Inversely Related Research Articles

(090) The Relationship Between C-Reactive Protein and Total Testosterone in Aging Men: Findings from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

Abstract Introduction Elevated C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and testosterone deficiency are associated with advanced age and chronic inflammatory diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Testosterone decreases inflammation through several mechanisms, and testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has been shown to lower CRP levels in aging, hypogonadal men. While cross-sectional studies have shown an inverse relationship between CRP and total testosterone (TT) levels, mixed findings have been reported when individual components of metabolic syndrome are considered. We hypothesized that men with testosterone deficiency will have high levels of CRP. Objective We evaluated the relationship between CRP and TT levels in men from 2004-2018 using the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging and specifically attempted to determine if low androgen status is associated with a high inflammatory profile independent of comorbidities. Methods Male participants with serum TT level measured during two separate visits >3 years apart were included in our cohort. CRP, High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and Triglyceride levels were collected via blood specimens. Comorbidity data were documented at each visit. Panel regression was used to analyze the relationship of a series of independent variables collected in pooled cross-sectional observations over time with a dependent variable for modeling. Results A total of 347 patients were included in this study (mean age = 69 ± 15, average follow up time = 6.7 ± 3.2 years). Participants had a median CRP level of 1.0 mg/dL and a median TT level of 446 ng/dL. On univariable analysis TT and HDL levels were associated with a decline in CRP, while BMI, congestive heart failure (CHF), Diabetes, and Triglycerides were associated with increased CRP. Age was not associated with CRP. On multivariable analysis, we found that increasing TT level was associated with a decline in CRP levels, independent of comorbidities (p = 0.018; Table 1). BMI was associated with a significant increase in CRP (p = 0.001, Table 1). Age, CHF, Diabetes, HDL, and Triglycerides were not significant predictors of CRP on multivariable analysis. Conclusions Lower levels of serum total testosterone are associated with an increased CRP in older men. Given the importance of CRP in pathogenesis of chronic disease, we highlight the potential benefits of restoring testosterone levels in older, hypogonadal men via TRT. Disclosure No.

(293) Observed Relationship Between Testosterone Levels and Perceived Body Image

Abstract Introduction A positively perceived body image is an important part of one’s conception of oneself and one’s own identity, abilities, and worth. Past research has shown an inverse relationship between testosterone concentration and one’s sense of self, as manifested by increased depression. We hypothesized, therefore, that a subjectively negative self-image would be associated with the objective findings of hypogonadism (low testosterone). Objective To investigate the relationship between one’s own serum testosterone and a personal assessment of one’s body image and satisfaction. Methods An electronic survey was delivered through REDCap to patients at our urology clinic with a recent testosterone value documented in the observation interval 1/1/2020-12/31/2022. The survey included components of the following validated surveys: the Self-Rated Bodily Attractiveness Survey, the Male Body Image Self-Conscious Scale, and the Body Esteem Scale. Specifically, we asked each patient about their perceived bodily attractiveness as it pertains to sexual intercourse as well as specific inquiries about feelings towards specific body parts. Each answer choice corresponded to a five-point Likert-Scale, enabling respondents to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement. We then retrospectively recorded the most recent testosterone value recorded in each respondent’s electronic medical record. T-tests were utilized to compare testosterone values for men with high versus low survey scores using SPSS. Results The men who reported a positive cumulative body image score from the survey had an average testosterone of 749.15 ng/dL, whereas men who had a negative body image score from our survey had an average testosterone of 340.67 ng/dL. Importantly, these testosterone values were statistically significant from each other, as indicated by a t-value of 2.58 and a p-value of .0095. To establish clear distinctions between the positive and negative body image cohorts, we set threshold scores for each group: the positive body image cohort was defined as individuals scoring at least 34 out of 45 (≥ 75%), while the negative body image cohort comprised those with scores no higher than 30 out of 45. Interestingly, there were no respondents whose cumulative scores fell within the range of 30 to 34. The positive body image cohort had an average score of 39.92 out of 45, while the negative body image cohort had an average score of 23.00 out of 45. Conclusions Based on our findings, it appears that men with hypogonadism, as characterized by low testosterone, may be more likely to experience a negative body image. This relationship is supported by this cohort’s response to several questionnaires addressing one’s own assessment of self-worth. Men with low testosterone versus eugonadal controls scored significantly lower in surveys addressing bodily attractiveness, male body image self-consciousness, and body esteem. These results highlight the relationship between low testosterone and body image, contributing to our understanding of the psychological factors that can influence well-being in men. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the potential implications and challenges faced by individuals with hypogonadism, addressing concurrently both their hormonal deficiencies and their negative sense of self. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Larry Lipshultz: AbbVie (Consultant) American Medical Systems/Boston Scientific (Speaker) Aytu BioScience (Consultant) Contraline, Inc. (Consultant) Endo Pharmaceuticals (Consultant/Speaker) Inherent Biosciences (Advisor) Lipocine (Consultant).

Enhancing Heat Transfer: Unraveling the Dynamics of Mixed Convection in a Vertical Porous Cavity

Mixed convection inside a vertical square porous cavity is investigated numerically, with special attention given to left-side heating. In the study, the importance of the problem, methods used, main results, conclusions, and novelty of the work are discussed. The Brinkmann-Forchheimer-Darcy coupled momentum equations and the Local Thermal Equilibrium energy (LTE) equation are solved using the finite volume technique. Several elemental parameters are investigated, including Reynolds number (50 × Re × 300), Darcy number (0.01 × Da × 100), Richardson number (0 × Ri × 30), and porosity (0.5 × ε ≥ 0.95). The thermal conductivity ratio of solid to liquid was (1<Kr<105), and the inlet port width between (0.05<d/H<0.3). Results show that Nusselt number increases with Reynolds number, Richardson number, and pore thermal conductivity. With increasing porosity, an inverse relationship was observed. Nusselt number was maximized by finding the optimal inlet aperture size (d/H = 0.25). It provides valuable insights into how different parameters affect mixed convection in vertical square porous cavities. Heat transfer processes in porous media are improved by these results. This work goes beyond previous efforts in the literature in exploring a wide parameter space and determining the optimal inlet aperture size.

Relation between Adaptive Eating and Energy Intake Coping Strategies in a Refeed Model for Bodybuilders

Lean bodybuilder athletes may encounter challenges in adapting their eating habits during ad libitum refeed, either intuitively or consciously. Aims: This paper investigates whether there is a relationship between adaptive eating and energy intake coping strategies in a refeed model for bodybuilders. Methods: Fourteen male bodybuilders (29.6 ± 3.1 years; 85.6 ± 6.8 kg, ≥6 competitions) completed a 4-week regimen consisting of 5 days of energy restriction followed by 2 days of refeed. Dietary assessment, body composition (ultrasound), recovery stress questionnaire (REST-Q) and Brunel mood scale (BRUMS) were utilized pre- and post-regimen. Coping function questionnaire (CFQ), mindful eating scale version 2 (MES 2) and the intuitive eating scale-2 (IES-2) were evaluated at the 4th week. Results: Compared to the initial values, the refeed day resulted in a daily caloric increase of 44% compared to the average energy intake on the energy restriction days, culminating in a weekly calorie deficit of 27% and a drop in body mass of 3.1 ± 1.4%. Most participants showed reduced body fat and preserved or gained lean mass. The energy consumption during the refeed maintained an inverse relationship with the perception of satiety (r = −0.9; p < 0.01), the IES 2 total scores (r = −0.82; p < 0.01), as well as the confidence in hunger and satiety cues (r = −0.62; p = 0.02) and congruence in food–body choice dimensions (r = −0.56; p = 0.04). Emotional coping maintained an inverse relationship with the IES 2 total scores (r = 0.54; p < 0.05) and an inverse relationship with energy intake during refeed (r = −0.42; p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that a heightened perception of internal hunger and satiety signals and higher scores in intuitive eating may contribute to adequate energy intake, even when high scores of emotional coping are present.

Internet Addiction and Life Satisfaction among Indian College Students

People who suffer from internet addiction show a variety of behavioral characteristics, such as nervousness, trepidation, worry and concern which have a detrimental impact on their personality features and self-esteem. In addition, studies have shown social anxiety to have an inverse relationship with self-esteem. The aim of this study is to understand the relation and impact of Internet Addiction and Life Satisfaction in college students with respect to their education field, the qualitative study was conducted in 2022 among the people of age group ranging from 18-26 years. who are college students. Both male and female have participated in this research. Two questionnaires were combined and provided to the participants to fill. The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) by Kimberly Young. Second one – Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) . Females are more addicted to the internet as compared to males. There is a negative correlation between the internet addiction and life satisfaction. Based on the results, it is found that females are more addicted to the internet as compared to males. There is a negative correlation between the internet addiction.

Harnessing Conformational Disorder of Organic Cations for Efficient Blue Quasi‐2D Perovskite LEDs

AbstractDespite quasi‐2D perovskite offering great control over the optoelectronic properties, disordered organic cations are often perceived as detrimental to device performance, primarily affecting charge carrier mobility. However, it is proposed that such disordered organic cations‐enabled excellent excitonic properties can be beneficial for fabricating high‐efficiency perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) facilitated by reduced dielectric screening effect. Here, by incorporating acetamidinium bromide additives, the conformational disorder of organic cation is precisely manipulated and meticulously probed using sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy. Finally, a distinctive inverse relationship is elucidated between the degree of conformational order, characterized as relative structure ordering , and key performance metrics such as photoluminescence quantum yield and external quantum efficiency (EQE). By optimizing the configurational disorder, sky‐blue (485 nm) PeLEDs achieve a noteworthy EQE of 14.42% and exhibit significantly prolonged operational stability in open‐air conditions. This finding underscores the potential advantages of disordered organic cations in enhancing exciton properties and radiative recombination efficiency.

Flow cytometric assessments of metabolic activity in bacterial assemblages provide insight into ecosystem condition along the Buffalo National River, Arkansas

The Buffalo National River (BNR), on karst terrain in Arkansas, is considered an extraordinary water resource. Water collected in Spring 2017 along BNR was metagenomically analyzed using 16S rDNA, and for 17 months (5/2017–11/2018), bacterial responses were measured in relation to nutrients sampled along a stretch of BNR near a concentrated animal feed operation (CAFO) on Big Creek. Because cell count and esterase activity can increase proportionally with organic enrichment, they were hypothesized to be elevated near the CAFO. Counts (colony forming units; CFUs) were different among sites for 73 % of the months; Big Creek generated highest CFUs 27 % of the time, with the closest downstream site at 13.3 %. Esterase activity was different among sites 94 % of the time, with Big Creek exhibiting lowest activity 71 % of the time. Over the months, activity was similar across sites at ~70 % active, except at Big Creek (56 %). The α-diversity of BNR microbial consortia near a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and the CAFO was related to distance from the WWTP and CAFO. The inverse relationship between high CFUs and low esterase activity at Big Creek (r = −0.71) actuated in vitro exposures of bacteria to organic wastewater contaminants (OWC) previously identified in the watershed. Exponential-phase Escherichia coli (stock strain), Streptococcus suis (avirulent, from swine), and S. dysgalactiae (virulent, from silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) were incubated with atrazine, pharmaceuticals (17 α-ethynylestradiol and trenbolone), and antimicrobials (tylosin and butylparaben). Bacteria were differentially responsive. Activity varied with exposure time and OWC type, but not concentration; atrazine decreased it most. Taken together - the metagenomic taxonomic similarities along BNR, slightly higher bacterial growth and lower bacterial esterase at the CAFO, and the lab exposures of bacterial strains showing that OWC altered metabolism - the results indicated that bioactive OWC entering the watershed can strongly influence microbial processes in the aquatic ecosystem.

Ice Nucleation Under Climatically Changing Biotic and Abiotic Conditions in Himalayas: A Case Study of Naran, Mansehra District, Pakistan

Water has grave significance in human life and ice nucleation and rain are the two biggest sources of fresh water. In climate changing variables like temperature and other abiotic factors parallel to biotics factors paly vital role in natural process including ice nucleation. In order to have deep insight of ice nucleation process a data of abiotic factors like temperature, pH, wind direction was not only assessed but synchronized with biotics factors by taking example of two commonly spread species (chir and Diar common names) in the study area. In the study, it is revealed that temperature variation impacts ice nucleation process by lowering temperature from -1°C to -10°C. Analyzing temperature data between 2002 to 2022 reveals cycles impacting environmental phenomenon and other climate dynamics. Experimental data shoes inverse relationship with number of frozen drops and temperature. It is observed that bacterial presence in the atmosphere increases probability of ice nucleation. GIS reports indicate snow direct relation with vegetation signifying presence of biotic factors for ice nucleation.

Calculating the Hydraulic Characteristics of Bai Hassan Aquifer in Erbil City/Northern Iraq

Iraq lacks surface water resources, so groundwater extraction is prioritized to meet the demands of the industrial, agricultural, and domestic sectors. The chosen location is the Bai Hassan Formation’s major aquifer for the city of Erbil. The hydrogeological system in the study area within the central basin of the Erbil Plain, is considered the largest part of the basin and water reservoir, which is a confined aquifer. The study aims to describe the hydraulic characteristics of the limited characteristics of the aquifer in Erbil, northern Iraq. The wells that were studied are 300 m deep and penetrate the Bai Hassan Formation and Quaternary sediments. The general direction of the flow of Groundwater in the region is generally toward the western regions. Using methods of Jacob straight line and theis recovery methods, the results of the pumping test conducted in 5 wells without observation wells indicated a transmissivity values range between 80.295-299.6 m2 / day and hydraulic conductivity values range between 0.65-3.565 m/day and this reflects the wide horizontal and vertical variation in the layers of the reservoirs. The measured specific capacity for these wells ranges from 40.4 to 79.6 m2/day, and there is an inverse relationship between the specific capacity and well drawdown.

The Value of Plasma Atherogenic Index in Prognosis of Sudden Hearing Loss.

The impact of lipid parameters on hearing loss has been extensively studied in the literature. However, there is currently no study investigating the prognostic factor of plasma atherogenic index in patients with sudden hearing loss. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of plasma atherogenic index in patients with sudden hearing loss. Plasma atherogenic index is calculated using the logarithmic ratio of triglycerides [mg/dL] to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ([mg/dL]) based on lipid parameters. The patients were divided into tertiles according to their plasma atherogenic index values and the role of plasma atherogenic index on prognosis was investigated among the tertiles. The difference between baseline and control audiometer values for each patient was calculated, and a linear regression analysis was used to determine its statistical significance. A total of 84 sudden hearing loss patients (57 male: 68%; 27 female: 32%) were included in the study. The mean age of the study participants was 45.3 ± 14.0. There was an inverse relationship between plasma atherogenic index and difference of audiometer values. Linear regression analyses revealed odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals of 0.405 (0.123-1.331) with P=.135 for 500 Hz, 0.371 (0.071-0.990) with P=.048 for 1000 Hz, 0.319 (0.119-0.851) with P=.024 for 2000 Hz and 0.406 (0.161-0.992) with P=.049 for 4000 Hz. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that plasma atherogenic index can serve as an indicator of a poor prognosis in the treatment of sudden hearing loss.

Abstract WP303: Hypertension Disrupts the Relationship Between Pial Collateral Flow and Tissue Oxygenation During Ischemic Stroke

Introduction: Chronic hypertension decreases collateral blood flow through leptomeningeal anastomoses (LMAs) during ischemic stroke, which has been linked to worsened stroke outcome. Given the important relationship between LMA flow, tissue oxygenation and cortical cerebral blood flow (CBF), we characterized the interplay between CBF and tissue oxygenation during the sub-acute progression of ischemia in normotensive Wistar (n=6) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR, n=5). Methods: Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion was used to induce ischemia for 2 hours. Relative change in LMA flow, normalized to initial drop after occlusion, was measured via surface laser Doppler; tissue oxygenation and change in parenchymal CBF were measured using a combined laser Doppler-oxygen sensor placed in the expected cortical peri-infarct region. Recording was done at 400Hz, and data analyzed in 20 second blocks over the first hour of ischemia. Data reported as mean ± SEM, statistical comparisons done via Mann-Whitney tests. Results: CBF through LMAs was significantly higher in Wistars compared to SHR at 60 min of occlusion (156±18% vs 80±4% p<0.05). Pial LMA flow strongly correlated with tissue CBF (Wistar: r=0.91, SHR: r=0.75), which was also greater in Wistars at 60 min compared to SHR (80±14% vs.19±3%, p<0.05). Tissue oxygenation initially dropped below 10mmHg in all animals, increasing in Wistars over the course of ischemia to 22.8±0.34 mmHg at 60 min. However, oxygenation did not recover in SHR (5.9±0.23 mmHg). The relationship between CBF and oxygenation was strongly correlated in Wistar rats with both LMA (r=0.88) and tissue CBF (r=0.88). However, in SHR, oxygenation had an inverse relationship with CBF (LMA: r= - 0.56, tissue CBF r= - 0.37). Conclusion: Under normotensive conditions the relationship between CBF and oxygenation had a strong, linear relationship. However, this relationship was disrupted by chronic hypertension, with LMA and tissue CBF increasing without an increase in tissue oxygenation. This uncoupling was potentially due to cerebrovascular dysfunction and metabolic dysregulation due to chronic hypertension. These findings could be an important consideration for the development of stroke therapeutics in hypertensive patients.

Remote sensing in the analysis between forest cover and COVID-19 cases in Colombia

This article explores the relationship between forest cover and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Colombia using remote sensing techniques and data analysis. The study focuses on the CORINE land cover methodology's five main land cover categories: artificial territory, agricultural territories, forests and semi-natural areas, humid areas, and water surfaces. The research methodology involves several phases of the unified method of analytical solutions for data mining (ASUM-DM). Data on COVID-19 cases and forest cover are collected from the Colombian National Institute of Health and Advanced Land Observation Satellite (ALOS PALSAR), respectively. Land cover data is processed using QGIS software. The results indicate an inverse relationship between forest cover and COVID-19 cases, as evidenced by Pearson's index ρ of -0.439 (p-value <0.012). In addition, a negative correlation is observed between case density and forests and semi-natural areas, one of the land cover categories. The findings of this study suggest that higher forest cover is associated with lower numbers of COVID-19 cases in Colombia. The results could potentially inform government organizations and policymakers in implementing strategies and policies for forest conservation and the inclusion of green areas in densely populated urban areas.

Association between anemia severity and migraine in iron deficiency anemia.

Migraine is an episodic public health problem that usually occurs with a severe headache. Various mechanisms and outcomes have been reported between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and migraine. We aimed to investigate the effect of the presence and severity of anemia and iron parameters on the frequency and severity of migraine attacks. The study included 104 patients with IDA and newly diagnosed migraine in the neurology outpatient clinic and 38 age and gender-matched controls with normal hemoglobin levels. Patients were divided into 3 subgroups (mild, moderate, and severe anemia) to determine a significant relationship between the severity of IDA and migraine attacks. All patients were asked validated questions with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6), and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) face-to-face. In this study, 85.6% of the participants were female, and 22 (14.6%) of them were male. Thirty-two mild anemia patients' mean age was 36.6 ± 12.5, 41 with moderate anemia was 46 ± 14.2, and 31 with severe anemia patients' mean age was 48 ± 14.1. There was no significant difference between the subgroups in VAS, HIT-6 score, headache type, and headache frequency. Menstrual migraine is associated with low hemoglobin levels. A significant increase was found in VAS and HIT-6 scores with low ferritin levels. The presence and severity of anemia and iron deficiency do not affect the frequency and severity of migraine attacks in groups other than menstruation-related migraine. An inverse relationship was found between VAS, HIT-6, and ferritin levels. VAS was found to be more effective than HIT-6.

Audiological and Vestibular Measurements in Chronic Renal Failure Patients Receiving Hemodialysis Treatment.

The aim was to evaluate the changes in the audiovestibular system in adult patients with the diagnosis of chronic renal failure who were treated with hemodialysis. Thirty-five patients diagnosed with chronic renal failure and receiving hemodialysis treatment 3 days a week and 35 healthy individuals were tested with pure tone audiometry, video head impulse test, and post-head shake nystagmus test. Dizziness Handicap Inventory was applied to all participants. The Dizziness Handicap Inventory scores of the patient groups are higher than the control groups (P=.001). In the video head impulse test, there is no statistically significant difference between the patient and control groups in terms of gain asymmetry. 17.1% of the patients had both left and right lateral saccades (P=.03). A statistically significant difference was also found after the post-head shake test (P=.025). In the patient group, an inverse relationship between the presence of left anterior right posterior saccades and blood urea nitrogen-creatinine ratio and a direct relationship between the presence of right anterior left posterior saccades and creatinine elevation were determined. The presence of saccades in the video head impulse test increased significantly as the disease duration of hemodialysis patients increased. It was determined that the overt and covert saccades in the video head impulse test increased significantly as the creatinine increased and the duration of the disease increased in the patients with chronic renal failure. The common clinical usage of video head impulse test in monitoring the vestibular side effects of creatinine elevation and disease duration in chronic renal failure patients may be possible with future studies.

Overriding Plate Thickness as a Controlling Factor for Trench Retreat Rates in Narrow Subduction Zones

AbstractSlab width is a significant factor in controlling subduction zone dynamics, particularly the retreat velocities, which tend to decrease with wider slabs. However, observations of natural narrow subduction zones reveal no correlation between slab width and trench velocities. This suggests that other factors may exert a greater influence. In this study, we employ 3D numerical subduction models to systematically assess the impact of slab width, strength of slab coupling to the lateral plate (LP), and overriding plate (OP) thickness on trench kinematics and geometry. Our models focus on narrow slabs (400–1,200 km), and the results demonstrate that, in the case of narrow subduction zones, the slab width has little effect on trench migration rates and the viscous coupling at the lateral slab edge is only important for very narrow subduction zones (≤800 km). Conversely, the OP thickness emerges as a crucial factor, with increasing plate thickness leading to a strong decrease in trench velocities. These findings provide an explanation for the observed trench velocities in natural narrow subduction zones, where an inverse relationship with OP thickness is evident. Furthermore, our study reveals that not only slab width, but also the OP thickness and the slab coupling to the LP, significantly influence trench geometry. Strong lateral coupling promotes the formation of concave trench geometries, while thick overriding plates favor the development of “w”‐shaped geometries. Overall, a comprehensive understanding of subduction processes necessitates considering the interplay between slab width, OP thickness, and slab coupling to the LP.

Study on inhomogeneous hydrogen–air mixture flame acceleration and deflagration-to-detonation transition

This paper discusses the effect of obstacle spacing on flame acceleration (FA) and deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) in inhomogeneous hydrogen–air mixture using the OpenFOAM open-source code and large eddy simulation technology based on the unsteady compressible reacting flow Navier–Stokes equation and the detailed chemical reaction mechanism of 9 species and 21 steps. The results show that the obstacle spacing has a more significant impact on the rapid deflagration state, manifested as an inverse relationship between the flame propagation speed and the obstacle spacing due to the negative correlation between the interference intensity of obstacles to the flow within a unit channel length and the obstacle spacing. In addition, under all conditions considered in this paper, the main mechanisms of FA and DDT are the same. Further analysis reveals that the detonation initiation dynamics portrayed in this study seem more aligned with the mechanisms proposed by Liberman and akin to the shock wave amplification mechanism of coherent energy release models. As the obstacle spacing increases, the run-up distance and the acceleration time of supersonic flames and DDT also increase. This paper also observes that the flame structure during explosion flame propagation has typical self-similarity, and the turbulence level in the obstacle area is higher, resulting in a larger fractal dimension. During flame acceleration, there is a mode transition from the “thin reaction zone” to the “broken reaction zone.”

3D tomosynthesis evaluation of breast parenchymal density and its association with malignant lesions and menopausal status

BackgroundBreast cancer that has a high mortality rate is now known to decrease due to early detection with the advent of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT or 3D tomosynthesis) screening, especially in those with dense breasts. The risk of breast cancer related to 'changes' in breast density over time remains controversial as breast density and age have an inverse relationship. Breast density as an independent risk factor for breast cancer is known, but its association with menopausal status, if any, has not been studied thoroughly. MethodAll patients referred for 3D mammography with breast lesions from June 2022 to January 2023 were considered. Patients were categorized as pre-, peri, and post-menopausal, and each category was further sub-classified based on the breast density as either dense or non-dense and the lesion type, whether benign or malignant. The Statistical analysis was performed using a chi-square test to evaluate whether any association exists between malignancy and menopausal status. ResultA total of 60 patients, with 20 in each category of menopausal stage, were imaged and evaluated. 35% of women had non-dense breasts, while 65% had dense breast parenchyma. Breast density and lesion type were associated significantly (p-value = 0.05) where, out of the 23 benign lesions, 48% occurred in dense women, and 52% in non-dense women respectively. In our study, both benign (N = 7) and malignant (N = 13) lesions occurred in equal numbers in the pre-and peri‑ menopausal women, whereas the number of benign and malignant lesions in the post-menopausal women were 9 (45%) and 11 (55%), respectively. Even though no statistically significant association was found between menopausal status and malignancy in our study, out of the 37 malignant lesions, a majority (76%) of lesions occurred in those having dense breasts (N = 28). ConclusionEarlier, the notion was that older women had a higher risk of breast cancer compared to younger, but this study has shown that malignancy and menopausal status have a p-value of 0.754, which is not statistically significant. However, both malignant and benign lesions were found more in women having high breast density, in keeping with previous literature. Hence, precaution and care should be taken during pre-, peri, and post-menopausal phases, especially in those patients with high breast density. Apart from breast density, many other risk factors for breast cancer exist, therefore breast density alone is not sufficient to govern the need for screening in women.

The type 2 inflammatory response favors recognition of tumor antigens by IgE in breast cancer.

Several studies describe an inverse statistical relationship between the presence of an allergy and development of cancer. However, the immunological mechanism involved in the relationship between these two degenerative diseases has not been explored. The main objective of this study was to explore the possibility that the lymphocyte T helper (Th) 2 response, a characteristic of allergy, induces recognition of tumor antigens. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of breast ductal carcinoma were included. Histopathological markers related to proliferation of tumor cells were determined (Her-2-neu, Ki-67, estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor). IHC was performed using IgE antibodies purified from an allergy patient and from each biopsy donor patient. Serum concentrations of cytokines representative of Th1 and Th2 inflammatory responses were determined. A total of 14 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of breast ductal carcinoma were included. IHC performed on biopsies showed a weak response when using purified IgE antibodies from an allergy patient; however, IHC using the IgE of each patient as the primary antibody showed an intense and highly specific signal. Serum concentrations of cytokines of the Th2 response, that is, IL-4 (130.5 pg/mL (116-135 pg/mL)), IL-5 (202 pg/mL (191-213 pg/mL)), and IL-13 (105.5 pg/mL (98-117 pg/mL)), were significantly higher than those of the Th1 response, that is, IL-6 (86 pg/mL (79-90 pg/mL)) and INF-γ (93 pg/mL (79-99 pg/mL)). Purified IgE antibodies specifically recognize tumor cells in breast ductal carcinoma.

The relationship between test anxiety and pre-service teachers’ performance in quantitative research methods

The mere mention of mathematics and its related courses such as quantitative research methods drive down shivers and create anxiety among most students. However, this phenomenon has not will been addressed among preservice teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between preservice teachers test anxiety and performance in quantitative research methods in education. And to achieve this purpose, a random sample of 313 preservice teachers from a teacher education University in Ghana were administered the test anxiety inventory (TAI) and the data analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed a significant inverse relationship between test anxiety and preservice teachers’ performance. Similarly, factors such as the examiner, the exam format, previous failures, examination time, presence of invigilator, and lack of adequate preparations were identified as determinants of test anxiety. In terms of coping strategies, it was revealed that respondents adopted cognitive, and educational strategies to mitigate the effect of test anxiety.

The Bitcoin price and Bitcoin price uncertainty: Evidence of Bitcoin price volatility

AbstractThis study examines the Bitcoin price by taking into account global factors, including the Chicago Board Options Exchange's Market Volatility Index (VIX), the US dollar index, the gold price, the oil price, and Bitcoin price volatility. The analysis is conducted using the structural vector autoregression (SVAR) model. The variance decomposition findings revealed that the influence of the VIX on the Bitcoin price was initially restricted, but progressively intensified over time. Among the indicators, Bitcoin price volatility had the highest explanatory share in both daily and weekly data analysis. The impulse response functions demonstrated a statistically significant inverse relationship between the VIX and the Bitcoin price. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that the Bitcoin price was mostly impacted by its own volatility. This implies that investing in Bitcoin requires a certain level of risk‐taking.