Covariance Structure Analysis Research Articles

성인학습자의 성장 마인드셋, 자기주도 학습능력 및 학습 성과 간의 관계

Objectives The purpose of this study is to empirically analyze the growth mindset related to learning outcomes of adult learners participating in lifelong education programs, the structural relationship between self-directed learning ability, and the partial mediating effect of self-directed learning ability in the relationship between growth mindset and learning outcomes. Methods In order to solve the research purpose and research problem, 308 adult learners who are taking lifelong education program in university located in G city of Gyeongsangbuk-do were selected as research subjects. A sur-vey was conducted by selecting growth mindset as an independent variable, self-directed learning ability as a me-diating variable, and learning outcomes as a dependent variable. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS & AMOS 29.0 program for reliability verification, correlation, multiple regression analysis, confirmatory factor analy-sis, and covariance structure analysis. Results The potential variables of growth mindset, self-directed learning ability, and learning outcome perceived by adult learners showed a significant positive relationship, and the structural relationship between growth mind-set, self-directed learning ability, and learning outcome was also significant. In addition, it was confirmed that self-directed learning ability has a significant effect as a partial mediator in the relationship between growth mind-set and learning outcomes. Conclusions Growth mindset and self-directed learning ability are core competencies that adult learners should cultivate. Therefore, in order for adult learners who have accumulated life experiences for a long period of time and whose learning tendencies are fixed to adapt to the changing times and live a successful second life, it is neces-sary to find ways to strengthen growth mindset and self-directed learning ability.

Impact of self-restraint by COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in college students-COVID-19 Longitudinal survey of the 2nd and 3rd waves

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in students at university. [Method] 1880 students from university were surveyed. Survey period: July-August 2020 Demographic factors were used department, grade, gender, age. Mental health factors (PHQ-9 Japanese version, GAD-7 Japanese version, IES-R) were used. Decreased motivation to learn, loneliness: Japanese version UCLA loneliness scale was used. [Results] As a result of the survey, in (July-August), 737 patients (123 males and 614 females) were recovered (recovery rate 40.9%). As a result, in terms of gender difference, males had a higher total of "loneliness" than females and had a higher total of PTSD and "invasive symptoms". Students whose parents corresponded to corona had high "anxiety" and "depression". Students who felt rumors had high scores for "PTSD," "depression," "anxiety," and "loneliness." Students "seeking support" also scored higher on PTSD, depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Those who were "not very careful" about infection control were more likely to be depressed than those who were "careful", and those who were "quite careful" were less motivated to learn. Family structure and parental profession have no effect. In addition, the relationship between each psychiatric symptom (PTSD, depression, anxiety disorder) and "loneliness" and "motivation to learn" was examined using covariance structure analysis. When the model was examined, the models of "loneliness" ⇒ "decreased learning motivation" ⇒ "PTSD" ⇒ "depression" and "anxiety" were verified. In other words, it was shown that it is important to deal with "loneliness" to improve mental health and learning motivation during the COVID 19 pandemic. [Conclusion] At the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, college students may be high-risk persons with mental health problems.

Classifying Learning Speed Using Brain Networks and Psychological States: Unraveling the Interdependence Between Learning Performance, Psychological States, and Brain Functions.

Introduction The progression of performance learning (PL) may have complex relationships beyond mere concurrent occurrences and may influence each other. This study aimed to classify the speed of PL using a random forest based on brain network and stress state information and to identify the factors necessary for PL. In addition, this study also aimed to clarify the complex interdependent relationships between PL, psychological state, and brain function through these factors, using covariance structure analysis. Methods A total of 20 healthy individuals participated in a choice reaction time task, and brain function was measured using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Participants were divided into high-PL and low-PL groups based on the median difference in correct responses. Results Random forest analysis identified the left orbitofrontal area, right premotor cortex, right frontal pole, left frontal pole, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and depression and anxiety as key factors. Covariance structure analysis revealed that depression and anxiety affected PL through the frontal pole and prefrontal cortex, suggesting a complex interplay between psychological state, brain function, and learning. Conclusions These findings suggest that psychological states influence brain networks, thereby affecting learning performance. Tailoring rehabilitation programs to address psychological states and providing targeted feedback may improve learning outcomes. The study provides insights into the theoretical and practical applications of understanding the brain's role in PL, as well as the importance of addressing psychological factors to optimize learning and rehabilitation strategies.

The relationship between general self-efficacy and nursing practice competence for second-year nurses: Empirical quantitative research.

To examine the relationship between general self-efficacy and nursing practice competence for nurses in the second year of employment. A cross-sectional design was used. The study included 596 nurses in their second year of employment at 75 medical facilities across Japan and used an online questionnaire survey for data collection. The covariance structure analysis showed the path from general self-efficacy (latent variable) to nursing practice competence. Positive correlations were found between all factors on both scales. Multiple regression analysis results showed that the general self-efficacy factors of 'positivity in behavior' and 'confidence in social competence' affect nursing practice competence. This study emphasizes the importance of enhancing the general self-efficacy of second-year nurses to improve their nursing practice competence. To achieve this, it suggests developing strategies from the perspective of the factors that comprise general self-efficacy. The findings suggest that improving general self-efficacy can enhance nursing practice competence, which could inform the development of interventions to support nurses in improving their competence. The study provides basic data for improving nurses' practice competence. This study is the first to establish a relationship between general self-efficacy and nursing practice competence among second-year nurses. It demonstrates the significance of general self-efficacy in enhancing nursing practice competence, particularly for second-year nurses worldwide who may be struggling with their nursing practice competence and considering leaving the profession. The findings offer practical implications for stakeholders involved in nursing education and training programs, with potential applications in professional development. This manuscript adheres to the STROBE guidelines for the reporting of cross-sectional studies. There was no patient or public contribution.

유치원 원장의 진정성리더십과 유아교사 조직몰입 관계에서 동료교사 및 원장 신뢰의 매개효과

Objectives The purpose of this study was to analyze the structural relationship among the director's authentic leadership, trust in fellow teachers and directors, and organizational commitment of early childhood teachers perceived by early childhood teachers, and to empirically verify the mediating effect of trust in fellow teachers and directors in the effect of the director's authentic leadership on organizational commitment of early childhood teachers. Methods For this purpose, 319 early childhood teachers working in public and private kindergartens located in Gyeongsangnam-do were selected as research subjects, and a questionnaire survey was conducted by selecting the authenticity leadership of the director as an independent variable, the trust of fellow teachers and directors as a mediating variable, and organizational commitment as a dependent variable. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS program to verify reliability, correlation, covariance structure analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Results The structural relationship between the authentic leadership of the director perceived by the early childhood teachers, the trust of the fellow teachers and the director, and the organizational commitment of the early childhood teachers was significant. In addition, in the effect of the director's authentic leadership on the organizational commitment of early childhood teachers, the partial mediating effect of trust in fellow teachers and trust in the director was significant. Conclusions In order to improve the quality of early childhood education, it is essential to establish a trust relationship between the director and his colleagues, and the authentic leadership of the director based on high ethical judgment can serve as a good facilitator for early childhood teachers to immerse themselves in the kindergarten organization. Therefore, it is necessary to actively seek ways to strengthen and cultivate the authenticity leadership of the director.

The Association between the Planetary Health Diet with a Regular Consumption of Breakfast and a Well-Balanced Diet: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Involving Japanese Male Engineering Students at a University in Hyogo Prefecture.

Few young Japanese adults regularly consume a well-balanced diet composed of staples, main courses, and sides. We hypothesised that adopting the recommended planetary health diet with regular breakfast consumption would promote well-balanced diets among young Japanese male undergraduates. This study aimed to examine the structural association between the planetary health diet with regular breakfast consumption and a well-balanced diet intake. This cross-sectional study included 142 male engineering undergraduates who completed a 2022 online questionnaire via Google Forms at a public university in Hyogo Prefecture. The planetary health diet comprises the consumption of the recommended eight items. A covariance structure analysis was performed in a hypothetical model with factors (regular breakfast consumption and eight items) potentially associated with the intake of a well-balanced diet at least twice daily. After excluding chicken dishes and nuts from the eight recommended items of the planetary health diet, goodness-of-fit became acceptable. Frequent consumption of the remaining six recommended items (fish, eggs, soybeans/soybean products, dairy foods, vegetables, and fruits) was significantly positively correlated with regular breakfast consumption and a significant positive path to a well-balanced diet. Among male university students, regular breakfast consumption and the planetary health diet may lead to a well-balanced diet.

Matrix Decomposition Approach for Structural Equation Modeling as an Alternative to Covariance Structure Analysis and Its Theoretical Properties

Matrix decomposition structural equation modeling (MDSEM) is introduced as a novel approach in structural equation modeling, contrasting with traditional structural equation modeling (SEM). MDSEM approximates the data matrix using a model generated by the hypothetical model and addresses limitations faced by conventional SEM procedures by emphasizing factor analysis with L 2 penalization. Key advantages of MDSEM include preventing improper solutions, the ability to compute observation-wise residuals without post-hoc factor score estimation and ease in identifying equivalent models. These benefits are attributed to its matrix decomposition techniques, allowing for direct model fitting to the data matrix, unlike the covariance structure fitting in CS-SEM. An iterative algorithm for parameter estimation is proposed, guaranteeing a monotonically decreasing function value. Theoretical properties of MDSEM are examined, revealing its shared characteristics with existing factor analysis and SEM. Numerical simulations and real data examples validate that MDSEM produces results comparable to existing methods when adequately calibrated.

Fostering Social Harmony: A Peace-building Approach to Conflict Resolution and Enhanced Social Skills

Education is the best means of resolving every conflict that arises in human life. Despite the frequent occurrence of conflict and violence among students, it is still regarded as a norm, posing significant danger if left unaddressed. This acceptance can contribute to the development of a deteriorating culture, perpetuating hostility, intolerance, intergenerational violence, and diminishing social character values, particularly within student communities. This study formulates a peace-building-based conflict resolution learning model to instill the values of students' social skills, which is carried out on students through the non-equivalent control group design. Data were collected and processed using experimental procedures. Data analysis techniques were analyzed using design models processed through VOSviewer design software and the SEM (Structural Equation Model) method. Structural Equation Modeling, better known as SEM, has several other names, such as covariance structure analysis), analysis of latent variables, analysis of confirmatory factors and analysis of linear structure relationships. The results of the research show that the peace-building model of conflict resolution learning is effective in improving students' social skills, this is evidenced by the increased students' understanding of conflict resolution and violence that they experience directly or indirectly. Increased collaboration between students in finding solutions to the cases studied shows a better understanding of differences of opinion among students. Increased solidarity in solving problems within the group. Based on this, peacebuilding-based conflict resolution learning is sufficient to make a good contribution to cultivating the values of social skills that can be applied in students' daily lives.

Width undulation drives flow convergence routing in five flashy ephemeral river types across a dry summer subtropical region

AbstractDuring the last decade, meter‐resolution topo‐bathymetric digital elevation models (DEMs) have become increasingly utilized within fluvial geomorphology, but most meter‐scale geomorphic analyses are done on just one to a few rivers. While such analyses have contributed greatly to our collective understanding of river discharge‐topography interactions, which is applicable in both river restoration design and environmental flow regulation contexts, their generalizability across a range of river types remains largely unevaluated. This study assessed the dominance of a single hydro‐morphodynamic mechanism, flow convergence routing, in 35 ephemeral rivers divided among five river types in California's South Coast region by answering five questions. Geomorphic covariance structure (GCS) analysis was performed on longitudinal standardized width and standardized, detrended bed elevation spatial series from meter‐resolution DEMs. All river types had coherent, multi‐scalar structures of longitudinal fluvial topography, implicating a process‐morphology link. GCS metrics revealed that landform patterning was consistent with the requirements of the morphodynamic mechanism of flow convergence routing. Thus, that process was found to be a broadly relevant channel altering mechanism among sites, but its relationship with water stage differed between river types. Specifically, river types in unconfined valleys exhibited a strong bankfull width control over base flow bed undulations, with no obvious flood‐stage control over bankfull landform patterning. River types in partially confined valleys also exhibited strong bankfull width control over base flow bed undulations, but their bankfull landform patterns appear to have coalesced with coherent width and bed elevation undulations during flood flows. Finally, metrics for confined river types showed that it takes higher magnitude, less frequent floods to set their coherent width and bed elevation undulations, but even these channels do exhibit flow convergence routing when given enough discharge for sufficient duration.

Demand-side effects of urban green spaces: How attractiveness helps overcome subjective barriers to health behaviours

The contribution of Urban Green Spaces (UGSs) to public health is a critical topic. Existing research predominantly examines the relationship between enhanced UGSs characteristics — such as availability, accessibility, and usability — and residents’ health, highlighting how these attributes can mitigate objective barriers to health behaviours in UGSs from a supply-side perspective. However, few studies have explored the demand-side effects of UGSs, particularly in how potential visitors overcome subjective barriers to health behaviours. This study hypothesizes that Perceived UGSs Quality (PUGSQ), including attractive qualities like environmental aesthetics and open space publicness, promotes health behaviours in UGSs (HB_UGS) by enhancing residents’ self-efficacy in overcoming subjective barriers (OBSE). An online cross-sectional study was conducted in China in 2020, employing covariance structure analysis to examine the mediating role of OBSE between PUGSQ and HB_UGS. The findings indicate that augmenting PUGSQ bolsters potential visitors’ belief in their ability to overcome subjective barriers to visiting UGSs or participating in activities therein, thereby promoting sustained and regular health behaviours. The mediation model is applicable across varying activity intensities and whether activities are undertaken alone or in groups. OBSE demonstrates a partial mediating effect in the low-activity-intensity group, and full mediating effects in the medium-high-activity-intensity group, the lone activity group and the collective activity group. These results suggest that, in addition to the well-documented passive role of UGSs in health promotion from a supply-side perspective — which predominantly engages visitors’ willpower resources — UGSs can also assume a more active role from a demand-side perspective. This active role involves mobilizing visitors’ desire resources and potentially lessening the strain on their willpower resources, thus offering a more nuanced understanding of UGS’s influence on health behaviours. The position of UGSs in health promotion thus rises from ‘just nice to have’ to ‘essential to have’.

Associations of rumination, behavioral activation, and perceived reward with mothers' postpartum depression during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased social isolation for mothers, and rumination exacerbates postpartum depression in mothers with poor social support. Although behavioral activation can help to decrease their depressive symptoms, the mechanism by which behavioral activation reduces postpartum depression remains unclear. We examined the effects of rumination and behavioral activation on depression in postpartum women by examining a model mediated by subjective reward perception. A questionnaire was administered to 475 postpartum women (Age: Mean = 30.74 years, SD = 5.02) within 1 year of childbirth using an Internet survey. The measurements included perinatal depression, rumination, and behavioral activation, and we assessed environmental reward. To control for confounding variables, we assessed psychiatric history, social support, parenting perfectionism, and COVID-19 avoidance. Eighty-four (17.68%) mothers had possible postpartum depression. The covariance structure analysis showed that not only was there a direct positive path from rumination to postnatal depression but also a negative path via reward perception. This finding indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic could have increased depression in many of the mothers. Rumination not only directly relates to postpartum depression, but it could also indirectly relate to postpartum depression by decreasing exposure to positive reinforcers. In addition, having a history of psychiatric illness increases the effect of rumination on postpartum depression. These findings suggest that psychological interventions are needed to reduce rumination and increase contact with positive reinforcements to reduce postpartum depression, especially for high-risk groups.

Reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Pediatric Epilepsy Medication Self-Management Questionnaire Caregiver Version

The objectives of this study were to develop a Japanese version of the Pediatric Epilepsy Medication Self-Management Questionnaire Caregiver Version (PEMSQ-J) and to examine its reliability and validity. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among primary caregivers (N=309) of children under the age of 18 taking epilepsy medication. The PEMSQ-J was the main instrument used to collect information such as basic demographics.Cronbach's α was calculated to determine internal consistency, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated to assess reproducibility. In addition, confirmatory factor analysis with covariance structure analysis was performed to confirm the goodness of fit of the model. Finally, criterion-related validity was confirmed. Analysis of responses to items on the PEMSQ-J revealed no ceiling or floor effects, and there was no marked bias in distributions in terms of skewness or kurtosis. Internal consistency assessed with Cronbach's α ranged from 0.847 to 0.935. A test of reproducibility revealed that the intraclass correlation for the total score was 0.730. Exploratory factor analysis identified two factors, which differed from the four factors in the original version. When their details and structure were examined, however, the two were interpreted as having a similar structure. Similarly to those of the original version, the goodness-of-fit indices for the four factors according to confirmatory factor analysis were close to the standard values. The PEMSQ-J, which consists of 27 items with a four-factor structure, was statistically acceptable, and it was found to have a certain degree of reliability and validity.

Covariance Structural Analysis of Salary Satisfaction and Employee Satisfaction Based on Two-Factor Theory with a Focus on Age Groups: A Case Study of Back Office Support Services

Covariance Structural Analysis of Salary Satisfaction and Employee Satisfaction Based on Two-Factor Theory with a Focus on Age Groups: A Case Study of Back Office Support Services

Structural Modeling of Early Ambulation Progression in Patients with Acute Stroke: A Covariance Structure Analysis Approach.

This study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to elucidate the causal relationships between Functional Independence Measure (FIM) items and consciousness levels in patients with stroke and low consciousness levels 2 weeks after initiating occupational therapy (OT). This modeling sought to identify the factors influencing the number of days required to get out of bed. SEM was used for multifactorial simultaneous analysis in a study of 22 patients with a Japan Coma Scale score of 20 after stroke. The Glasgow Coma Scale was used to evaluate patients' consciousness level; FIMs were used to evaluate activities of daily living in the ward. Influencing factors, including "bed/chair transfers" and "toilet transfers," were defined as "transfer functions," while factors involving "social interactions," "comprehension," "memory," "problem solving," and "expression" were defined as "cognitive decline." After 2 weeks, standardized coefficients showed that "transfer functions" and "cognitive decline" had effects of -0.33 and -0.25, respectively, on "early ambulation days." Further analysis revealed that improvements in "consciousness level" impacted "early ambulation days," with coefficients of -0.35 for "transfer functions" and 0.14 for "cognitive decline." Through the "consciousness level" observation variable, the coefficients of indirect effects were -0.27 for "transfer function" on "days to get out of bed," 0.38 for "cognitive decline," and -0.06 for "self-care" on "early ambulation days." Improvement in transfer movements and cognitive decline influenced the number of days required to get out of bed without improving consciousness or affecting early ambulation.

Related factors to illness perception of individuals with diabetic foot ulcers: A structural equation modelling test

BackgroundDiabetic foot is a common and severe complication of diabetes with limited movement, emotional distress, and poor quality of life. Illness perception was introduced to improve patients’ psychological status and quality of life with diabetic foot ulcers. The aim of the study is to explore the related factors of illness perception, and to structure an illness perception model of patients with diabetic foot ulcers. MethodsWe recruited 208 patients with diabetic foot ulcers from six hospitals from April 2021 to February 2022. A multicentered cross-sectional study was conducted to collect the data. Questionnaires included illness perception, coping behavior, emotional status, and quality of life. We performed multiple linear regression analysis with illness perception as the dependent variable, and evaluated the goodness of fit of the resulting structural equations models based on covariance structural analysis. ResultsIllness perception was negatively related to coping behavior and quality of life, and it was positively correlated with yield-coping behavior, anxiety, and depression. The pain, diabetes duration, quality of life, yield-coping strategy, and sex were the factors that affected illness perception in patients with DFUs (P＜0.05). The resulting model was found to exhibit goodness of fit. ConclusionIllness perception had an especially strong and direct impact on quality of life, depression, and anxiety. Therefore, it is significant to improve illness perception in patients with DFUs, and provide positive support based on cognitive behavioral therapy to improve illness perception, quality of life, and emotional status.

Development of a scale to evaluate the rest levels of male workers

Objectives "Rest" has two aspects: "repose," to recover from physical or mental fatigue, and "restore," to re-establish physical, mental, and social health. Many male workers work for prolonged hours, and despite stress, they do not apply coping behaviors, unlike female workers. Consequently, taking sufficient rest is difficult for male workers. The aim of this study was to develop a scale incorporating multiple factors to evaluate the state in which male workers take rest.Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted involving 330 male workers aged 20-59 years who had been engaged in two manufacturing industries. The questionnaire items were created with reference to an interview survey of male workers in the literature. After discussing with industrial hygiene experts and conducting a pretest to obtain surface validity, 70 items were used for analyses. In the exploratory factor analysis, promax rotation was used with the maximum likelihood method. In the confirmatory factor analysis, goodness of fit was confirmed with the covariance structure analysis. Health-related quality of life, job stress, work engagement, sleep, and self-assessment of rest were used to examine concurrent validity.Results With the exploratory factor analysis, we introduced a scale containing 15 items, including three subscales: filling with spirit, enthusiasm for work, and recovery from fatigue. The reliability coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) of the three subscales and the overall scale ranged from 0.79 to 0.88 and 0.89, ensuring internal consistency. The confirmatory factor analysis showed a generally good fit. Their scores were correlated with many items of the health-related quality of life, job stress, work engagement, sleep, and self-assessment of rest.Conclusions A 15-item "Rest Evaluation Scale" was created to evaluate the state in which male workers in the manufacturing industries take rest. Since the validity, reliability, and concurrent validity of this scale were satisfactory, this scale was considered to be an index evaluating the state of rest of male workers.

Inhibitory action of B-type natriuretic peptide on adrenocorticotropic hormone in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

In addition to the classical actions of hemodynamic regulation, natriuretic peptides (NPs) interact with various neurohumoral factors that are deeply involved in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases. However, their effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is activated under acute high-stress conditions in acute coronary syndrome (ACS), remain largely unknown. We investigated the impact of plasma B-type NP (BNP) on plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-cortisol levels during the acute phase of ACS ischemic attacks. The study population included 436 consecutive patients with ACS for whom data were collected during emergency cardiac catheterization. Among them, biochemical data after acute-phase treatment were available in 320 cases, defined as the ACS-remission phase (ACS-rem). Multiple regression analyses revealed that plasma BNP levels were significantly negatively associated with plasma ACTH levels only during ACS attacks (P < 0.001), but not in ACS-rem, whereas plasma BNP levels were not significantly associated with plasma cortisol levels at any point. Accordingly, covariance structure analyses were performed to clarify the direct contribution of BNP to ACTH by excluding other confounding factors, confirming that BNP level was negatively correlated with ACTH level only during ACS attacks (β = -0.152, P = 0.002), whereas BNP did not significantly affect ACTH in ACS-rem. In conclusion, despite the lack of a significant direct association with cortisol levels, BNP negatively regulated ACTH levels during the acute phase of an ACS attack in which the HPA axis ought to be activated. NP may alleviate the acute stress response induced by severe ischemic attacks in patients with ACS.NEW & NOTEWORTHY BNP negatively regulates ACTH during a severe ischemic attack of ACS in which hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis ought to be activated, indicating an important role of natriuretic peptides as a mechanism of adaptation to acute critical stress conditions in humans.

Optimal Physical Activity Is Associated with the Reduction of Depressive Symptoms via Neuroticism and Resilience

Background: Personality traits, such as neuroticism, that results in vulnerability to stress, and resilience, a measure of stress coping, are closely associated with the onset of depressive symptoms, whereas regular physical activity habits have been shown to reduce depressive symptoms. In this study, the mediating effects of neuroticism and resilience between physical activity duration and depressive symptoms were investigated by a covariance structure analysis. Methods: Between April 2017 and April 2018, 526 adult volunteers were surveyed using self-administered questionnaires. Demographic information, habitual physical activity duration (PAD), neuroticism, and resilience were investigated. The effects of these factors on depressive symptoms were analyzed by a covariance structure analysis. This study was conducted with the approval of the Medical Ethics Committee of Tokyo Medical University. Results: The dose–response curves of physical activity duration and depression scores were U-shaped: the optimal physical activity duration for the lowest depression score was 25.7 h/week. We found that the greater the difference from the optimal PAD, the higher the neuroticism and the lower the resilience, and the more severe the depressive symptoms. Covariance structure analysis demonstrated that neuroticism and resilience significantly and completely mediated the effects of the difference from the optimal PAD on depressive symptoms (coefficient of determination R2 = 0.349). Conclusion: Our study suggests that there is an optimal PAD that reduces depressive symptoms, and that a greater difference from the optimal PAD increases depressive symptoms through neuroticism and resilience.

The Association between Atherosclerotic Disease Risk Factors and Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentration in Japanese Subjects.

Recent studies have described that vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is associated with hypertension, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia, which are major components of metabolic syndrome causing atherosclerosis. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration and atherosclerotic disease risk factors in healthy Japanese adults. In the present cross-sectional study, 1,177 subjects (348 males and 829 females) aged 20-72 y living in Japan (34.7-35.0ºN) were evaluated for vitamin D status by measuring serum 25(OH)D concentration. Atherosclerotic disease risk factors were defined as the presence of two or more of the following three risk factors: high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia. The percentages of vitamin D deficient and insufficient subjects were 33% and 46% in males and 59% and 32% in females, respectively. Subjects with atherosclerotic disease risk factors were significantly older and had higher BMI than those without it in both sexes. Male subjects with atherosclerotic disease risk factors had significantly lower physical activity and serum 25(OH)D concentration than those without it. In a logistic regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors, serum 25(OH)D concentration showed a significant inverse association with risk factors of atherosclerotic disease in males (OR=0.951, 95%CI: 0.906-0.998), but not in females. A covariance structure analysis also suggested that serum 25(OH)D level has a direct association with risk factors of atherosclerotic disease. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that low serum 25(OH)D level is a significant factor for increased atherosclerotic disease risk factors in males.

Association of Serum Oxysterols with Cholesterol Metabolism Markers and Clinical Factors in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: A Covariance Structure Analysis.

Oxysterols have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Serum levels of oxysterols could be positively correlated with cholesterol absorption and synthesis. However, physiological regulation of various serum oxysterols is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between clinical factors and cholesterol metabolism markers, and identify oxysterols associated with cholesterol absorption and synthesis in patients with coronary artery disease. Subjects (n = 207) who underwent coronary stenting between 2011 and 2013 were studied cross-sectionally. We measured lipid profiles including serum oxysterols. As for the serum biomarkers of cholesterol synthesis and absorption, oxysterol levels were positively correlated with campesterol and lathosterol. Covariance structure analysis revealed that dyslipidemia and statin usage had a positive correlation with "cholesterol absorption". Statin usage also had a positive correlation with "cholesterol synthesis". Several oxysterols associated with cholesterol absorption and/or synthesis. In conclusion, we elucidated the potential clinical factors that may affect cholesterol metabolism, and the associations between various oxysterols with cholesterol absorption and/or synthesis in patients with coronary artery disease.