Reliable Correlation Research Articles

Assessing gender essentialist beliefs towards youth athletes: Development and preliminary validation of the gender essentialist beliefs towards girls in sport scale (GEGS)

Despite evidence refuting the legitimacy of inherent and unchanging qualities and the existence of a gender sport continuum, a prevailing gender essentialist ideology persists among coaches. This ideology perpetuates the belief in a binary, hierarchical, and static structure of gender, which imparts higher cultural and social values to men's sport compared to women's and impacts girls’ development, participation, and enjoyment in sport. Some interventions have been proposed to address this issue; however, at present, no validated scale exists to assess intervention outcomes related to coaches’ gender essentialist beliefs. The aim of the current study was therefore to develop and validate the Gender Essentialist Beliefs Towards Girls in Sport Scale (GEGS), to assess gender essentialism among sport coaches. Content validity was judged by a panel of experts ( N = 4) and through interviews with coaches ( N = 5) across various sports and experience levels. Following initial item iteration, the GEGS was assessed with 633 coaches for reliability and validity. The final scale comprised 20 items and showed good reliability (internal consistency, test-retest reliability, inter-item and item-total correlations), validity (convergent validity, differentiation between known groups), and factor structure. We also found partial support for the discriminant validity of the GEGS. Overall, the GEGS provides a valuable tool for addressing gender essentialism in sport coaching and informing coach education programs. Future research should further validate the scale and explore its sensitivity to change in gender essentialist beliefs over time.

The 6-Item Self-Efficacy Scale in Chronic Disease Management in Women With Endometriosis: A Turkish Validity and Reliability Study.

This study aimed to adapt the 6-Item Self-Efficacy Scale for Chronic Disease Management (SEMDC-6S) to women with endometriosis in the Turkish population and to evaluate its validity and reliability. This methodological study comprised of 200 women with endometriosis. The construct validity of the scale was tested using the confirmatory factor analysis methods. The reliability of the scale was tested using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, item-total score correlations and test-retest reliability analysis. It was determined that the SEMDC-6S consisted of six items and one subscale. In the confirmatory factor analysis, the fit index values of the scale were found to be acceptable. The intraclass correlation coefficient of test-retest reliability was 0.95, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.76. The Turkish version of the SEMDC-6S is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the self-efficacy of women with endometriosis.

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Evaluation of Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (EASi-QoL) and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) Questionnaires: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects quality of life (QoL) due to its impact on physical and emotional well-being. Accurate and reliable tools are needed to assess disease activity and QoL in different cultural contexts. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian versions of the Evaluation of Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (EASi-QoL) and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) scales in Iranian AS patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 70 AS patients referred to a tertiary hospital in Tehran. Patients completed the EASi-QoL, and 39 also completed the ASDAS questionnaire. The translation followed the forward-backward method. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's α for internal consistency and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for test-retest reliability. Content validity was evaluated using the content validity ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI). Test-retest reliability was examined using Spearman's rank correlation for non-normally distributed data. The ICC values for EASi-QoL ranged from 0.71 to 0.82, while Spearman's correlation coefficients ranged from 0.63 to 0.80. For ASDAS, all items except Question 1 had ICC and Spearman's correlation coefficients above 0.8, indicating high test-retest reliability. The average CVR for EASi-QoL was 0.56, and for ASDAS it was 0.68. The CVI for relevance, clarity, and simplicity ranged from 0.86 to 0.96 for both scales, confirming good content validity. The Persian versions of the EASi-QoL and ASDAS scales demonstrate adequate reliability and validity. These tools are suitable for assessing QoL and disease activity in Iranian AS patients, providing culturally relevant measurements for clinical and research settings.

Attenuated Doors-Locked P300 Amplitude and Elevated Depressive Symptoms: Effects of Age and Sex in Two Independent Samples of Youth.

Deficits in cognitive and reward-related functions, measured via reductions in the P300 and reward positivity (RewP) event-related potential (ERP) components, are commonly observed in adults suffering with depression. Considering higher risk for depression emerges among females in adolescence, examination of the neurological underpinnings of depression during this critical developmental period can help further elucidate our overall understanding of the etiology of depressive disorders. Therefore, the present study sought to first examine associations between doors-locked P300 amplitude, RewP amplitude, current depression symptoms, and age in an all-female youth sample (sample 1: n = 296; age, 8 to 14). Next, we examined these same associations, as well as sex, in a second independent sample consisting of male and female youths (sample 2: n = 605; age, 11 to 14). Blunted doors-locked P300 was associated with higher depressive symptoms in both samples. Moreover, the association between P300 and depression was stronger among older youths in both samples. Sex further moderated this relationship in sample 2 such that smaller P300 related to greater depression only in females. There were no consistent associations between RewP amplitude and depressive symptoms in either youth sample. These findings suggest that the doors-locked P300 component is a reliable neural correlate of depression in youth that might specifically relate to pathways linked to increased risk for depression among adolescent females.

Persian Version of the Modified Constant Score in Overhead Athletes: A Reliability and Validation Study.

Shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) is the most common shoulder injury among overhead athletes. The Constant score (CS) is a combined scoring system to evaluate functional status of the shoulder in patients with shoulder pain. Cross-sectionalstudy. Cultural adaptation of the Persian version of CS was conducted using Beaton's guideline. Sixty-three overhead athletes (23.57 [7.50] y old) with SIS completed the final version for psychometric assessment. After 5 to 7 days, a group of 33 patients completed the Persian CS again to assess test-retest reliability. Internal consistency, floor/ceiling effects, and item-total correlation were evaluated in patients with SIS. Concurrent validity was assessed through comparison with the disability of the arm, shoulder, and hand questionnaire scores. Twenty-five healthy athletes (31.80 [7.32] y old) participated for determining discriminant validity. The Persian CS demonstrated good test-retest reliability, with subjective and objective intraclass correlation coefficients of .79 and .80, respectively. The internal consistency was satisfactory (Cronbach alpha = .74). No ceiling or floor effects were noted. The Pearson correlation coefficient between CS and disability questionnaire was -.68. The mean total score for patients was 67.02, while for the healthy group was 96.99 (P = .000). The standard error of measurement was 1.51 for patients and 0.7 for healthy group. The smallest detectable change was 16.95 for patients and 5.71 for healthy group. The translation and cross-cultural adaptation of CS into Persian were successful. The Persian version demonstrates sufficient reliability and validity to evaluate shoulder function in overhead athletes with SIS.

On the relationship between music students' negative emotions, artificial intelligence readiness, and their engagement.

This study explored the relationship between negative emotions, engagement, and artificial intelligence (AI) readiness among 323 music students. The researchers employed SPSS (version 27) and AMOS (version 24) for analysis using the Emotion Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ), the Students' Engagement Questionnaire, and the Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), along with reliability analysis, correlation, and Multiple Linear Regression, was applied to understand the data. Findings indicate that negative emotions and AI readiness are interrelated with student engagement. Music's emotional impact can influence how students manage their feelings and engage with AI technologies. For instance, individuals who are more prepared for AI integration may leverage these tools to manage their emotions more effectively, which in turn could lead to enhanced music performance, though the specific mechanisms connecting these factors need further clarification. Consequently, high AI readiness can lead to greater engagement with digital learning platforms, potentially benefiting emotional regulation and academic achievements.

Teachers’ perception of principals’ OCB in association with teachers’ performance outcomes

PurposeThis study aimed to examine teachers’ perceptions of their principals’ organisational citizenship behaviours (POCB hereafter), for which a POCB measure was developed, and to examine its association with the teacher performance outcomes: job satisfaction, organisational commitment, intention to leave the job and strain. The study relies on Bandura’s (1977) social learning theory to demonstrate that the principals’ extra-role behaviour is likely to become a modelling role that affects the teacher outcomes.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from two groups of teachers, comprising 365 and 246 participants, in 4 stages. Initially, a self-reported questionnaire that assessed the teachers’ perceptions of the principal’s OCB was developed based on interviews with 15 principals (stage 1; POCB). This was followed by an exploratory factor analysis (stage 2; N = 365) and a confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modelling (stage 3; N = 246). Pearson correlations and linear regression analyses were calculated between POCB and the teacher outcomes (stage 4; N = 246).FindingsThe POCB measure demonstrated adequate construct validity and emerged as a reliable correlate of teachers’ outcomes. POCB was positively associated with job satisfaction and organisational commitment and negatively associated with intention to leave the job and strain and emerged as a predictor of these teachers’ outcomes, regardless of their characteristics.Originality/valueThe study provides evidence that teachers perceive POCB as an important behaviour for improving teacher outcomes. The results suggest the significance of principals’ extra-role behaviour in enhancing teachers’ job-related attitudes and have implications for educational principalship practices.

Dental and oral health assessments in the German National Cohort (NAKO)

BackgroundDespite considerable improvements in oral health in recent decades, caries and periodontitis are still widespread, ranking among the most prevalent diseases worldwide and requiring future research. The German National Cohort (NAKO Gesundheitsstudie, NAKO) is a large-scaled, multidisciplinary, nationwide, multi-centre, population-based, prospective cohort study with oral examinations that aims to provide a resource to study risk factors for major diseases. The aim of the present article is to provide the methodological background, to report on the data quality, and to present initial results of the oral examinations.MethodsDuring baseline examinations (2014–2019), a total of 205,184 persons aged 19–74 years has been examined in 18 study centres, including, among others, a dental interview, stimulated saliva sampling, and recording of the numbers of present teeth and prostheses (standard Level 1 program). As part of the Level 2 program that was offered to 20% randomly selected participants, each study centre selected one of three modules, one of them being the Level 2 oral examination. This extended program was carried out in a subgroup of 20,828 participants, including collection of detailed information on the dental and prosthetic status as well as on periodontal, cariological and functional aspects. To ensure reliability and reproducibility, study nurses were trained and calibrated by dental experts. In addition, a reliability study was conducted among 794 Level 1 and 359 Level 2 participants, reporting intra class correlation and kappa coefficients.ResultsIntra class correlation and kappa coefficients for observer agreement and reliability were consistently above 0.7, indicating good to excellent reliability of all dental measurements. For example, intra class correlation was 0.937 for the number of present teeth (Level 1), 0.740 for mean probing depth (PD) and 0.797 for active mouth opening. An initial inspection of the data showed that the median number of present teeth was 27, of which on average 6.9 teeth were healthy and caries-free. Average mean PD was 1.92 mm. An orthodontic treatment was reported by 35.5% of participants.DiscussionOverall, the dental study protocol was feasible and successfully integrated into the NAKO’s overall assessment program. However, rigorous support of the study centres by dental professionals was required to ensure high quality data. In summary, high-quality data collection within the NAKO pave the way for future investigation of potential risk factors for oral diseases and links between oral and systemic diseases and conditions.

Assessing early childhood giftedness in Qatar: A validation study of the Arabic-translated gifted rating scales-preschool form, GRS-P

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the Arabic-translated Gifted Rating Scales-Preschool/Kindergarten Form (GRS-P) in Qatar. This study translated the GRS-P into Arabic, examined the validity and reliability indicators, and explored gender and age differences in children’s performance on the translated GRS-P. Two hundred thirteen children aged four to six years and sixteen teachers from eight kindergartens in Doha participated in this study. Results revealed strong internal consistency reliability and significant positive correlations between GRS-P subscales, the HOPE Scale, and the Child Developmental Profile. Confirmatory factor analysis results indicated that the one-factor structure across the GRS-P subscales presented varied levels of fit. Gender and grade level analysis showed no significant differences in GRS-P scores. This study contributes to effectively identifying gifted children in Qatar, offering insights for educational practitioners and policymakers.

Stress radiography of medial knee instability provides a reliable correlation with the severity of injury and medial joint space opening-A robotic biomechanical cadaveric study.

The medial collateral ligament (MCL), and posterior oblique ligament (POL) are the primary valgus stabilisers of the knee, and clinical examinations in grading valgus instability can be inherently subjective. Stress radiography of medial-sided knee injuries provides objective diagnosis and was analysed in this study. We hypothesised that (1) medial joint space opening would increase cutting the superficial MCL (sMCL), POL and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL); (2) isolated deep MCL (dMCL) injury would not increase medial joint space opening; (3) medial joint space opening would increase at higher flexion angles. Controlled laboratory study. Ten human cadaveric knees were dissected, preserving ligamentous structures, muscles and fascia. The femur was secured, and the tibia was attached to the six-degree-of-freedom robot. A 10 Nm valgus torque was applied at 0°-45° of flexion and anterior-posterior (a.p.) radiographs were taken. Sequential sectioning was performed on the dMCL, sMCL, POL and ACL. Medial joint space opening was measured on a.p. radiographs (midpoint technique). Statistical analysis was conducted using a mixed model with post hoc correction (p < 0.05). Intra- and interobserver reliability was assessed by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Medial joint space opening significantly increased with cutting state (p < 0.0001) and flexion angle (p < 0.0001). Although isolated dMCL injury did not significantly increase medial joint space opening, sMCL resection gradually increased joint space opening 3.2 ± 1.9 to 6.9 ± 2.7 mm (p = 0.039) between 0° and 45° knee flexion. Following POL deficiency, medial joint space opening further increased 6.4 ± 2.7 to 11.4 ± 6.2 mm between 0° and 45° knee flexion (p = 0.0035). A combined injury (dMCL/sMCL/POL/ACL) increased medial joint space opening 12.0 ± 4.9 to 21.8 ± 7.9 mm (p < 0.0001) between 0° and 45° knee flexion, compared to the intact state. The intraobserver ICC was 0.995 and the interobserver ICC was 0.955 showing excellent intra- and interobserver reliability. Deficiency of the medial stabilisers of the knee increased medial joint space opening in stress radiography, whereas isolated dMCL deficiency did not significantly affect valgus gapping. This study demonstrated a good concordance between valgus stress radiography and clinical scores (International Knee Documentation Committee and Hughston). Our findings support performing valgus stress tests at 0° and at least 20° of flexion. There is no level of evidence as this study was an experimental laboratory study.

Research on Organizational Innovation Atmosphere, Organizational Learning, and Innovation Performance in Enterprise Digital Transformation

Background and Aims: With the deepening of the global technological revolution, enterprises are facing an increasingly complex and changing competitive environment. Enterprise digital transformation has become the only way to adapt to environmental changes and reshape competitive advantages. From the perspective of organizational behavior, this paper explores the impact of organizational innovation atmosphere and organizational learning on the digital transformation performance (innovation performance) of technology-based SMEs, and examines the moderating role of employee strategic consensus, to provide theoretical guidance and practical inspiration for the successful implementation of digital transformation in enterprises. Methodology: This study takes organizational innovation atmosphere as the independent variable, organizational learning as the mediating variable, innovation performance as the dependent variable, and employee strategic consensus as the moderating variable to construct a theoretical model. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 718 employees of 108 technology-based SMEs. SPSS 21.0 was used to conduct reliability analysis, validity analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis on the collected valid questionnaire data to test the research hypotheses. Results: The empirical research results show that: (1) organizational innovation atmosphere has a significant positive impact on innovation performance; (2) organizational innovation atmosphere positively affects innovation performance through organizational learning, that is, organizational learning plays a mediating role between the two; (3) employee strategic consensus positively moderates the relationship between organizational innovation atmosphere and innovation performance and between organizational innovation atmosphere and organizational learning. Conclusion: The organizational innovation atmosphere, organizational learning, and employee strategic consensus influence each other and jointly promote the digital transformation of technology-based SMEs, thereby improving innovation performance. This study reveals the internal mechanism of organizational factors affecting the effectiveness of enterprise digital transformation, to provide useful inspiration for the management practice of SMEs.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Scleroderma Skin Questionnaire: A Novel Patient-Reported Outcome for Skin Disease in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis.

We aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Scleroderma Skin Questionnaire (SSQ), a novel patient-reported outcome (PRO) to assess systemic sclerosis (SSc)-related skin symptoms. Participants were recruited from the SSc Collaborative National Quality and Efficacy Registry (CONQUER). Internal consistency was determined using Cronbach α and McDonald ω total (ωt). The correlation of the SSQ was assessed with the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), physician global assessment (PGA), Scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire, 29-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS-29), and patient global assessment to assess criterion, convergent, and divergent validity. Correlations were also assessed between patients' self-reported recall of skin changes over the past 6 months ("SSQ 6-Month") and 6-month change in mRSS. The SSQ was administered to 799 adults (mean age 52.7; 83% female) enrolled in CONQUER. Cronbach α was 0.90 and ωt was 0.92, indicating high internal consistency. The SSQ was moderately correlated with mRSS (r 0.56), with stronger correlations in diffuse (r 0.54) vs limited cutaneous subtypes (r 0.24; all P < 0.05). The SSQ was also moderately-to-strongly correlated with PROMIS-29 physical function (r -0.50) and pain interference subscales (r 0.61), strongly with Health Assessment Questionnaire score (r 0.63) and severity subscale (r 0.62), and moderately with PGA SSc activity score (r 0.48; all P < 0.05). SSQ 6-Month correlated weakly with the 6-month change in mRSS (r 0.26; P < 0.05). SSQ demonstrated high reliability and moderate correlation with mRSS and legacy PROs. This study provides initial support for SSQ, but not SSQ 6-Month, to assess skin symptoms in patients with SSc.

Comparative assessment of Mini-FLOTAC, McMaster and semi-quantitative flotation for helminth egg examination in camel faeces

BackgroundFaecal egg counts (FECs) are essential for diagnosing helminth infections and guiding treatment decisions. For camels, no evaluations of coproscopic methods regarding precision, sensitivity and correlation between individual and pooled faecal samples are currently available.MethodsHere, 410 camel faecal samples were collected in 2022 from South Darfur State, Sudan, and analysed to compare the semi-quantitative flotation, McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC methods in terms of precision, sensitivity, inter-rater reliability and helminth egg count correlations, as well as the effects of pooling samples. Six samples were used to assess precision for McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC, while the remaining 404 samples were evaluated for sensitivity, inter-rater reliability and egg count correlations. Of these, 80 samples were used in pooling experiments.ResultsSix analyses of each sample (n = 6) using the McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC methods revealed no significant difference in the coefficient of variation between the two. For strongyle eggs, 48.8%, 52.7% and 68.6% were positive for McMaster, semi-quantitative flotation and Mini-FLOTAC, respectively. The sensitivity of the three methods showed only minimal improvement when three egg counts were performed on the same sample. McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC had similar sensitivity for Strongyloides spp. (3.5% frequency), while it was lower for semi-quantitative flotation at 2.5%. Mini-FLOTAC was more sensitive for Moniezia spp., detecting 7.7% of positives compared with 4.5% for semi-quantitative flotation and 2.2% for McMaster. For Trichuris spp., frequencies were 0.3% with Mini-FLOTAC, 0.7% with McMaster and 1.7% with semi-quantitative flotation. Mini-FLOTAC also detected higher strongyle eggs per gram (EPG) of faeces (mean 537.4) compared with McMaster (330.1). More samples exceeded treatment thresholds with Mini-FLOTAC, with 28.5% of animals having EPG ≥ 200 compared with 19.3% for McMaster, while 19.1% showed EPG ≥ 500 with Mini-FLOTAC compared with 12.1% with McMaster. There was no significant correlation between individual and pooled strongyle FECs, as indicated by Pearson correlation coefficients of r ≥ 0.368 (P ≥ 0.113) and Spearman correlation.ConclusionsMini-FLOTAC outperformed semi-quantitative flotation and McMaster in diagnosing helminth infections in camels, offering greater sensitivity and detecting higher EPGs, particularly for strongyles, Strongyloides spp. and Moniezia spp. Thus, treatment decisions based on Mini-FLOTAC EPGs will lead to more treatments.Graphical

The Virtual Client Experience Survey for Mental Health and Addictions: Revalidation of a Survey to Measure Client and Family Experiences of Virtual Care.

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a rapid shift to virtual care in health care settings, inclusive of mental health care. Understanding clients' perspectives on virtual mental health care quality will be critical to informing future policies and practices. This study aimed to outline the process of redesigning and validating the Virtual Client Experience Survey (VCES), which can be used to evaluate client and family experiences of virtual care, specifically virtual mental health and addiction care. The VCES was adapted from a previously validated telepsychiatry survey. All items were reviewed and updated, with particular attention to the need to ensure relevance across mental health care sectors and settings. The survey was then revalidated using the 6 domains of health care quality of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) as a guiding framework. These 6 domains include being safe, effective, patient-centered, efficient, timely, and equitable. The VCES was piloted with a convenience sample of clients and family members accessing outpatient care at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, Ontario, through video or telephone. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted in MPlus and used to test the factorial structures of the VCES, with minor respecification of the model based on modification indices, factor loadings, reliability, and item-total correlation. The respecifications were checked for alignment with the construct definitions and item interpretation. The reliability of the constructs was estimated by the Cronbach α coefficient. The survey was completed 181 times. The construct reliability was generally high. Timely was the only subscale with an α lower than 0.7; all others were above 0.8. In all cases, the corrected item-total correlation was higher than 0.3. For the CFA, the model was adjusted after multiple imputations with 20 datasets. The mean chi-square value was 437.5, with df=199 (P<.001). The mean root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) was 0.08 (SD 0.002), the mean confirmatory fit index (CFI) was 0.987 (SD 0.001), the mean Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) was 0.985 (SD 0.001), and the mean standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) was 0.04 (SD 0.001). This study describes the validation of the VCES to evaluate client and family experiences of virtual mental health and addictions care. Given the widespread uptake of virtual care, this survey has broad applicability across settings that provide mental health and addiction care. The VCES can be used to guide targeted quality improvement initiatives across health care quality domains. By effectively addressing challenges as they emerge, it is anticipated that we will continue to move toward hybrid modalities of practice that leverage the strengths and benefits of telephone, video, and in-person care to effectively respond to unique client and family needs and circumstances.

Psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the communication confidence rating scale for aphasia: a reliability and validity study of chronic phase people with aphasia

ABSTRACT Background Japan’s aging population presents challenges to speech-language pathologists and community volunteers in supporting the growing number of people with aphasia (PWA) after stroke. PWA’s self-efficacy or confidence may affect how much they engage in situations that require them to communicate. The Communication Confidence Rating Scale for Aphasia (CCRSA) is a patient-reported scale that assesses how confident a person with aphasia feels about their ability to communicate in different situations. Aim The purpose of this study was to describe the development of a Japanese version of CCRSA (J-CCRSA) and examine its psychometric properties for use in speech-language therapy (SLT) in Japan. Methods and procedures In this cross-sectional study, we examined J-CCRSA acceptability, internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, structural validity, convergent validity, and known-groups validity. Participants were PWA in the chronic phase and healthy controls with no history of stroke (HC). Outcomes and results Analysis of 76 PWA and 23 HC showed that J-CCRSA has psychometric properties that can be considered favorable. Specifically, there were no missing values, no bias in the distribution of the measured data, and no ceiling or floor effects. Cronbach’s α for internal consistency reliability was α = 0.89, and the intraclass correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability (n = 33) was intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.79 (p < 0.001). In addition, two factors were extracted in the exploratory factor analysis of the structural validity study, with loadings of 0.64–0.90 for the first factor and 0.78–0.90 for the second factor. The Spearman’s correlation coefficient for the convergent validity index was rho = 0.31–0.63 (p < 0.05), and the known-groups validity, examined by comparing the PWA and HC scores, showed a significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.002, r = -0.35). Conclusions Our analysis of the psychometric properties of the J-CCRSA provides evidence that J-CCRSA can be used to assess Japanese-speaking PWA, thereby expanding assessment options and providing potential new directions for SLT in Japan.

Unleashing ChatGPT: Revolutionizing Business Strategies in Saudi Arabia’s Financial Landscape

Introduction: ChatGPT in Saudi Arabia’s financial sector revolutionizes business strategies, enhancing innovation, streamlining decision-making, and empowering organizations to thrive in a competitive, rapidly evolving economic landscape with Artificial Intelligence AI-driven insights.Objective: The main objective of this study is to determine the interplay between training data bias, AI model fine-tuning, metrics, assessment methodologies, and AI usage in the financial markets of Saudi Arabia. Methods: Participants are from banking industry of Saudi Arabia. The data gathered from Jeddah, Riyadh, Makkah, and Madina region of Saudi Arabia. The data collected through a online survey via questionnaires. The research used a random sampling procedure, selecting a sample size of 323 participants. This research chose reliability analysis, factor analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis.Results: The reliability analysis shows that the constructs are highly consistent with one another. Regression shows that ChatGPT, Training Data &amp; Bias, and Metrics and Evaluation have a positive significant effect on business strategies in the financial markets of Saudi Arabia (P&lt;0.05). While Metrics and Evaluation are not statistically significant on business strategies in the financial markets of Saudi Arabia (P&gt;0.05).

The mediating effect of depression and the moderated mediating effect of self-esteem on the impact of spousal violence victimization on alcohol use disorder in old age: the role of health education

The problem and the aim of the study. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating effect of depression and the moderated mediating effect of self-esteem on the impact of spousal violence victimization on alcohol use disorder among elderly men and women aged 65 and above residing in the local community. Research methods. 506 elderly individuals with spouses and adult children, who had consumed alcohol in the past year, were selected from the 17th wave of the Korean Welfare Panel Study for model validation. SPSS Win 24.0 was used for reliability analysis, descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, and correlation analysis. SPSS PROCESS macro 4.3 ver. (models 4 and 7) was utilized to analyze the mediating and moderated mediating effects. Results. First, spousal violence victimization, depression, and alcohol use disorder among the elderly participants in this study were at low levels, while self-esteem was high. Second, spousal violence victimization in old age has a positive effect on alcohol use disorder. However, in the mediation model that included depression, the direct effect of spousal violence victimization on alcohol use disorder was not statistically significant (Coefficient = .109, p &lt; .05). This means that depression completely mediates the effect of spousal violence victimization on alcohol use disorder. Third, self-esteem played a moderated mediating role in the path of spousal violence, depression, and alcohol use disorder in the elderly (Coefficient = -.311, p &lt; .01). It was revealed that self-esteem buffered the negative influence of depression on alcohol use disorder. Conclusion. This study found that it revealed the importance of improving self-esteem in health education program to break the negative cycle between spousal violence, alcohol use disorder, and depression. However, it has limitations, as it included many elderly men who consumed alcohol with their spouses, making generalization difficult. Future research should consider a more balanced sample reflecting gender distribution and verify variables related to alcohol use disorder in the elderly in South Korea.

Developing and validating a cross-cultural competence scale for Japanese nurses.

In recent years, Japan has experienced a significant increase in the number of foreign students and workers entering the country. This has resulted in a vast number of international patients in medical facilities. This shift emphasizes the immediate need for Japanese nurses who are both clinically proficient and culturally attuned. In response, our research developed and validated the Cross-cultural Competence Scale for Japanese Nurses (CCCSJN) to better equip nurses for diverse patient care. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Japan's general hospitals using anonymous questionnaires with nurses and midwives. The scale, developed from data from 394 nurses, underwent both qualitative and quantitative evaluations to define its construct. We analyzed the data using exploratory factor analysis, criterion-related validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability, confirming the scale's reliability and validity. The exploratory analysis revealed five factors: "cross-cultural understanding," "cross-cultural communication ability," "motivation for cross-cultural nursing," "cooperation with multiple professions," and "respect for foreign patients." These factors explained 50.92% of the total variance. Cronbach's α for the CCCSJN was 0.94, and the test-retest reliability correlation was 0.77. The construct validity, criterion-related validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of the CCCSJN were verified. The CCCSJN can be used to assess the cross-cultural competencies of Japanese nurses and identify what skills need to be mastered, leading to improved cross-cultural competence and care.

Correlations between biochemical indicators determined in the somatosensory cortex and hippocampus and morphological indicators, functional state of the central nervous system and neurological deficit in rats

Annotation. Today, the development and clinical implementation of drugs capable of preventing and/or inhibiting the apoptosis phenomenon is considered the main direction of cytoprotection in cerebral ischemia. Among the latter, the use of citicoline attracts attention. The purpose – to establish and analyze correlations between biochemical parameters determined in the somatosensory cortex and hippocampus of rats, and morphological manifestations of neuroapoptosis and parameters of CNS functioning in animals with experimental IR (ischemia-reperfusion) of a brain. The study was carried out on 75 four-month-old male Wistar rats weighing 160-190 g. In 65 animals, the experimental model of IR was performed by placing ligatures on the internal carotid arteries on both sides under propofol anesthesia. After cerebral IR modelling, 0,9% NaCl in a dose of 2 ml/kg was injected into the femoral vein of 40 rats. A group of animals (25 rats) immediately after the start of brain reperfusion was intravenously injected with citicoline (at a dose of 250 mg/kg). The control group of animals included sham-operated rats (10 animals). Assessment of neurological deficit in rats was carried out according to the stroke-index scale of C.P. McGrow, the functional state of the central nervous system - by the "open field" method, and morphometric and biochemical indicators were studied on the 7th and 14th day after IR. Statistical processing of the research results was carried out using the computer program Statistica 7.0 (StatSoft Inc. production, USA). The methods of non-parametric statistics were used (in particular, the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney U-test, Spearman's non-parametric correlation rank analysis). Reliable correlations are observed between the functional indicators of the central nervous system in rats (according to the results of the "open field" test) and biochemical indicators (such as the content of lactate, glucose, MDA, SDH, SOD and NO-synthase in the tissue of the somatosensory cortex and hippocampus), which indicate a change in the motor activity of rats with enzymatic and metabolic imbalance in the brain tissue of the specified areas. In addition, there are multiple linear relationships between biochemical and morphological indicators determined in the somatosensory cortex and hippocampus, which indicates a close functional interaction of the specified brain departments with each other (observed in all groups of rats). With subtotal IR of the brain in rats, there are specific direct correlations between the protein content in brain tissue and morphological indicators, as well as neurological deficit, which are recorded in the subacute period of ischemia (the 7th day) both in the somatosensory cortex and in the hippocampus. Specific inverse correlations also occur between MDA activity in the somatosensory cortex (the 14th day after ischemia) and morphological indicators in the hippocampus. The use of citicoline as a neuroprotector immediately after IR in rats did not cause the appearance of new highly specific correlational dependencies or the disappearance of existing ones.

Relative resistance of the initial material of peas to pea weevil (Bruchus Pisorum L.) in the Donbass

Yield losses caused by pests pose a serious threat when cultivating peas. From the earliest stages until maturing, pea plants and seeds are seriously damaged. The pea weevil (Bruchus pisorum L.) is among the most dangerous pests. According to some researchers, its harmfulness can significantly reduce yields by 30–40 % in some years. The purpose of the current study was to identify a seed damage rate (Bruchus pisorum L.) of pea collection samples with different vegetation periods, to select valuable initial material with subsequent use as a donor of increased resistance to the harmfulness of pea weevil. The weather conditions during the years of study (2021–2023) were different, which made it possible to determine the damage rate to pea forms of different maturity groups. There has been found that the mid-maturing group with a vegetation period of 65–85 days was the most vulnerable. The general damage rate was 36.8 %. The samples with a vegetation period of 51–60 days were more resistant to the pest. Seed damage rate was on average 22.9 %, which was 13.9 % less than that of mid-maturing forms. According to this criterion, the samples ‘Stengolt’, ‘Charlston’, ‘Rodegune’, ‘Imposant’, ‘Pu-726’ are of significant breeding value. According to the indicator of pest activity, there have been identified the forms ‘Stengolt’, ‘Charlston’, ‘Pu-726’, ‘Imposant’, ‘Exsellans’. The samples ‘Stengolt’, ‘Pu-726’, ‘Imposant’ are of particular interest for practical breeding since they carry complex resistance in the genotype, both by selectivity and by larvae activity inside the seed. The identified samples can be used in future breeding programs as donors of relative resistance. The analysis has revealed a reliable high correlation between damage rate of pea seeds and the length of a vegetation period of the studied forms, a selectivity rate of pea samples by pea weevil and larvae activity inside the seed.