Factor Reliability Research Articles

What is the functional impact of sarcopenia and myosteatosis three months after discharge to an intensive care population? A monocentric observational study

Background & AimsSarcopenia and myosteatosis are proving to be major factors to predict mortality in intensive care patients. Few studies are currently focusing on evaluating the functional impact after intensive care discharge and none has considered sarcopenia and myosteatosis as prognostic factors.The aim of our study was to determine whether sarcopenia and myosteatosis are reliable prognostic factors for mid-term functional impact in critical patients a few months after intensive care discharge. MethodsWe carried out a retrospective monocentric study using computed-tomography scanner performed on intensive care admission and/or three months after discharge to assess sarcopenia and myosteatosis in 43 patients with critical illnesses who underwent a multidisciplinary evaluation on a multidisciplinary consultation’s day hospital.We used L3 and/or T4 computed-tomography-scan levels to assess sarcopenia with the skeletal muscle index and myosteatosis with skeletal muscle density. These data were compared with main patient characteristics on intensive care admission and during intensive care stay and with functional assessments at the post intensive care multidisciplinary consultations, based on hand grip strength test, 6-minute walking test, and peak inspiratory pressure. ResultsWe found a good correlation of both skeletal muscle index and skeletal muscle density for T4 and L3 levels. Skeletal muscle index was correlated with hand grip strength test, and skeletal muscle density with 6-minute walking test, which are both functional tests recommended in the algorithm of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People to diagnose sarcopenia. Peak inspiratory pressure was correlated with both skeletal muscle index and skeletal muscle density and also with other functional tests. ConclusionsWe confirmed the reliability of thoracic computed-tomography-scan to assess sarcopenia and myosteatosis. We found that skeletal muscle index and skeletal muscle density are independent but complementary predictive factors for functional impact at mid-term in intensive care patients. Peak inspiratory pressure could be a useful tool for the assessment and management of sarcopenia.

Tumor cell-intrinsic MELK enhanced CCL2-dependent immunosuppression to exacerbate hepatocarcinogenesis and confer resistance of HCC to radiotherapy

BackgroundThe outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is limited by its complex molecular characteristics and changeable tumor microenvironment (TME). Here we focused on elucidating the functional consequences of Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK) in the tumorigenesis, progression and metastasis of HCC, and exploring the effect of MELK on immune cell regulation in the TME, meanwhile clarifying the corresponding signaling networks.MethodsBioinformatic analysis was used to validate the prognostic value of MELK for HCC. Murine xenograft assays and HCC lung metastasis mouse model confirmed the role of MELK in tumorigenesis and metastasis in HCC. Luciferase assays, RNA sequencing, immunopurification–mass spectrometry (IP-MS) and coimmunoprecipitation (CoIP) were applied to explore the upstream regulators, downstream essential molecules and corresponding mechanisms of MELK in HCC.ResultsWe confirmed MELK to be a reliable prognostic factor of HCC and identified MELK as an effective candidate in facilitating the tumorigenesis, progression, and metastasis of HCC; the effects of MELK depended on the targeted regulation of the upstream factor miR-505-3p and interaction with STAT3, which induced STAT3 phosphorylation and increased the expression of its target gene CCL2 in HCC. In addition, we confirmed that tumor cell-intrinsic MELK inhibition is beneficial in stimulating M1 macrophage polarization, hindering M2 macrophage polarization and inducing CD8 + T-cell recruitment, which are dependent on the alteration of CCL2 expression. Importantly, MELK inhibition amplified RT-related immune effects, thereby synergizing with RT to exert substantial antitumor effects. OTS167, an inhibitor of MELK, was also proven to effectively impair the growth and progression of HCC and exert a superior antitumor effect in combination with radiotherapy (RT).ConclusionsAltogether, our findings highlight the functional role of MELK as a promising target in molecular therapy and in the combination of RT therapy to improve antitumor effect for HCC.

Failure type and failure level detection of insulators according to monitored leakage current

Due to the ever-increasing growth of electric energy consumption, the production of high-quality, reliable and high-reliability electricity is very important. Therefore, it is essential to have distribution and sub-transmission networks with a good reliability factor. In power distribution and sub-transmission lines, it is necessary to somehow isolate the conductors under voltage from the towers, and insulators are used for this purpose. These insulators have two main tasks. One of the main tasks of insulators is to isolate (insulate) the line conductor from the body of the tower. The insulators must be able to isolate the high voltages of the lines from the body of the tower without having a leakage current, and on the other hand, the insulators must be able to withstand the mechanical forces resulting from the weight of the conductors and the applied forces caused by wind and ice. Also, leakage current is one of the important parameters for condition monitoring of insulators in power grid lines. Failure to inspect the insulation for contamination and health conditions will lead to insulator failure and will cause faults in the electrical system. Therefore, it is very important to monitor the condition of the insulator. Based on this, in this paper, according to the data related to leakage current and also according to the introduced wear out function, a procedure for measuring the condition of insulators has been obtained. Finally, the condition of each insulator will be determined according to the defined indicators. Also, the failure level of each monitored data will be obtained using sensitivity analysis.

The Effect of Beauty Shop Service Quality on Revisit Intention

Purpose: The competitive environment of the beauty service industry entered into fierce competition due to factors such as the opening of the service industry and the diversification, advancement, and multi-attributes of the economy. Consumers choose a store with a wide variety of needs and thoughts, and their intention to reuse is determined by the behavior of internal customers they meet at one-on-one contact points with customers. The purpose of this study is to suggest a way to become a competitive beauty shop by providing better service to customers by confirming the relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction, and revisit intention through empirical analysis. Method: In this study, prior research and empirical research were conducted in parallel for the purpose of the study, and a research model was established based on the existing prior research. In order to verify the validity of the research model, 500 copies were finally used for empirical analysis using an online survey method centered on female users who visited domestic beauty shops (hair, skin, nail, makeup). Statistical analysis was performed using programs (SPSS 23.0, AMOS 23.0) as an analysis method, and statistical methods such as frequency analysis, cross-tabulation, factor analysis, variance analysis, and structural equations were analyzed and processed. Results: First, as a result of analyzing the difference in service quality according to age, it was found that response, empathy, materiality, and reliability factors were statistically different. Response, empathy, and reliability were high in the 40s, and materiality was high in the 20s. Second, as a result of analyzing the difference in service quality according to the most used beauty shop, it was found that there was a difference in the empathy factor. As a result of the post-hoc test, there were differences in makeup, skin care, and nail beauty, and the empathy of skin care and nail beauty was analyzed to be higher than makeup. Third, as a result of analyzing the differences in the Revisit Intention factor according to the Most used beauty shop, the Revisit Intention factor was statistically significant, and it was analyzed that the Revisit Intention of nail beauty was higher than that of makeup. Fourth, as a result of examining the extent to which service quality factors using AMOS affect overall Revisit Intention, among service quality factors, reliability has the greatest impact, and response, empathy, materiality, and professionalism do not directly affect Revisit Intention. Conclusion: Customers who visit beauty service companies today have a variety of needs, and it has become competitive to derive customer satisfaction with more delicate consideration. It can be seen that the improvement of overall ser-vice quality has a direct effect on Revisit Intention, and it was found that customers revisit due to reliability. Due to the nature of the beauty industry, which relies heavily on human resources, research on how it will affect customers' Revisit Intention is expected to provide many implications for strengthening the competitiveness of the beauty industry in the future.

Quality and customer loyalty in the port services of Manzanillo

The customs industry, particularly within the Mexican context, plays a significant role both domestically and internationally, owing to its contribution to the global economy. With the expansion and standardization of customs clearance services, there has emerged a necessity for providers of these services to seek customer loyalty. Grounded in the principles of quality, the study examines the elements of the SERVQUAL model: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Goals:The aim of the study was to extend the SERVQUAL model by incorporating customer attitude as an additional component within the three primary dimensions for measuring service quality. Methodology: A survey was employed to gather data from 100 customs brokerage firms through simple random sampling. Given the utilization of structural equation modeling (SEM) methodology to assess the theoretical model, Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis technique was applied using Smart PLS 3.3.0 software. The findings indicated that the extended model had a significant impact on both customer satisfaction and loyalty within the customs facilities of Manzanillo, Colima. The coefficients of determination were 61.5% for customer satisfaction and 54% for customer loyalty, with a root mean square error of approximation (SRMR) of 0.065, confirming the model's predictive validity. Contributions: Customs facilities should focus their strategies on addressing issues that may be impacting service quality, particularly concerning sensitivity, empathy, and reliability factors, as these have a moderate level of influence on quality determination, according to customs agencies' perceptions. Regarding the inherent limitations of online surveys and their application in specialized groups, it is crucial to expand the research to include other clients of the customs facility.

Baseball Data Utilization by Korean Professional Baseball Players Focusing on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology as well as Technology Readiness

PURPOSE This study aimed to explore the structural relationships between technology-related factors and the intention to use baseball data, drawing upon the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and technology readiness (TR). METHODS Survey data from 203 Korean professional baseball players were used in frequency, reliability, correlation, and confirmatory factor analyses as well as structural equation modeling. RESULTS Positive TR positively influenced performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and conditions facilitating baseball data use. Negative TR did not significantly impact performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and conditions facilitating baseball data use. Performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and facilitating conditions were found to positively influence data use intention, while social influence did not significantly impact data use intention. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that increasing performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and facilitating condition factors could be key to enhancing the intention to utilize baseball data.

Relief item inventory planning under centralized and decentralized bilateral cooperation and uncertain transshipment quantities

Pre-positioning relief inventory ensures timely delivery of in-kind aid after a catastrophe. Tragic disasters like major earthquakes are rare and unpredictable; therefore, stockpiled items may not be used. To avoid over-stocking and reduce shortage risk, the cooperation of two humanitarian agencies in supporting each other in case of shortages is suggested in the literature. In this study, we utilize newsvendor-based quantitative models to optimize the pre-disaster stocking decisions of agencies under centralized and decentralized cooperation mechanisms. In the former, both agencies jointly determine their inventory levels to maximize their combined benefits of relief operations, whereas, in the latter, each agency establishes its stocking level in isolation via a game theoretic approach. In both systems, the two agencies agree to transship their excessive items to the other party if needed. In this regard, we investigate the situation where only a portion of the transshipped items, denoted as the reliability factor, can be received and effectively utilized at the destination due to the chaotic nature of the disaster. Considering a deterministic reliability factor, we obtain the singular optimal inventory levels in the centralized system and identify the unique Nash Equilibrium in the decentralized system. Subsequently, we formulate a two-stage stochastic program, considering a random reliability factor for both cooperation systems. The study concludes by offering a range of managerial insights. Our analyses quantify the sub-optimality resulting from decentralized decision-making across diverse parameter settings using the concept of the price of anarchy. The findings highlight that centralized cooperation becomes particularly advisable when the average demand within either agency is high, the transshipment process is secure (i.e., the reliability factor is high), and transshipment costs remain low.

Factors Shaping Digital Learning Material Use in Primary Schools: An Exploratory Factor Analysis Approach

The utilization of digital learning materials in education, particularly in primary education, is becoming an increasingly prominent trend in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. To assist teachers in adapting to these new educational trends, the strategic implementation of digital learning materials in schools plays a critical role in improving the teaching and learning processes. Despite the anticipated positive impact of digital learning material use on educational activities, significant challenges remain, including infrastructure issues, appropriate policies, digital content, support devices, support capabilities, and deployment capabilities in the digital environment, as well as human-related operational issues. The objective of this study is to explore the factors influencing teachers' use of digital learning materials in primary schools in the urban central of Vietnam. The validity and reliability of the “assessment of factors affecting the use of digital learning materials” instrument was examined using SPSS for exploratory factor analysis (EFA), to determine reliability and extract prominent factors. Through factor analysis employing Varimax rotation, 33 items were retained in the questionnaire. Analysis of the results from 129 respondents revealed four factors affecting the use of digital learning materials, with a KMO measure of sampling adequacy of 0.943 and Bartlett's test of sphericity indicating a Chi-Square with Sig value of 0.000 < 0.05. The findings suggest four groups of factors, providing guidance for teachers and students in identifying the key factors that enhance the effective use of digital learning materials in schools.

Determinant Factors Affecting the Development of Digital Competencies of Primary School Students

The global trend of Industry 4.0 has significantly accelerated the digital transformation process. In the field of education, digital transformation is bringing substantial changes to the educational policies and orientations of many countries, especially developing nations. This necessitates equipping students with comprehensive knowledge, skills, and digital competencies to enhance teaching quality and meet future societal demands, even starting from primary education. Although the development of digital competence is expected to yield positive outcomes, it also poses considerable challenges for educators in terms of thorough preparation and policy formulation. The purpose of this study is to explore the factors influencing the development of digital competence in primary school students. The validity and reliability of the measurement tools were assessed using SPSS analysis to perform exploratory factor analysis (EFA), determine reliability, and extract prominent factors. Factor analysis using Varimax rotation retained 16 items in the questionnaire. Analysis of the results from 86 survey samples revealed three factors influencing the development of digital competence, with a KMO measure of sampling adequacy of 0.903; Bartlett's test indicated a Chi-Square significance level of 0.000 < 0.05. These findings provide direction for teachers in identifying priorities to form and develop digital competence in primary school students.

Serviceability limit state of incrementally launched steel bridge I-girders

Bridge girders are subjected to repeated patch loading during incremental launching (i.e. travelling over supports). Plastic deformations are likely to occur in the girder already at the first patch loading. They influence the girder’s structural response and bring about a decrease in the ultimate resistance at subsequent patch loadings. This problem is analysed in the present paper through the serviceability limit state (SLS) of incrementally launched bridge I-girders (ILBGs). The SLS of ILBGs is a current problem since only a few studies, with contrasting conclusions and certain limitations, have been recognised in the literature. Research is limited on plate girders without longitudinal stiffeners made of structural steel. Flat slide-type launching shoes are considered in this paper.The serviceability requirement (repeatable behaviour of ILBGs) and criterion (that effective membrane strains should remain in the elastic range) are adopted from the literature. So, the serviceability resistance is adopted as a load at the start of the effective membrane plastic strains in the girder. In order to propose a practical and simple SLS design procedure, the serviceability resistance is normalised against the ultimate resistance, so a serviceability correction factor (ksls) is defined. The paper presents a parametric numerical analysis of the factor (ksls). A finite element model previously developed and validated by the author is employed to simulate a nonlinear response of patch-loaded girders. The parametric study includes 599 girders. ksls is inversely proportional to the web thickness and directly proportional to the flange thickness and the yield strength of the steel material. The load length, web depth and flange width do not influence ksls. The influence of the spacing between transverse stiffeners on ksls is negligible. Finally, by regression analysis of the results of parametric study, an original and reliable serviceability correction factor is proposed as the main objective of the research. The range when the SLS of ILBGs should be checked is also defined.

Analyzing Factors Influencing the Development of Railway Freight Transportation Service through the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process Technique

The main objective of this study is to apply the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) technique to assess factors influencing the development of railway freight transportation services. These factors include four critical performance indicators within the supply chain: responsiveness, cost, reliability, and agility. Moreover, the study aims to develop guidelines for enhancing the effectiveness of railway freight transportation in Chiang Rai province, particularly through the Den Chai–Chiang Rai–Chiang Khong railway route. Data were collected from 9 experts, including logistics service providers, users, and academics then, pairwise comparisons of factors were conducted. The results revealed that the cost factor holds the highest significance at 33.86%, followed by reliability, responsiveness, and agility factors at 28.51%, 26.14%, and 11.49%, respectively. Consistent with satisfaction scores obtained from logistics service users, the cost factor holds the highest satisfaction score at 4.78, followed by reliability, responsiveness, and agility factors with scores of 4.41, 4.16, and 4.01, respectively. The result above will bring towards preparation in railway freight transportation of Chiang Rai province and encouraging entrepreneurs to shift to railway transportation mode in the end.

Adaptive energy management strategy for optimal integration of wind/PV system with hybrid gravity/battery energy storage using forecast models

Hybrid energy systems, including hybrid power generation and hybrid energy storage, have attracted considerable attention as eco-friendly solutions to meet the increasing global energy demands while minimizing environmental impacts. The economic viability and resilience of hybrid energy system solutions depend on careful consideration of economic and reliability factors during the design phase. This paper explores the optimization and design of a wind turbine (WT)/photovoltaic (PV) system coupled with a hybrid energy storage system combining mechanical gravity energy storage (GES) and an electrochemical battery system. An adaptive energy management strategy linked to an optimization process has been proposed for the optimal integration of the WT/PV system with the hybrid Gravity/Battery storage system. Forecast models have been employed to predict solar and wind generation. Simulation models are developed for each component of the multi-source power plant to predict energy flow behavior based on real-world industrial load demand scenarios. The renewables contribution to 100 % reliability is approximately 18 % for photovoltaic and 92 % for wind turbine, primarily attributed to the great wind energy potential of the selected site. The optimal cost of energy is 0.28 €/kWh for a reliability of 100 %, which reduces to 0.03€/kWh when reliability level is decreased to 20 %. The incorporation of forecast models into the study and the hybridization of storage options improve the design accuracy and optimal operation of the multi-source power system leading to reliable and efficient use of renewable energy.

Who I am and who I want to be: The positive effect of self-concept clarity on purpose, life satisfaction, and personal meaning among Chinese and Indonesian emerging adults

BackgroundThe importance of self-concept clarity to oneself has been shown in prior studies among Western communities. However, few studies have investigated self-concept clarity and its outcomes cross-culturally in the Asian context. Therefore, we as-sessed self-concept clarity in relation to purpose in life, life satisfaction, and personal meaning among Chinese and Indone-sian samples.Participants and procedureThe survey participants were 248 Indonesian undergraduates and 311 Chinese, aged 18-25 years, recruited through conven-ience sampling. An online survey was distributed to universities in Hong Kong and in Indonesia in which all participants gave written informed consent. Reliability and confirmatory factor analyses of each scale were performed in each sample. A multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test the invariance of the analysis of the data.ResultsThe findings of the study demonstrate a consistent and significant positive impact of self-concept clarity on purpose in life, which subsequently predicts life satisfaction and personal meaning in both groups. Interestingly, only in the Chinese sample did self-concept clarity exhibit a direct positive correlation with personal meaning. Meanwhile, in the Indonesian sample, there was no significant effect of self-concept clarity on meaningfulness. In other words, the Indonesian sample emphasizes the need to shape goals after achieving self-concept clarity to make a meaningful life.ConclusionsThis study highlights the importance of fostering self-concept clarity among students in both countries to shape their goals and aims for better well-being.

УПРАВЛЕНИЕ РЕЗЕРВАМИ ЗАПЧАСТЕЙ В МНОГОУРОВНЕВОЙ СТРУКТУРЕ ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ НАДЕЖНОСТИ ТЕХНИЧЕСКИХ СИСТЕМ

The processes occurring in production systems are limited by agrotechnical requirements. The determining factor of the technological reliability of the system is the time of replacement of the failed element. The reliability of the system depends significantly on the ratio between the time of replacement of the failed element with a workable spare part and the allowable downtime in the operation of the production system. A set of spare parts and accessories should be considered as a kind of unloaded reserve. (Research purpose) The research purpose is formalizing the dependencies between the performance indicators of the spare parts supply system and optimizing the flow of applications for spare parts, taking into account their quality. (Materials and methods) It was noted that in order to assess the quality of spare parts and accessories on a certain date, it is advisable to fix three parts of the purchased batch of spare parts. The task of assessing the reliability of spare parts and accessories at an early stage of their use was formulated. (Results and discussion) It was found that for a batch of spare parts and accessories of poor quality, it is possible to make prompt decisions on complaints to the manufacturer of spare parts and their replacement. (Conclusions) It was stated that the processes of spending spare parts are stochastic. It was established that a set of spare parts and accessories is a kind of resource designed to improve the reliability of the functioning of technical systems. The availability factor of spare parts and accessories was proposed, taking into account the intensity of their failures during storage. The general reliability model should take into account: the strategy of replenishment of spare parts, the type of structure of the supply system, the type of failure model. Proved that the strategy of continuous replenishment of spare parts and accessories is effective. It provides, other things being equal, a higher value of the availability factor of spare parts and accessories.

Developing disease-modifying interventions in idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder and early synucleinopathy

Alpha-synucleinopathies are prevalent neurological disorders that cause significant disability, leading to progressive clinical deterioration that is currently managed solely through symptomatic treatment. Efforts to evaluate disease-modifying therapies during the established stage of the disease have not yielded positive outcomes in terms of clinical or imaging efficacy endpoints. However, alpha-synucleinopathies have a long prodromal phase that presents a promising opportunity for intervention with disease-modifying therapies. The presence of polysomnography-confirmed REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is the most reliable risk factor for identifying individuals in the prodromal stage of alpha-synucleinopathy. This paper discusses the rationale behind targeting idiopathic/isolated RBD in disease-modifying trials and outlines possible study designs, including strategies for patient stratification, selection of biomarkers to assess disease progression and patient eligibility, as well as the identification of suitable endpoints. Additionally, the potential targets for disease-modifying treatment in alpha-synucleinopathies are summarized.

Dimensions of Depressive Symptoms in Young Children: Factor Analysis of the Preschool Feelings Checklist-Scale.

The current study is an investigation of the dimensionality of the Preschool Feelings Checklist-Scale (PFC-S), a caregiver-report questionnaire of early childhood depressive symptom severity. Caregivers of 450 young children, ages 3-8 years (M = 5.62, SD = 0.95; 49% female; 7% Hispanic; 66% White), completed the PFC-S and questionnaires on child emotion regulation and expression and self-reported depressive symptomatology. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a one-factor structure did not adequately fit the current PFC-S data. Using exploratory factor analysis, a three-factor structure emerged as interpretable and structurally sound, yielding reliable factors related to social and behavioral anhedonia, emotional and behavioral dysregulation, and excessive guilt and sadness. This factor structure showed configural and scalar invariance across preschool-aged and early middle childhood-aged children as well as children assigned male and female sex at birth. Correlations between the three factors and constructs related to depression suggested preliminary construct validity. The current study provides initial evidence for a multidimensional structure of the PFC-S and improves our understanding of early childhood depressive symptoms.

The role of subjective risk perception and self-esteem in the relationship between sensation seeking and aberrant behaviors on the road: A moderated-moderation model

Introduction: Road crashes are still one of the main causes of death around the world. Risky behavior has been proposed as one of the foremost predictors, with the theoretical framework of aberrant behavior emerging as a predominant approach for its examination. Sensation seeking has been pointed out as one of the main personality predictors of aberrant behavior. The current research aimed to investigate the moderated-moderation effect of both risk perception and self-esteem in the relationship between sensation seeking and aberrant behavior. Method: Two studies were conducted. The first study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Risk Perception Scale (RPS), a 10-item self-report to assess risk perception. A sample composed of 471 Spanish drivers (319 female, Mage = 29.75) completed the RPS. In the second study, a different sample of 236 Spanish drivers (129 female, Mage = 38.49) completed a set of self-reports aiming both to analyze the concurrent and divergent validity of the RPS, and to test the main moderated-moderation hypothesis. Results: With respect to the first study, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a 7-item version which fitted in a single reliable factor (α = .74). Regarding the second study, the results supported both the concurrent and divergent validity of the RPS. Likewise, it was verified the moderated-moderation effect in the case of ordinary violations (R2 = .34), aggressive violations (R2 = .20), and lapses (R2 = .12). Conclusions: The RPS is a useful self-report to assess subjective risk perception in Spanish drivers. Both self-esteem and risk perception affect the relationship between sensation seeking and aberrant driving behavior. Practical implications: Intervention programs aiming to reduce aberrant driving behavior should be focused on reducing sensation seeking tendencies while simultaneously enhancing both risk perception skills and self-esteem.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the type 1 diabetes mellitus self-management scale for parents

Background/aimDiabetes has become a global epidemic, necessitating effective self-management strategies. This is particularly crucial for parents of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus, as they must make numerous daily decisions and perform complex care activities. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive diabetes self-management scale specifically for parents of children with type 1 diabetes. This scale aims to holistically address behaviors impacting diabetes self-management and to evaluate its psychometric properties.Materials and methodsA methodological, correlational, and cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 190 parents of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The scale items were reviewed by five experts to ensure they adequately covered the parents' evaluation of their children's diabetes self-management. Following this, a Turkish language expert assessed the draft scale for language accuracy, comprehensibility, and grammar. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (numbers and percentages), Cronbach's α reliability coefficient, factor analysis, and correlation analysis.ResultsThe Cronbach's alpha for the overall scale was 0.893, and the Cronbach's alpha for the subscales was between 0.757 and 0.845. The item-total score correlations ranged between 0.408 and 0.660 (p < .05). The exploratory factor analysis showed that the scale explained 61.427% of the total variance, and the factor loadings of items ranged from 0.574 to 0.859. The confirmatory factor analysis also showed that the factor loadings of the scale items ranged from 0.574 to 0.859.Conclusion: The validity and reliability analyses revealed that the scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool for the Turkish culture.

Unveiling the spirit of publicness: Conceptualization and validation of a publicness perceptions scale

This study theoretically and empirically tests a Publicness Perceptions Scale (PPS). Our goal is to understand the dimensions of publicness as interpreted by individuals working within different types of organizations, and the extent to which these perceptions vary across sectors. A two-study design with independent samples is used. Based on a literature review supported by an expert’s survey and original empirical data, the PPS is constructed and validated. In Study 1, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) indicated the PPS is composed of five reliable factors: (1) perceived ownership, funding, and political control; (2) perceived market control; (3) perceived legality and equity; (4) perceived accountability, and (5) perceived transparency. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) suggests a second-order single PPS factor. Study 2 also demonstrates the scale’s convergent, discriminant, and incremental validities. The paper concludes with theoretical, empirical, and practical advantages of the new PPS scale.

Comprehensive analysis of the prognostic role of laboratory indices in advanced lung cancer patients.

Lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer-related death, is diagnosed mostly in advanced stages, and 5-year survival is approximately 5.8%. It is critical to identify reliable prognostic factors to optimize treatment responses, guide therapeutic strategies and pave the way to new research. In this study, we aimed to investigate the strongest prognostic factors for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We retrospectively analyzed 278 patients with NSCLC. We evaluated the association between potential prognostic factors and overall survival (OS) times using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis. The median OS in all patients was 15.3 months. In univariate analysis, gender, histologic type, performance status, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, hemoglobin level, serum albumin, sodium-globulin ratio (SGR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), systemic immune inflammation index (SII), hemoglobin-albumin-lymphocyte-plateletscore (HALP), and advanced lung cancer index (ALI) were associated with survival. Models were established for multivariate analyses. In the models, NLR, SGR, HALP, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status showed independent prognostic features (p<0.001, p=0.003, p=0.002, p<0.001, p=0.010, and p=0.025, respectively). In addition, in the subgroup analysis, prognostic indexes (NLR, SGR, and HALP) were found to have a prognostic effect on survival in multiple subgroups. Pretreatment NLR, SGR, HALP, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and ECOG performance status are independent prognostic factors for advanced NSCLC patients. These prognostic factors can be used in clinical practice as easily accessible, simple, and useful tools for clinicians.