre−treatment = 0.511, rpost−treatment = 0.632), and sIgE (rpre−treatment = 0.472, rpost−treatment = 0.524), and negatively with INF-γ (rpre−treatment = −0.418, rpost−treatment = −0.578) and sIgG4 (rpre−treatment = −0.460, rpost−treatment = −0.613). The MLK score had an area under curve of 0.846 (77.01% sensitivity, 76.92% specificity, 4 cut-off value) and 0.944 (91.67% sensitivity, 92.11% specificity, 2 cut-off value) for assessing SLIT treatment as effective and markedly effective for the patients, respectively. Conclusion: The MLK score had good evaluation value on the efficacy of SLIT treatment in AR patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Actinic cheilitis (AC) is a chronic lesion that usually precedes the onset of squamous cell carcinoma of the lip. Microscopically, AC may exhibit epithelial dysplasia (ED). Twist is a transcription factor that regulates the mesenchymal phenotype through negative E‐cadherin regulation. This study evaluated Twist and E‐cadherin immunoexpression in AC with different ED degrees. Materials and Methods: Twist and E‐cadherin immunoexpression was evaluated semiquantitatively in the epithelium of 86 cases of AC with different ED degrees. Data obtained were submitted to the Mann–Whitney test and Spearman's correlation test. Results: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed nuclear and cytoplasmic Twist immunoreactivity in all epithelial layers except the cornified layer. In contrast, the membrane and cytoplasmic E‐cadherin immunoreactivity was observed in all epithelial layers except the cornified layer. No significance was observed between the scores of these proteins and the ED degree. It was observed a correlation between total Twist and total (p = 0.030) and membrane (p = 0.014) E‐cadherin and between nuclear Twist and cytoplasmic E‐cadherin (p = 0.030). Conclusions: The results suggest that the high immunoexpression of Twist is an early lip carcinogenesis event. However, it appears not to influence the progression of ED in AC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Exposure to leadership activities plays a crucial role in enhancing self-efficacy, which is essential for developing effective student leaders. This study assessed the level of exposure and self-efficacy in school leadership among Supreme Student Government (SSG) leaders in the DepEd Bohol Division for the school year 2019-2020. Descriptivecorrelational research design was employed to evaluate the relationship between the exposure levels to leadership activities and the self-efficacy of 1,900 student leaders across 100 high schools which were chosen randomly. Two sets of questionnaires, validated by Youth Formation officers, were used to collect data on eight leadership areas: technical aspects, organizing school events, project implementation, policy/program execution, team building, financial management, time management, and mandated SSG programs. Descriptive statistics and Spearman rank correlation were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed a strong positive correlation between leadership exposure and self-efficacy, with the highest correlation in organizing school events and the lowest in time management. The results indicate that increased exposure to leadership tasks significantly boosts students' confidence in their leadership abilities. These insights suggest the need for comprehensive leadership training programs to enhance student leaders' skills and confidence, ultimately promoting better leadership outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections can cause a significant disease burden. It is estimated that 1.5 billion people worldwide are infected with STHs, primarily in tropical and subtropical regions. This study aimed to assess the distribution of the global burden and trend of STH infections from 1990 to 2021. Methods: We retrieved data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2021 on the age-standardized rates (ASRs) of prevalence and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of STH infections for all age groups in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. The ASRs of prevalence and DALYs by age, gender, and socio-demographic index (SDI) were calculated to quantify the spatial distribution and temporal trend. Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship between ASR and SDI. Results: In 2021, there were an estimated 642.72 million cases and 1.38 million DALYs caused by STH infections worldwide. The age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) of STH infections was 8429.89 [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 7697.23, 9362.18 ] per 100,000 population globally. The ASPR of STH infections varied across 21 geographic regions in 2021, being mainly prevalent in most African and Latin American locations. The prevalence was higher in the groups of 5–19 years, especially the group of 5–9 years with the ASPR of 16,263 (95% UI: 14,877.06, 18,003.49) and ASR of DALYs of 40.69 (95% UI: 25.98, 60.91) per 100,000. The ASPR of STH infections showed an obvious decreasing trend worldwide (estimated annual percent change = − 4.03, 95% confidence interval: − 4.13, − 3.93) with variations in different species infections during the study years. At the regional level, the ASR of STH infections prevalence (r = − 0.8807, P < 0.0001) and DALYs (r = − 0.9069, P < 0.0001) were negatively correlated with SDI. Conclusions: STH infections remain a public health problem in 2021, particularly in regions such as the middle parts of Africa and Americas, and in the 5–19 age populations. The reduction in the rate of prevalence and the loss of DALYs are negatively correlated with the increase in SDI. Enhancing political commitment, providing accurate preventive chemotherapy, and advancing techniques for surveillance and mapping systems are essential to achieve the target of ending STH infections as a public health problem by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of the study was to initially validate the hypothesis about the relationship between the pelvic tilt angle in the saggital plane and the functional state of muscles stabilising the lumbo-pelvic-hip (LPH) complex expressed as a change in their stiffness in a tensiomyography examination. Materials and methods: Forty five women aged 19–30 years took part in an observational (cross-sectional) study. The examination involved measurements using the tensiomyography method (TMG). The stiffness of muscles stabilising the LPH complex expressed as a maximal muscle displacement (Dm variable) was assessed and the relationship between muscle stiffness and the value of the pelvic tilt (PT) in the sagittal plane was determined. Results: The analysis showed significant differences in the values of medians of the muscle displacement (Dm) values in groups identified in terms of the value of pelvic tilt (Table 1) for Erector Spinae (ES) muscles (p = 0.0012), Gluteus Maximus (GM) muscles (p = 0.0004), Rectus Abdominis (RA) muscles (p = 0.0005), Obliquus abdominis externus (OAE) muscles (p = 0.0002*) and Rectus Femoris (RF) muscles (p = 0.0071). The results of the correlation analysis performed using the Spearman rho correlation coefficient between the value of pelvic tilt and muscle stiffness (Dm) show the following significant relations for ES muscles (p = 0<0.0001), GM muscles (p<0.0001), RA muscles (p<0.0001) and OAE muscles (p<0.0001). However, a clear direction of changes in stiffness in accordance with the description of relations defined as Lower Crossed Syndrome was not confirmed. Conclusions: A tensiomyographic examination did not show clear relations between the value of pelvic tilt and stiffness of muscles stabilising the lumbar-pelvic-hip complex. The mechanism of Lower Crossed Syndrome (LCS) may be not the only model explaining the relations between musculofascial structures of the hip-lumbar area. The implications of the LCS should not be the only basis for the therapy of disorders resulting from an incorrect position of the pelvis in the sagittal plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: Nutrition is a basic need for athletes; thus, adequate dietary intake is crucial for maintaining overall health, facilitating training adaptations and boosting athletic performance. Accurate dietary assessment tools are required to minimize the challenges faced by athletes. This study verifies the validity and reproducibility of a 157 item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) among Lebanese athletes. This is the only Arabic questionnaire in Lebanon that estimates food consumption for athletes which can also be used in Arabic speaking countries. There has been no previous validated food frequency questionnaire that estimated food consumption for athletes in Lebanon. Methods: A total of 194 athletes were included in the study to assess the validity of the food frequency questionnaire against four days dietary recalls by comparing the total nutrient intake values from the food frequency questionnaire with the mean values of four 24-hour dietary recalls using Spearman correlation coefficient and Bland Altman plots. In order to measure the reproducibility, the intra class correlation coefficients were calculated by repeating the same food frequency questionnaire after one month. Results: The intra-class correlation coefficient between the two-food frequency questionnaires ranged from average (0.739 for carbohydrates) to good (0.870 for energy (Kcal)), to excellent (0.919 for proteins) concerning macronutrients and ranged from average (0.688 for vitamin D), to excellent (0.952 for vitamin B12), indicating an acceptable reproducibility. Spearman's correlation coefficients of dietary intake estimate from the food frequency questionnaire and the four dietary recalls varied between 0.304 for sodium, 0.469 for magnesium to 0.953 for caloric intake (kcal). Bland-Altman plots illustrated a percentage of agreement ranging between 94.3% for fats to 96.4% for proteins. Conclusion: This food frequency questionnaire has a reliable validity and reproducibility to evaluate dietary assessments and is an appropriate tool for future interventions to ensure the adoption of adequate eating strategies by athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aims and Objectives Background Design Methods Results Conclusion Relevance to Clinical Practice Reporting Method Patient or Public Contribution To translate and validate the Nonverbal Pain Assessment Tool.Timely assessment of the pain degree of nonverbal intensive care unit (ICU) patients can provide humanistic care. However, there is a lack of pain assessment tools that can meet the needs of patients who cannot use language in ICUs in China.A cross‐sectional survey.We conducted forward–backward translation of the Nonverbal Pain Assessment Tool. A total of 300 critically ill patients in the intensive care unit who could not communicate verbally completed the Chinese version of the Nonverbal Pain Assessment Tool and the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to verify structural validity, and content validity and reliability analyses were also conducted.The Nonverbal Pain Assessment Tool demonstrated high internal consistency (α = 0.901) and interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.981), with good split‐half reliability. Content validity was established through acceptable item‐level content validity index and scale‐level content validity index scores. Exploratory factor analysis showed a single factor explaining 71.79% of total variance, and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed good model fit. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was 0.917 between the Nonverbal Pain Assessment Tool and the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool. The Chinese Nonverbal Pain Assessment Tool demonstrated significant differences in scores between different states of consciousness and illness severity, supporting its known‐groups validity.The Chinese version of the Nonverbal Pain Assessment Tool is a reliable and valid tool for nonverbal pain assessment in ICU patients in China.The Chinese version of the Nonverbal Pain Assessment Tool can assess the pain of patients who cannot use language in ICU, which provides a new valuable assessment tool for Chinese clinicians and nurses in pain assessment and management.Our study followed the STROBE Checklists.Patients actively cooperated and participated in data collection during the implementation of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to evaluate the effect of visual education for the basic needs of people with disabilities on the health literacy and life quality of caregivers. The study sample comprised 268 caregivers evaluated in a pretest-posttest pattern. The data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Health Literacy Scale, and the World Health Organization [WHO] Life Quality Scale-Short Form. Data were evaluated with the Wilcoxon test and Spearman correlation analysis. Following the education given to caregivers, an increase was determined in the Health Literacy Scale sub-dimension of information comprehension and in the WHO Life Quality Scale-Short Form sub-dimension of social relations. Thus it was seen that the visual education increased the health literacy and life quality of the caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe study investigated the effect of grief cognitions on grief and meaning reconstruction levels and explored how sociodemographic factors and loss-related variables relate to these outcomes, using a sample of 155 older bereaved spouses in Türkiye. The sample for the study, which used a relational screening model, consisted of 155 participants aged 60 and over from Çankaya district of Ankara. Data were collected using the socio-demographic information form, the grief cognition questionnaire, and the grief and meaning reconstruction inventory. Spearman correlation analyses were conducted to evaluate the correlations between variables, and multiple and hierarchical regression analyses were performed to ascertain the predictors of the scales. The analysis revealed a negative correlation between grief cognitions and grief and meaning reconstruction levels. Expectedness of death and the time elapsed since the spouse’s death were predictors of both grief cognitions and levels of grief and meaning reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Purpose Methods Results Conclusions Deep learning‐based computed tomography (CT) ventilation imaging (CTVI) is a promising technique for guiding functional lung avoidance radiotherapy (FLART). However, conventional approaches, which rely on anatomical CT data, may overlook important ventilation features due to the lack of motion data integration.This study aims to develop a novel dual‐aware CTVI method that integrates both anatomical information from CT images and motional information from Jacobian maps to generate more accurate ventilation images for FLART.A dataset of 66 patients with four‐dimensional CT (4DCT) images and reference ventilation images (RefVI) was utilized to develop the dual‐path fusion network (DPFN) for synthesizing ventilation images (CTVIDual). The DPFN model was specifically designed to integrate motion data from 4DCT‐generated Jacobian maps with anatomical data from average 4DCT images. The DPFN utilized two specialized feature extraction pathways, along with encoders and decoders, designed to handle both 3D average CT images and Jacobian map data. This dual‐processing approach enabled the comprehensive extraction of lung ventilation‐related features. The performance of DPFN was assessed by comparing CTVIDual to RefVI using various metrics, including Spearman's correlation coefficients (R), Dice similarity coefficients of high‐functional region (DSCh), and low‐functional region (DSCl). Additionally, CTVIDual was benchmarked against other CTVI methods, including a dual‐phase CT‐based deep learning method (CTVIDLCT), a radiomics‐based method (CTVIFM), a super voxel‐based method (CTVISVD), a Unet‐based method (CTVIUnet), and two deformable registration‐based methods (CTVIJac and CTVIHU).In the test group, the mean R between CTVIDual and RefVI was 0.70, significantly outperforming CTVIDLCT (0.68), CTVIFM (0.58), CTVISVD (0.62), and CTVIUnet (0.66), with p < 0.05. Furthermore, the DSCh and DSCl values of CTVIDual were 0.64 and 0.80, respectively, outperforming CTVISVD (0.63; 0.73) and CTVIUnet (0.62; 0.77). The performance of CTVIDual was also significantly better than that of CTVIJac and CTVIHU.A novel dual‐aware CTVI model that integrates anatomical and motion information was developed to synthesize lung ventilation images. It was shown that the accuracy of lung ventilation estimation could be significantly enhanced by incorporating motional information, particularly in patients with tumor‐induced blockages. This approach has the potential to improve the accuracy of CTVI, enabling more effective FLART. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Synaptic degeneration, axonal injury, and white matter disintegration are among the pathological events in Alzheimer's disease (AD), for which growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) could be an indicator. In this study, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) GAP-43 clinical trajectories and their association with progression and AD hallmarks with white matter microstructural changes were evaluated. Methods: A total number of 133 participants were enrolled in GAP-43 and DTI values were compared between groups, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally with two and four-year follow-ups. Subsequently, the correlation between GAP-43 levels in the CSF and DTI values was investigated using Spearman's correlation. Results: The CSF level of GAP-43 is negatively correlated with the mean diffusivity measures in Fornix (Cres)/Stria terminals in early and late MCI (rs=-0.478 p = 0.021 and rs=-0.425 p = 0.038). Additionally, the CSF level of GAP-43 is negatively correlated with fractional anisotropy in the cingulum in late MCI (rs=-0.437 p = 0.033). Moreover, the axial diffusivity in superior corona radiate (rs=-0.562 p = 0.005 and rs=-0.484 p = 0.036) and radial diffusivity in superior fronto-occipital fasciculus was negatively correlated with GAP-43 level in the early and mid-MCI participants (rs=-0.520 p = 0.011 and rs=-0.498 p = 0.030). Conclusions: Presynaptic marker GAP-43 in combination with DTI can be used as a novel biomarker to identify microstructural synaptic degeneration in the early MCI. In addition, it can be used as a biomarker for tracking the progression of AD and monitoring treatment efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water richness evaluation of coal seam roofs is a crucial prerequisite for preventing and controlling water hazards in coal seam roofs. For this purpose, Spearman correlation and GeoDetector were employed for factor optimization to investigate the significance of lithological and structural factors and the impact of interactions among different factors on the water richness of coal seam roofs. Water richness evaluation models of coal seam roofs were separately established via the entropy weight method (EWM), coefficient of variation method (CVM), and random forest method (RFM), and the predictive accuracies of these models were compared. Eleven lithological and structural factors were collected. Through Spearman correlation analysis, 6 factors were identified to have significant influences on water richness. By utilizing the interaction detection of GeoDetector, the effects of interfactor interactions on water richness were explored, and 3 combination factors were selected. AICc was used to determine the model's superiority. The evaluation results of the study area based on factor optimization and three methods were further compared and validated via pumping tests, workface water inflow tests, and three-dimensional high-density electrical method. The results indicated that the RFM exhibited higher prediction accuracy than did the entropy weight and coefficient of variation methods. Additionally, within each method, factor optimization led to improved model accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recently, there has been an increase in scabies cases among young children in low- and middle-income countries. With the rise of online health information, platforms such as YouTube have become popular sources of disease-related content, but the accuracy of this information remains a concern. Aim: This study evaluates the reliability and quality of YouTube videos concerning scabies in children to address the lack of research in this area. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on April 1, 2024, reviewing the first 200 relevant YouTube videos with the search terms "scabies" and "scabies in children." Videos were assessed using modified DISCERN (mDISCERN), Global Quality Score (GQS), and Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) scoring systems. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Spearman correlation analysis. Results: Out of 200 videos, 107 met the inclusion criteria. The average mDISCERN score was 2.17, GQS was 2.63, and JAMA was 2.05, indicating generally poor quality. Videos by patients had the highest quality scores, while those from academic institutions had the highest JAMA scores. Longer videos with higher view counts were associated with better quality. Conclusion: This study reveals that the majority of YouTube videos on scabies in children are of low quality. There is a need for healthcare professionals to produce more accurate and reliable content to improve the quality of information available on YouTube. Further research should focus on enhancing the quality of health information on digital platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to measure the long-diameter of tumors for evaluating treatment response. Methods: Our study included 48 patients with lung-specific target lesions and conducted 277 measurements. The radiologists recorded the long-diameter in axial imaging plane of the target lesions for each measurement. Meanwhile, AI software was utilized to measure the long-diameter in both the axial imaging plane and in three dimensions (3D). Statistical analyses including the Bland-Altman plot, Spearman correlation analysis, and paired t-test to ascertain the accuracy and reliability of our findings. Results: The Bland-Altman plot showed that the AI measurements had a bias of -0.28 mm and had limits of agreement ranging from − 13.78 to 13.22 mm (P = 0.497), indicating agreement with the manual measurements. However, there was no agreement between the 3D measurements and the manual measurements, with P < 0.001. The paired t-test revealed no statistically significant difference between the manual measurements and AI measurements (P = 0.497), whereas a statistically significant difference was observed between the manual measurements and 3D measurements (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The application of AI in measuring the long-diameter of tumors had significantly improved efficiency and reduced the incidence of subjective measurement errors. This advancement facilitated more convenient and accurate tumor response evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Design Sample Methods Results Conclusions To explore public health nurses' competence (namely knowledge, skills, and attitudes) in relation to long‐term breastfeeding and their experience of the need for additional training on the subject.The study design was quantitative, descriptive, and cross‐sectional.Public health nurses (n = 270).Data were collected with the Long‐Term Breastfeeding Competence Scale (LBCS) online survey. Data analysis was done with Spearman's correlation analysis and binary logistic regression analysis.Slightly more than half of the respondents had a good level of knowledge and skills. The majority had a baseline positive attitude toward long‐term breastfeeding, but the attitude became more negative as the age of the breastfed child increased. Better competence was associated with younger age, parenthood, an additional degree in midwifery, and breastfeeding specialist certification. Knowledge and skills, and attitudes revealed a high correlation: the higher the knowledge and skills level, the more positive attitudes. Respondents with better knowledge and skills experienced more often the need for additional training on the subject.This study addresses that public health nurses lack competence in relation to long‐term breastfeeding. This may compromise the quality of breastfeeding guidance for families in healthcare settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Methods Results Interpretation This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of dried blood spot (DBS) compared with conventional serum Aquaporin‐4‐IgG (AQP4‐IgG) testing.Prospective multicenter diagnostic study was conducted between April 2018 and October 2023 across medical centers in the United States, Uganda, and the Republic of Guinea. Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patients and controls collected blood on filter paper cards along with concurrent serum samples. These samples underwent analysis using flow cytometric live‐cell‐based assays (CBA) and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine AQP4 serostatus. The accuracy of AQP4‐IgG detection between DBS and serum (gold standard) was compared.Among 150 participants (47 cases, 103 controls), there was a strong correlation between DBS and serum samples (Spearman's correlation coefficient of 0.82). The AUC was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.92–0.99). AQP4‐IgG detection through DBS showed 87.0% sensitivity (95% CI: 0.74–0.95) and 100% specificity (95% CI: 0.96–1.00) using CBA, and 65.2% sensitivity (95% CI: 0.43–0.84) and 95.2% specificity (95% CI: 0.76–0.99) using ELISA. Serum ELISA demonstrated 69.6% sensitivity (95% CI: 0.47–0.87) and 98.4% specificity (95% CI: 0.91–0.99). The stability of DBS in detecting AQP4‐IgG persisted over 24 months for most cases.The DBS represents a viable alternative for detecting AQP4‐IgG in resource‐limited settings to diagnose NMOSD, offering high sensitivity and specificity comparable to serum testing. Moreover, DBS has low shipping costs, is easy to administer, and is suitable for point‐of‐care testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The soluble CD163 (sCD163) was elevated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Purpose: To study whether serum sCD163 could be used to predict the occurrence and prognosis of lupus nephritis (LN). Research Design: The recruited patients were classified into different groups according to standard identification criteria. Study Sample: The patients with LN. Data Collection and Analysis: 11 indices were analyzed and compared in SLE and LN patients. Furthermore, the level of serum sCD163 was detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Meanwhile, the receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to evaluate the prediction effect of sCD163. Additionally, spearman correlation analysis of serum sCD163 with indices was conducted. Results: There were six positive indices and one negative risk factor correlated to LN. sCD163 was elevated in LN patients and could be used to diagnose LN. Importantly, sCD163 was increased in LN patients with a heavy SLE disease activity index. Finally, it was revealed that the level of sCD163 was higher in the LN patients with no response than that with complete or partial response, which also could predict the prognosis of LN. Conclusions: Serum sCD163 was elevated in LN patients than in SLE patients, which could be used to predict the occurrence and prognosis of LN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic airway disease (CAD) is characterized by chronic airway inflammation and colonization of the lungs by pro-inflammatory pathogens. However, while various other bacterial species are present in the lower airways, it is not fully understood how they influence inflammation. We aimed to identify novel anti-inflammatory species present in lower airway samples of patients with CAD. Methods: Paired sputum microbiome and inflammatory marker data of adults with CAD across three separate cohorts (Australian asthma and bronchiectasis, Scottish bronchiectasis) was analyzed using Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSE) and Spearman correlation analysis to identify species associated with a low inflammatory profile in patients. Results: We identified the genus Aggregatibacter as more abundant in patients with lower levels of airway inflammatory markers in two CAD cohorts (Australian asthma and bronchiectasis). In addition, the relative abundance of Aggregatibacter was inversely correlated with sputum IL-8 (Australian bronchiectasis) and IL-1β levels (Australian asthma and bronchiectasis). Subsequent in vitro testing, using a physiologically relevant three-dimensional lung epithelial cell model, revealed that Aggregatibacter spp. (i.e. A. actinomycetemcomitans, A. aphrophilus) and their cell-free supernatant exerted anti-inflammatory activity without influencing host cell viability. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Aggregatibacter spp. might act to reduce airway inflammation in CAD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Massive irreparable rotator cuff tears can cause significant shoulder pain and disability. Treatment options include physiotherapy or surgery, with a lack of research comparing treatment options. For physiotherapy there is uncertainty about which patients will have a successful or unsuccessful response to treatment and a lack of consensus on what constitutes the best physiotherapy programme. With these significant gaps in the research, it is challenging for clinicians seeing patients with massive irreparable rotator cuff tears to advise on what is their best treatment pathway. Methods: A three round Delphi study was conducted with expert shoulder physiotherapists and orthopaedic surgeons to gain consensus on the important factors associated with response to physiotherapy in this patient population. Round 1 was an information-gathering round to identify predictors of response to physiotherapy in patients with massive irreparable rotator cuff tears. Rounds 2 and 3 were consensus-seeking rounds on the importance and modifiability of the predictors. Consensus criteria were determined a priori using median, interquartile range, percentage agreement and Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance. Results: Participants were recruited April–October, 2023. 88 experts participated in Round 1 and of these, 70 completed Round 3 (79.54%). In Round 1, content analysis of 344 statements identified 45 predictors. In Round 2, 29 predictors reached consensus as important and 2 additional predictors were identified. In Round 3, of the 31 predictors from Round 2, 22 reached consensus as important and 12 of these reached consensus as modifiable by physiotherapists. Both patient factors and clinician factors from a broad range of domains reached consensus: biomechanical, psychological, social, co-morbidities, communication / healthcare interactions and pain. Conclusions: The results of this Delphi study suggest that clinicians assessing patients with massive irreparable rotator cuff tears should assess across all these domains and target the modifiable factors with interventions. Particular emphasis should be placed on optimising modifiable clinician factors including therapeutic alliance, comprehensive explanation of the condition and collaborative and realistic goal-setting. These in turn may influence modifiable patient factors including patient expectations, engagement with the physiotherapy programme, motivation and self-efficacy thus creating the ideal environment to intervene on a biomechanical level with exercises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed long-term hydro-metrological drought under climate change in the Kesem sub-basin, Middle Awash basin, Ethiopia. The comparative analysis was employed using three drought indices (the streamflow drought index, standard precipitation index, and reconnaissance drought index). These indices were evaluated using the ordinal by ordinal Spearman's correlation, interval by interval Pearson, and kappa measure of agreement. The three drought indices have statistically significant (α < 0.01) strong correlation (> 0.78) and degree of agreement (0.2 fair agreement to 0.8 near-perfect agreement) tested at 99% confidence interval. The potential evapotranspiration (PET) estimation shows an increase of + 25.9 mm (1.6%) from the base period to RCP 4.5 (2020) and + 26.7 mm (1.67%) to RCP 8.5 (2020), and + 55 mm (3.4%) to RCP 4.5 (2050) and + 56.8 mm (3.5%) to RCP 8.5 (2050). This increase in PET is an indication that the watershed is very susceptible to water deficit and drought in the coming periods. Mild to extreme hydro-metrological drought was experienced during the baseline period (1984–2010) and is projected to occur in the current (2011–2044) and future (2045–2075) periods under both RCP 4.5 and 8.5 emission scenarios at 6- and 12-month timescales. Droughts will likely become more frequent in the future in the study area. Currently, extreme droughts that last 6 and 12 months occur every 13 to 19 years. Under the RCP 4.5, these droughts could happen every 6–7 years by 2050. The RCP 8.5 suggests even more frequent extreme droughts every 14 years. These findings are substance information for the water users and development works in the basin including the Kesem dam reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent advances in microbiome research have revealed the presence of diverse microbial communities in human tissues previously thought to be sterile. The present study delves into the emerging field of seminal plasma microbiomics, examining the relationship between semen microbes and semen parameters and post-freezing tolerance. Methods: The study involved a cohort of healthy fertility males and microbial genome analysis using 16S rRNA to characterize the microbial diversity of seminal plasma. Microbial diversity analysis identified unique amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and genera dominant in seminal plasma. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between flora and semen parameters. A paired t-test was used to compare the changes in microbiome expression in seminal plasma before and after cryo-resuscitation. Results: The relevant results show that the top five phyla in terms of abundance of seminal plasma microbiome were Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Campylobacterota. Spearman correlation analysis highlighted the association between specific microbial species and semen parameters, between Porphyromonas_asaccharolytica and sperm concentration. Microbial changed significantly after cryo-resuscitation, affecting taxonomic units such as Campylobacter and Muribaculaceae, and KEGG enrichment analyses, suggesting that metabolic pathways are associated with sperm freezing. Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes and Eptoniphilus_duerdenii exhibited a potential impact, while Orynebacterium_tuberculostearicum demonstrated a positive correlation with the recovery rate of progressive motile sperm. Conclusion: The semen of normal fertile individuals contains a microflora component that is closely related to semen quality, including the sperm’s ability to withstand freezing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim was to investigate sexual function and fertility in female adults operated on for anorectal malformations (ARM). Methods: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study including female adult patients treated for ARM at our institution between 1994 and 2003. Sexual function in females was assessed using the Profile of Sexual Function (PFSF). Additional questions regarding fertility were answered by the participants. Patient characteristics were retrospectively retrieved from the medical records and descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Sexual function outcomes were compared to a control group from a previously published group of females. Composite outcome analysis was performed using previously published data to determine the potential impact of bowel function and health-related quality of life on sexual function. The ethics review authorities approved the study. Results: A total of 14 of 30 (46.7%) females responded to the questionnaires and had a mean age of 21.1 years (range 18–26). No association was found between PFSF and age or bowel function (Bowel Function Score), however, a strong correlation was found between PFSF and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with a Spearman correlation of ρ 0.82 (p = 0.0011). The general satisfaction question was strongly associated with their total PFSF score (ρ = 0.71, p = 0.0092). Except for the "desire" item, the females in this cohort did not have significantly worse sexual function than the control population(p = 0.015). Ten of fourteen (71.4%) females had had their sexual debut at a mean age of 16.3 years and two of these women (20%) have been pregnant. All females had had menarche at a mean age of 12.7 years. Conclusion: Sexual function in adult females was comparable to healthy controls except for the "desire" item where the cohort reported poorer outcomes. The cohort's sexual function had a direct association with their reported HRQoL where individuals with worse HRQoL also reported poorer sexual function. Level of evidence: III [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the activation of error-prone DNA repair pathway in response to Helicobacter pylori infection. Relative changes in the expression levels of genes involved in the non-homologous end-joining pathway (NHEJ) in H. pylori-infected (Cases) and non-infected patients (Controls) with chronic gastritis were measured. A significant increase in the relative expression level of TP53, and significant decrease in the relative transcription of lncRNA LINP1 and XRCC5 were detected in the case group. The transcription of Lig4 and XRCC6 was increased in the case group, which was not statistically significant. The Spearman's Correlation Coefficient analysis showed a significant positive-correlation between the transcriptional levels of LINP1 and XRCC4/XRCC5/Lig4, and between XRCC5 and TP53/Lig4 both in the case and control groups. Moreover, a significant positive correlation between LinP1 and XRCC6 in the case, and a significant positive correlation between XRCC4 and Lig4, and a negative correlation between TP53 and LinP1/XRCC4/XRCC5 in the control group was detected. Although a relative difference was detected in transcriptional levels of the NHEJ gene mediators, downregulation of LinP1 in H. pylori-infected patients proposed the activation of a negative feedback loop, which may interfere with the NHEJ activity at the early stages of gastritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic conditions are a key determinant of malaria transmission intensity, through their impacts on both the parasite and its mosquito vectors. Mathematical models relating climatic conditions to malaria transmission can be used to develop spatial maps of climatic suitability for malaria. These maps underpin efforts to quantify the distribution and burden of malaria in humans, enabling improved monitoring and control. Previous work has developed mathematical models and global maps for the suitability of temperature for malaria transmission. In this paper, existing temperature-based models are extended to include two other important bioclimatic factors: humidity and rainfall. This model is combined with fine spatial resolution climatic data to produce a more biologically-realistic global map of climatic suitability for Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The climatic suitability index developed corresponds more closely than previous temperature suitability indices with the global distribution of P. falciparum malaria. There is weak agreement between the Malaria Atlas Project estimates of P. falciparum prevalence in Africa and the estimates of suitability solely based on temperature (Spearman Correlation coefficient of ρ = 0.24 ). The addition of humidity and then rainfall improves the comparison ( ρ = 0.62 when humidity added; ρ = 0.70 when both humidity and rainfall added). By incorporating the impacts of humidity and rainfall, this model identifies arid regions that are not climatically suitable for transmission of P. falciparum malaria. Incorporation of this improved index of climatic suitability into geospatial models can improve global estimates of malaria prevalence and transmission intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women's quality of life and self-efficacy play pivotal roles in task accomplishment and overall health improvement within families and society. This study determination the intricate relationship between quality of life and self-efficacy among women utilizing care services from Mashhad health centers. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 366 women accessing Mashhad health centers in 2023 was conducted. Clustering sampling was employed, and data were gathered using the Schwartz self-efficacy questionnaire and the short form of quality of life. Statistical analysis utilized Spearman correlation coefficient, Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Wilcoxon test, and Chi-square test in SPSS25, with a significance level set at 0.05. Results: Participants' mean age was 36.42 ± 11.13 years. A statistically significant relationship was observed between self-efficacy and total quality of life score, as well as its dimensions (physical health, psychological health, social relationships, social environment and quality of life, and general health) (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The study underscores a significant association between self-efficacy and both the overall quality of life and its specific dimensions among women. These findings highlight the reciprocal influence of self-efficacy and quality of life. Consequently, tailored interventions aimed at enhancing self-efficacy and quality of life are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objectives Material and Methods Results Conclusions The primary aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of peri‐implant diseases in a randomly selected Norwegian population. The secondary aims were to explore risk indicators for peri‐implant diseases and to validate self‐reported outcome measures from a survey with clinical parameters.Patients (n = 3083) rehabilitated with dental implants in 2014 were mailed a questionnaire and invited to a clinical examination. A randomly selected subset of responders underwent a clinical examination (n = 242). Full mouth clinical and radiographic examinations were conducted. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess patient‐related risk indicators for peri‐implantitis. Self‐reported data were compared with data from the clinical examination using Spearman correlation and binary logistic regression.The prevalence of peri‐implantitis was 17.0% at patient level and 8.6% at implant level, according to the 2018 classification. Risk indicators for peri‐implantitis included smoking and periodontitis in the adjusted model. The correlation was strong (r = 0.91, p < 0.001) between number of self‐reported implants and clinical counts, whereas self‐reported peri‐implant inflammation was associated with peri‐implantitis (OR 6.4 [95% CI 3.0, 13.7]).Smoking and periodontitis were identified as key risk indicators for peri‐implantitis. Questionnaire data rendered clinically valid estimates of implant number, and self‐reported peri‐implant inflammation was associated with clinical peri‐implantitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3rd edition (ASQ-3) could be a feasible tool in resource-poor settings. Little is known on the relationship between scores on the ASQ-3 and later intellectual abilities in these settings. Aims: To examine the relationship between ASQ-3 scores during the first and second year of life and intellectual abilities at 4 years of age in Nepalese children. Methods: In a cohort of 600 children at-risk of stunting, the ASQ-3 was performed at 6–11 and 18–23 months, and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence, fourth edition (WPPSI-IV) at 4 years. We examined the relationship between the ASQ-3 scores and WPPSI-IV full scale IQ (FSIQ) using Spearman correlation coefficients and linear regression models. Results: Correlations between ASQ-3 total scores and FSIQ was 0.17 (95% CI 0.07, 0.27) at 6–11 and 0.34 (95% CI 0.26, 0.44) at 18–23 months explaining 2 and 12% of the variance respectively. Except for the communication subscale at 18–23 months with moderate correlations, correlations between the ASQ-3 subscales and FSIQ were weak. Conclusion: Our findings suggest a modest relationship between ASQ-3 scores in early childhood and intellectual abilities at 4 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fluorine 18-labelled tetrafluoroborate ([18F]TFB) is a substrate for the sodium/iodide symporter. In thyroid cancer, [18F]TFB-PET/CT may be an alternative to iodine imaging to evaluate the extent of disease, eligibility for radioiodine treatment, and success of redifferentiation therapies. We report the results of a pilot study to determine tumor uptake of [18F]TFB and compare its properties to [124I]IodinePET/CT in patients with metastatic thyroid cancer. Methods: Five patients were included in a prospective study. All patients received PET/CT 1 h after injection of 356 ± 12 MBq [18F]TFB and were given 230 ± 9 MBq [124I]Iodine orally on the same day, followed by PET/CT after 48 h. Before redifferentiation therapy, patients underwent an additional baseline [124I]Iodine PET/CT. Cases were analyzed by two board-certified specialists. Detection rates and Spearman correlation for [18F]TFB and [124I]Iodine were calculated. Results: Three patients had poorly differentiated thyroid cancer and received trametinib in a redifferentiation trial. Two patients had papillary thyroid cancer and did not receive redifferentiation therapy. Of the 33 lesions seen before/without redifferentiation therapy, 19 (58%) were visible on [18F]TFB and 30 (91%) on [124I]Iodine imaging. In the patients who underwent redifferentiation therapy, 48 lesions were newly seen on [124I]Iodine PET/CT with a median SUVmax of 3.3 (range, 0.4–285.0). All of these lesions were [18F]TFB-negative. Conclusion: [18F]TFB failed to predict radioactive iodine uptake in patients with poorly differentiated thyroid cancer who underwent redifferentiation therapy with trametinib. It is unclear whether such discrepancies may also occur in other redifferentiation therapies or may even be encountered in redifferentiation-naïve thyroid cancer. Trial registration number: NCT03196518, registered on June 22, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Constructing a demand-oriented Internet + community home care service indicator system, starting from the actual needs of the elderly, and quantifying the demand into specific service contents that can be provided, so as to realize the effective supply of services. It aims to provide a theoretical basis for the government to formulate relevant aging policies and provide a reference basis for promoting the innovation and development of the Internet + elderly care model. Methods: Based on existence needs, relationship needs and growth needs abbreviated as "Existence, Relatedness, Growth (ERG)" demand theory, through the discussion in the group meeting, form the expert consultation questionnaire of the demand-oriented Internet + community home care service indicator system, select experts in related fields to conduct two rounds of Delphi expert consultation, summarize the experts' opinions to determine the indicator system items, and use the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to construct the judgment matrix to derive the weighting coefficients of the indicators, and establish the ultimate demand-oriented Internet + community home care service indicator system. Results: The effective recovery rates for the two rounds of expert consoulation questionnaires were 100%, with expert authority coefficients of 0.852 and 0.868, respectively. The Kendall coefficients for the second round of expert views varied from 0.226 to 0.431, with coefficients of variation for all indexes less than 0.25.The finalized demand-oriented Internet + community home care service indicator system includes 3 first-level indicators, 10 s-level indicators, and 46 third-level indicators. The consistency ratios of indicator judgment matrices at all levels are less than 0.10, suggesting that the hierarchical analysis findings are consistent, implying that the weight coefficient distribution is appropriate. Conclusion: The demand-oriented Internet + community home care service Indicator System, which was created through expert consultation and AHP method, has reasonable content and is more dependable as an evaluation tool for reliably assessing demand for elderly servic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Films are composed of different sequentially ordered shots limited by cuts, which bound the last frame of the outcoming shot and the first frame of the incoming shot. In turn, film editing is known to impact its aesthetics, and has been widely studied in film theory. The objective of this research was to locate and identify neuronal response patterns that make it possible to differentiate between specific types of shot changes by cut. The analysis was conducted on the neuronal rhythms of the electroencephalogram (EEG) by means of an EEG power spectral analysis. This enabled us to identify changes in neuronal excitation and inhibition based on the type of shot changes by cut. Specifically, we compared the neuronal records to locate the time windows for each electrode and frequency range exhibiting differences for various types of shot changes by cut. We combined this method with the permutation test and Spearman correlation to determine when the time windows for each electrode by frequency band are reacting to the cut event in a correlated manner among the different films. This analysis revealed that the neuronal responses to the cut depend on the variation between shots, rather than solely on the new input. Secondly, the findings allowed us to differentiate between shot changes according to the variation of the shot scale and changes due to the filming angle, or the absence thereof (i.e., cut on axis). The results expand our understanding of viewers' neurological sensitivity to and comprehension of an important film feature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We evaluated the validity of surrogacy of progression‐free survival (PFS) or time‐to‐progression (TTP) and overall response rate (ORR) in phase II trials of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In addition, we explored the impact of predictive variables on overall survival (OS) and developed an optimal OS model. Methods: We analyzed 1867 clinical endpoint from 619 phase II PDAC trials with a systematic search from PubMed. Endpoint correlations were determined by Spearman's rank correlation. The assessed predictive factors included PFS/TTP, treatment size, therapy type, stage, and previous treatment. The relationship between predictors and OS was explored by a gamma generalized linear model (GLM) with a log‐link function and compared with linear models. Results: The Spearman rank correlation coefficient between PFS/TTP and OS was 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.85–0.89; p < 0.0001; n = 610) and between ORR and OS was 0.58 (0.52–0.64; p < 0.0001; n = 514). Model comparison favored the GLM model over the linear model, offering more accurate predictions for higher OS values. Consequently, PFS/TTP was the strongest predictor (pseudo‐R2 = 0.75), with 1 added median PFS/TTP month associated with 13% (95% CI 13%–14%) increase in median OS. Subgroup analysis revealed that chemotherapy conferred significantly longer OS compared to targeted therapy in 1‐Agent and 2‐Agent trials, exhibiting a "very large" and "medium" effect size, respectively (rank biserial, rrb = 0.40 [95% CI 0.22–0.56] and rrb = 0.29 [0.16–0.41], both p < 0.0001), although inconsistent efficacy in 3‐Agent trials (rrb = 0.12 [−0.07–0.30], p = 0.21). Conclusions: PFS/TTP is a more reliable surrogate than ORR and a strong predictor of OS in phase II trials of pancreatic cancer. Moreover, gamma GLM (log‐link function) is a robust tool for modeling positively skewed survival data with non‐constant variance, thus can be applied to other cancers' OS data of such nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Multiple dimensions of language dominance, such as language proficiency and demand for language use, can be reflected in bilinguals' speech-in-speech recognition scores. This paper explores the feasibility of using a novel measure to estimate language dominance for bilinguals: relative speech-in-speech recognition thresholds (SRTs) or the within-person difference in SRTs between their two languages. Method: Participants were 25 Spanish/English bilingual adults (M age = 30 years). SRTs for sentence recognition in a language-matched two-talker masker were measured in English and in Spanish using an adaptive, open-set task. Relative SRTs were calculated by subtracting the Spanish SRT from the English SRT. Language dominance and proficiency were assessed by established measures. Analysis: Spearman correlations were used to assess the association between measures. Findings: Relative SRTs were correlated with dominance scores derived from both a questionnaire (r s = −.80) and standardized testing (r s = −.80). Originality: We tested and validated a novel measure, relative SRTs, to predict language dominance in bilingual adults. This time-efficient method could be used by bilingual researchers interested in assessing language dominance for descriptive or experimental purposes. Significance: Relative SRTs show promise as a valid method to assess language dominance in Spanish/English bilingual adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigate the adaptability of artificial agents within a noisy T-maze that use Markov decision processes (MDPs) and successor feature (SF) and predecessor feature (PF) learning algorithms. Our focus is on quantifying how varying the hyperparameters, specifically the reward learning rate ( α r ) and the eligibility trace decay rate (λ), can enhance their adaptability. Adaptation is evaluated by analyzing the hyperparameters of cumulative reward, step length, adaptation rate, and adaptation step length and the relationships between them using Spearman's correlation tests and linear regression. Our findings reveal that an α r of 0.9 consistently yields superior adaptation across all metrics at a noise level of 0.05. However, the optimal setting for λ varies by metric and context. In discussing these results, we emphasize the critical role of hyperparameter optimization in refining the performance and transfer learning efficacy of learning algorithms. This research advances our understanding of the functionality of PF and SF algorithms, particularly in navigating the inherent uncertainty of transfer learning tasks. By offering insights into the optimal hyperparameter configurations, this study contributes to the development of more adaptive and robust learning algorithms, paving the way for future explorations in artificial intelligence and neuroscience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disease with several comorbidities and a considerable influence on quality of life. Many patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis are undertreated and have a substantial disease duration before effective treatment is started. This study analyzed patient and disease characteristics and time to effective treatment of patients with psoriasis who consulted PsoPlus. It also examined whether a treat-to-target (T2T) approach, which is implemented in PsoPlus, has an impact on treatment choice and disease progression. Methods: Through a single center, retrospective study, 170 patients in the PsoPlus dedicated clinic were compared at moment of enrollment in PsoPlus and at the last recorded consultation in 2021. Results: Median disease duration at the first PsoPlus consultation was 16.0 (interquartile range (IQR) 19.0) years. There was a significant difference in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) between the first and the last recorded PsoPlus consultation (PASI 6.0 (IQR 6.4) vs. 0.6 (IQR 2.6); DLQI 11 (IQR 11) vs. 2 (IQR 6); p < 0.001). A weak positive Spearman correlation (rs) was found between disease duration and PASI at the first PsoPlus consultation (rs = 0.175; p = 0.034), while a weak negative correlation (rs = − 0.2; p = 0.013) was found at the last registered PsoPlus consultation. Patients with a disease duration of more than 20 years had significantly more switches of treatment than those with a shorter disease duration (p < 0.001). Median time from psoriasis onset until PASI ≤ 2 was 16.0 years. Median time from the first PsoPlus consultation until PASI ≤ 2 was 7.0 months. Conclusion: The PsoPlus program with its T2T approach effectively improves clinical outcomes and quality of life for patients with psoriasis in a relatively short period, emphasizing the value of a structured, personalized treatment plan for long-term management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of dual carbon, the rapid development of various types of microgrid parks featuring multi-heterogeneous energy coupling presents new challenges in accurately modeling spatial and temporal load characteristics due to increasingly complex source–load characteristics and diversified interaction patterns. This study proposes a short-term load forecasting method for an interconnected park-level integrated energy system using a data center as the case study. By leveraging spatially transferable load characteristics and the heterogeneous energy correlation among electricity–cooling–heat loads, an optimal feature set is selected to effectively characterize the spatial and temporal coupling of multi-heterogeneous loads using Spearman correlation analysis. This optimal feature set is fed into the multi-task learning (MTL) combined with the convolutional neural network (CNN) and long- and short-term memory (LSTM) network model to generate prediction results. The simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed approach in characterizing the spatial and temporal energy coupling across different parks, enhancing track load "spikes" and achieving superior prediction accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical baraminology has been a common research topic in creation biology for the last several decades. Several statistical methods have been employed but none have been tested against simulated data where the result is known. Therefore, both the original Pearson method and newly deployed Spearman method are tested in this paper against simulated data where the existing patterns were known. Multiple patterns of varying strengths were tested. In every case, the Pearson method outperformed the Spearman method. Based on these preliminary results, the Pearson method (aka the Pearson correlation coefficient) should be the preferred method of statistical baraminology. However, much more research is needed to ensure that baraminology is placed on a strong empirical foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: It has been recently acknowledged that deficits in experiencing and processing one's own emotions, also termed alexithymia, may possibly feature the frontotemporal-spectrum disorders. This study aims to determine whether alexithymia could be included within the frontotemporal syndromes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: Alexithymic traits were estimated in a cohort of 68 non-demented ALS patients with the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Patients were assessed for the identification of motor-phenotypes and frontotemporal syndromes based on current classification criteria. Spearman's coefficients explored the correlates of TAS-20 measures with motor-functional profiles, global cognitive, social-cognitive (emotion recognition and empathy) and behavioral status. Results: Abnormal TAS-20 scores were found in 13% of patients, and their distribution did not vary within motor and frontotemporal phenotypes. Significant associations were detected between TAS-20 and executive (p ≤.011), memory (p =.006), state-anxiety (p ≤.013) and depression measures (p ≤.010). By contrast, TAS-20 scores were unrelated to social-cognitive performances, dysexecutive and apathetic profiles. Disease duration was the only motor-functional feature being related to the TAS-20 (p ≤.008). Conclusions: Alexithymia of potential clinical relevance occur in a minority of ALS patients, and its neuropsychological correlates mostly resemble those featuring the general population. Hence, it is unlikely that alexithymia is a specific feature of frontotemporal-spectrum characterizing ALS, rather it could be an expression of psychogenic factors as a reaction to the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate whether trans-thyroid cartilage nerve monitoring for thyroid surgeries is as effective and safe as endotracheal tube monitoring. Methods: Fifty-one thyroidectomies (38 hemithyroidectomies and 13 total thyroidectomies, analyzed as two separate hemi-thyroidectomies) were included. Patients undergoing surgery from 6/2020 to 8/2021 were monitored simultaneously with the NIM® Nerve Monitoring System TriVantage™ Electromyography (EMG) endotracheal tube and EMG trans-thyroid cartilage. Electrophysiological responses of 64 vagus and recurrent laryngeal nerves were obtained. Peri-operative evaluation and 12-month post-operative follow-up were conducted to examine nerve function. Wilcoxon signed-rank and Spearman coefficient tests were used to determine whether there were differences between the methods. Results: The average initial amplitude measured with the trans-thyroid cartilage method was higher in the recurrent laryngeal and vagus nerves (p = 0.002, p = 0.003, respectively). The mean difference in EMG amplitude from start to end of surgery for 10 damaged nerves (7 temporary and 3 permanent) differed from intact nerves in both methods and nerves (p < 0.05 for all). Among intact recurrent laryngeal nerves, 20.4% had 20–80% decrease in amplitude in endotracheal tube electrodes and 16.7% in trans-thyroid cartilage electrodes (p = 0.92). All cases with stable EMG signals or with increased EMG amplitude (with both types of electrodes and with both nerves) had normal post-operative vocal function. No significant difference was found between the two methods when measuring the vagus and recurrent laryngeal nerves. No complications occurred when using trans-thyroid cartilage electrodes. Conclusions: Trans-thyroid cartilage nerve monitoring for thyroid surgeries is as effective and safe as the current standard monitoring using an endotracheal tube. Lay Summary: During thyroid surgery, patients are monitored to avoid damaging nerves near the vocal cords. This study compared monitoring through a throat tube with the easier method of monitoring outside of the throat to see if it is as effective and safe. No major difference was found between the two methods and there were no problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a new type of influence function, the asymptotic expected sensitivity function, which is often equivalent to but mathematically more tractable than the traditional one based on the Gâteaux derivative. To illustrate, we study the robustness of some important measures of association, including Spearman's rank correlation and Kendall's concordance measure, and the recently developed Chatterjee's correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancement of Industry 4.0, Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) has become essential for ensuring prompt and reliable data transmission. As an augmentation of Ethernet, TSN aims to supply services capable of low latency, minimal jitter, and low packet loss for urgent data in decentralized, user-oriented networks. Efficient detection techniques are integral to TSN for swiftly determining the practicability of network configurations, as existing schedulability analysis proves insufficient. This paper delves into the potential of backpropagation neural networks (BPNN) in schedulability analysis efficiency. We optimize BPNN using spearman correlation feature selection combined with a voting ensemble method and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), forming two models: Spearman-Vote-BPNN and Spearman-PSO-BPNN. Testing on 5,000 network configurations in computer simulations, both models demonstrated high generalization accuracy, around 97.4%. Spearman-Vote-BPNN achieved the fastest training speed at 0.63 s and an accuracy of 98.2%. Meanwhile, Spearman-PSO-BPNN showed the highest accuracy (98.5%) with the quickest detection speed (5.6 ms). The outcomes of this research significantly advance the efficacy and precision of TSN network configuration detection and establish a formidable groundwork for future scholarly pursuits in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective image quality assessment involves the use of mathematical models to quantitatively describe image quality. FR-IQA (Full-Reference Image Quality Assessment) methods using reference images are also often used to evaluate image processing and computer vision algorithms. Quality indices often use gradient operators to express relevant visual information, such as edges. Fractional calculus has been applied in the last two decades in various fields such as signal processing, image processing, and pattern recognition. Fractional derivatives are generalizations of integer-order derivatives and can be computed using various operators such as the Riemann-Liouville, Caputo-Fabrizio, and Grünwald-Letnikov operators. In this paper, we propose a modification of the FSIMc image quality index by including fractional derivatives to extract and enhance edges. A study of the usefulness of fractional derivative in the FSIMc model was conducted by assessing Pearson, Spearman and Kendall correlations with MOS scores for images from the TID2013 and KADID-10k databases. Comparison of FD_FSIMc with the classic FSIMc shows an increase of several percent in the correlation coefficients for the modified index. The results obtained are superior to those other known approaches to FR-IQA that use fractional derivatives. The results encourage the use of fractional calculus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]