Inversely Related Research Articles

Potential role of Vitamin D in immune response in patients with viral hepatitis

To study the relationship of Vitamin D with innate and adaptive immune response parameters in chronic hepatitis B and C patients. The laboratory data between January 1, 2013 and February 1, 2023, for patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) were extracted. Serum 25-hydroxyl vitamin D, hepatitis B virus serological markers, complements, and subsets of T lymphocytes were determined. Study cohorts were divided into groups based on serum 25-hydroxyl vitamin D levels with further evaluation of laboratory data. In CHB and CHC patients the percentage of CD4+ T lymphocytes and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio significantly decreased (P < 0.05), but the percentage of CD8+ increased (P < 0.05) compared to the control group. In CHB patients Vitamin D decrease was significant (P < 0.001) but not in CHC patients. Vitamin D showed a moderate negative influence on the CD8 cell count in CHB patients. The positive ratio of HBV DNA and HBsAg decreased with increasing serum vitamin D levels. The vitamin D deficient group showed significantly lower antibody production compared to the normal group, and exhibited significantly decreased CD4 numbers and increased CD8 numbers (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively), while the CD4/CD8 ratio was also significantly decreased in the insufficiency group (P < 0.001). Complement C3 levels were not associated with CD4 and CD8, but had an inverse relation with Vitamin D. Vitamin D levels were significantly associated with complement C3, CD8+, CD4+, CD19+ cells, and HBV DNA levels. Vitamin D may be a modulator of immune function not only via CD8+ and CD4+ cells but also via CD19+ cells in the course of chronic HBV infection. The negative relationship between vitamin D and complement C3 needs elucidation. Moreover, the increased proportion of B cells and decreased CD4+ cells in Vitamin D deficiency disrupt the immune response against HBV since the expected antibody response was not obtained despite the increase in B cell ratio. This indicates an influence of CD4+ cells for B cell functionality. In summary, sufficient levels of Vitamin D may lead to a sustained virological response that is debatable by artificially correcting the deficiency.

An Assessment of the Weather and Technological Change on Agriculture Revenue of Maize Crop in Karnataka

Presently the agriculture economy influenced by the weather and technological implication. In state maize has occupied top fourth place (10.79%) in total area of cultivation, is highly sowing in rainfed area (65.94%). Study estimates the revenues over a period form 2002-2018 and estimated moving average of revenue to the capital-intensive technology and labor- intensive technology based on the market arrivals data. The implication of capital-intensive technology in agriculture production brings higher output than labor intensive technology even a change in weather, but not more than 2010. The study found that changes in production to the weather and technology has direct relation, but weather negatively impacts on maize crop. Due to the weather extreme events, the prices have positive relation with drought and inverse relation to quantity arrival and rainfall helps to maintain economic stability by the consumer and producer surplus with higher income. To fulfill the loss of agriculture output and to reduce the risks from weather extreme events Maize was converting commercially as a food crop, it greatly caused to increase the amount of cultivation and revenue to the farmers across the State.

Thermodynamic Properties of GaAs Solid Materials Extended to Surface Adsorption under External Magnetic Fields, Pressure, and Temperature

This research work instrumentalizes comprehensively the impacts of independent parameters like surface pressure, external magnetic field, and temperature on statistical thermodynamic quantities free energy, magnetization, occupied surface fraction, and equilibrium length. We approached it differently from a theoretical investigation conducted dealt with the behavioral dependence of surface parameters. Our mechanism was to investigate the interrelation between two dependent variables under exposure to two or more different independent parameters. Thus it seems complicated but it is used to probe surface information from the system at the same pace. We investigated the thermal excitation effect that leads to the detachment of the electron gas in contact with each occupied surface site, which reduces the adsorption of the surface in contrary external magnetic fields and pressure enhances the occupied surface probability of electrons to contact surface sites. Our findings reveal that the solid GaAs surface tends to capture electrons under the influences of external magnetic fields and pressure thus binding electrons and putting additional confining potential meanwhile the surface properties are affected. On the other hand surface, free energy has an inverse relation with magnetization, occupied surface fraction, in the case of equilibrium length it depended on the strong external magnetic fields.

Numerical investigation into turbulent drag reduction via the application of pufferfish spine-inspired cone microstructures in Suboff models

The effective reduction of seawater drag is pivotal in enhancing the speed and minimizing the energy consumption of submarines, which has significant implications in the fields of energy and defense. Surface bionics has emerged as one of the leading techniques for drag reduction. Current research primarily focuses on replicating the groove-like structures observed on shark skins and the flexible properties of dolphin skins. However, the application of cone microstructures on submarine surfaces remains relatively underexplored. In this study, a novel arrangement of bionic drag-reducing microstructures is employed to modify the turbulence structure surrounding the submarine by incorporating bionic cone microstructures at both the front and rear ends of the submarine. Numerical simulations were performed using the SST k-ω turbulence model to evaluate the impact of these frontal microstructures on drag reduction under varying Reynolds numbers, spacings, and positions, as well as the tail microstructures’ effect at different Reynolds numbers, heights, and circumferential separation angles. The findings reveal that positioning microstructures at the submarine’s head increases the drag reduction rate proportionally with the distance from the apex, displaying an inverse relationship between spacing and drag reduction rate. Conversely, an increase in cone separation angle at the tail leads to a decrease in the overall drag reduction rate. At the same time, an inverse proportionality is observed between cone height and drag reduction rate. This suggests that cone microstructures play a dual role: mitigating friction drag greatly and augmenting pressure drag, thereby achieving overall drag reduction. Moreover, these cone microstructures disrupt eddy currents within the boundary layer surrounding the submarine, restraining the propagation of turbulent momentum transfer in both the head and tail regions. This research not only pioneers a novel drag reduction strategy for underwater vehicles but also sparks new avenues for their optimized surface design.

Crude oil price, manufacturing index, and consumer price index: Is there any temporal link in India?

In this paper, the autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) model is used to examine the impact of global crude oil price on manufacturing output in India and the behaviour of consumer price index. Error correction model, co-integration and multivariate GARCH model models are used for the analysis. ARDL analysis shows a significant relation between consumer price index (CPI) and manufacturing index (MI). Also, a significant inverse relation is established between crude oil price with MI and a positive relation between MI and CPI. Despite an inconsistent short run relation between petrol price with CPI, rising fuel price shows dampening impact on manufacturing output in the long run.

Processing and cytocompatibility of Cu-doped and undoped fluoride-containing bioactive glasses

Sintered or additive-manufactured bioactive glass (BG) scaffolds are highly interesting for bone replacement applications. However, crystallization often limits the high-temperature processability of bioactive glasses (BGs). Thus, the BG composition must combine high bioactivity and processability. In this study, three BGs with nominal molar (%) compositions 54.6SiO2-1.7P2O3-22.1CaO-6.0Na2O-7.9K2O-7.7MgO (13–93), 44.8SiO2-2.5P2O3-36.5CaO-6.6Na2O-6.6K2O-3.0CaF2 (F3) and 44.8SiO2-2.5P2O3-35.5CaO-6.6Na2O-6.6K2O-3.0CaF2-1.0CuO (F3–Cu) were investigated. The dissolution and ion release kinetics were investigated on milled glass powder and crystallized particles (500–600 μm). All glasses showed the precipitation of hydroxyapatite (HAp) crystals after 7 days of immersion in simulated body fluid. No significant differences in ion release from glass and crystalline samples were detected. The influence of surface roughness on cytocompatibility and growth of pre-osteoblast cells (MC3T3-E1) was investigated on sintered and polished BG pellets. Results showed that sintered BG pellets were cytocompatible, and cells were seen to be well attached and spread on the surface after 5 days of incubation. The results showed an inverse relation of cell viability with the surface roughness of pellets, and cells were seen to attach and spread along the direction of scratches.

Relative Yield of Thermal and Nonthermal Emission during Weak Flares Observed by STIX during 2021 September 20–25

The disparate nature of the thermal–nonthermal energy partition during flares, particularly during weak flares, is still an open issue. Following the Neupert effect, quantifying the relative yield of X-ray emission in different energy bands can enable the inferring of the underlying energy release mechanism. During 2021 September 20–25, the Solar Orbiter mission—being closer to the Sun (∼0.6 au) and having a moderate separation angle (<40°) from the Sun–Earth line—offered a unique opportunity to analyze multiwavelength emission from ∼200 (mostly weak) flares, commonly observed by the Spectrometer Telescope for Imaging X-rays (STIX), STEREO-A, GOES, and the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Associating the quotient (q f ) of hard X-ray fluence (12–20 keV) and soft X-ray flux (4–10 keV) with the peak soft X-ray flux enabled us to identify strongly nonthermal flares. A multiwavelength investigation of spectral and imaging-mode observations of the 20 strongly nonthermal weak flares reveals an inverse relationship of q f with the emission measure (and density), and a positive relationship with the flare plasma temperature. This indicates that the plasma in tenuous loops attains higher temperatures compared to that in the denser loops, in response to nonthermal energy deposition. This is in agreement with the plasma parameters of the coronal loops, as derived by applying the one-dimensional Palermo–Harvard hydrodynamical code to coronal loop plasma with different initial coronal loop base pressures when subjected to similar heating inputs. Our investigation, therefore, indicates that the plasma parameters of the flaring loop in the initial phase have a decisive role in the thermal–nonthermal energy partitioning.

Abstract 5539: PRDM16 is an intrinsic regulator of dormancy in bone disseminated prostate cancer cells

Abstract Metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) frequently occurs in the bone and can remain inactive for extended periods after primary tumor treatment. Understanding the intricate molecular mechanisms that govern this phenomenon could open the door to novel therapies, potentially reducing mortality rates. To address this, we developed a novel protocol to induce cellular dormancy in PCa cell lines (RM1, 22Rv1, LAPC4) in vitro. We noted that dormant cells exhibited distinctive clustering and could be reactivated when exposed to serum even after 21 days of stasis. The dormancy program was validated by multiple assays including cell cycle analysis, membrane dye retention, and Edu+ incorporation. RNASeq analysis showed significant transcriptional changes during dormancy induction, with 8 genes commonly upregulated across multiple human and mouse PCa cell lines, of which the transcription factor, PRDM16. We focused on PRDM16 since, 1) it is a known regulator of hematopoietic stem cell quiescence, 2) our emerging data points to bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP7), a well-known exogenous mediator of dormancy as an inducer of PRDM16 expression and 3) clinically, PRDM16 is suppressed in primary PCa and active metastases. First, we validated the upregulation of PRDM16 during dormancy in vitro. Silencing PRDM16 led to impaired dormancy phenotype and cell death, while its overexpression significantly mitigated proliferation rates and promoted survival. In vivo, we employed an intra-iliac immunocompetent model (RM1 &amp; C57BL6J) and demonstrated that overexpressing PRDM16 in active RM1 cells resulted in significant reduction of metastasis formation and Ki67 expression concurrent with extended survival when injected in vivo compared to control cells. Prostate cancer cells with PRDM16 over-expression were detected in bone sections as solitary or small clusters (&amp;lt;20 cells) demonstrating an inverse relationship between PRDM16 expression and metastatic outbreak. In defining the targets via which PRDM16 controls dormancy entry, we focused on RAR related orphan receptor C (RORC) based on bioinformatic analysis and publicly available PRDM16 ChIP-Seq. Our data demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition of RORC using GSK805 promoted the apoptosis of dormant PCa cells specifically when compared to their actively growing counterparts. In conclusion, our studies have revealed the critical role of PRDM16 in promoting PCa cell dormancy, in part via upregulating RORC. Translationally, clinically approved RORC inhibitors for non-cancerous conditions (psoriasis) have been developed. We expect, based on our results, that these inhibitors could be repurposed for the eradication of dormant PCa cells in patients with advanced disease. Citation Format: Mostafa M. Nasr, Tao Li, Ryan T. Bishop, Jeremy S. Frieling, Conor C. Lynch. PRDM16 is an intrinsic regulator of dormancy in bone disseminated prostate cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 5539.

The impact of adverse childhood events on service support and educational outcomes of children who are autistic: A theory-guided analysis using structural equation modeling.

Autistic children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may have barriers to receiving special education or other developmental services-thus, impacting educational outcomes. Our objective was to model such a pathway using the 2016-2021 National Survey of Children's Health datasets. We extracted data for school outcomes, use of special education and autism-related specialty services and sociodemographic characteristics among autistic children within the data. Associations between sociodemographics and ACEs (categorized as 0, 1-3, and 4+) were tested using design-based X2 tests. We then used structural equation modeling to map the quasi-causal pathways. The sample for our analysis included 4717 autistic children-38.94% were aged 6-10 years, 35.73% of children aged 11-14 years, and 25.32% were between 15 and 17 years-with 88.70% living in metropolitan areas. The X2 showed significant relationships between ACEs and age, ethnoracial groups, and urbanicity among others. The SEM showed ACEs were directly associated with poorer school outcomes (β = -0.14 (0.04), p = 0.002) and through their inverse relationship with support services (β = -0.08 (0.04), p = 0.023)- when support services were increased, school outcomes improved (β = 0.62, p < 0.001). Findings suggested ACEs have a significant direct and indirect impact on school outcomes of autistic children, and 10.76% of children who are autistic have experienced four or more ACEs-which were more likely to occur with severe autism symptomatology and in rural areas. Results highlight the need for communities to recognize the potential long-term impact of ACEs on the academic outcomes of autistic children.

Homozygous MTHFR C677T carriers develop idiopathic portal vein thrombosis 20 years earlier than wild type.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) rs1801133 (C→T667 transition) on age at first idiopathic portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and to identify clinical and/or laboratory variables influencing age at first PVT, including plasma homocysteine and the prothrombin rs1799963 PT (G→A transition at position 20210) (PT) mutation. A retrospective cross-sectional cohort, including 15 MTHFR TT, 32 MTHFR TC and 22 MTHFR CC idiopathic PVT participants contributing demographics, age at PVT, plasma concentrations of homocysteine and of natural anticoagulants. MTHFR TT carriers presented with a lower age at PVT than heterozygous or wild-type genotypes (31 ± 8 vs. 48 ± 15 vs. 52 ± 13 years, P = 0.001) and were more likely to have a plasma HC concentration above the cut-off (73.3 vs. 32 vs. 50%, P = 0.04). MTHFR TT and protein C predicted age at PVT ( P < 0.0001 and P = 0.06); MTHFR TT predicted plasma homocysteine ( P = 0.05). In the MTHFR TT group, plasma homocysteine inversely related to protein C ( P = 0.03). Plasma homocysteine predicted the extent of PVT ( P = 0.03). Compound MTHFR TT + PT GA did not lower age at first PVT compared to MTHFR TT alone (35 ± 9 vs. 30 ± 8 years). MTHFR TT is associated with a 20-year earlier PVT presentation than heterozygous and wild-type MTHFR genotypes. The inverse relation between plasma homocysteine and protein C contributes to the prematurity of PVT in the MTHFR TT group, whereas plasma homocysteine contributes to the extent of PVT. The recent exclusion of MTHFR genotyping from the thrombophilia screen needs revisiting in this setting.

MICROBIAL AIR POLLUTION IN POLTAVA

Regular monitoring of air quality indicators, including microbial composition, is crucial for public health and should be a cornerstone of national healthcare policy. However, existing scientific literature lacks comprehensive data on microbial air pollution in Ukraine, particularly in Poltava and its surrounding areas. This study aims to assess the level of microbial air pollution across various districts within Poltava city.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The Koch sedimentation method was used to assess the level of microbial air pollution in the districts of Poltava. For this purpose, atmospheric air sampling was taken in park zones of various districts in the city of Poltava during October 2023. For comparison, air samples were taken in deciduous and coniferous forests of villages adjacent to the city. According to the results of cultivation, the total microbial count (TCM) of the air in 1 m3 of each sample was calculated separately.&#x0D; Statistical analysis of the obtained results was carried out using the standard Microsoft Excel 2019 and GraphPad Prism Software 10.1.0 software packages. (US, 2023).&#x0D; Results. The study has revealed the greatest microbial pollution of atmospheric air was found in Pavlenkivskyi Park (Kyiv District, Poltava City). The air quality index of atmospheric air in Corpusnyi Park turned out to be 4 times lower, compared to the air index of the Kyiv district. During the cultivation of atmospheric air samples taken in the Voiniv-Afghantsiv park (Shevchenkivskyi district of the city), the TCM was determined to be 8.2 times lower than that of the Pavlenkivskyi park. Interestingly, the "Peremoha" park (Shevchenkivskyi district) exhibited the lowest levels of microbial contamination. Overall, the Podilskyi district demonstrated favorable air quality indicators, surpassed only by the "Peremoha" park. However, it's important to note the presence of hemolytic streptococci in this district, which poses a potential health risk.&#x0D; Conclusion. The highest level of microbial air pollution has been found in the Kyiv district of Poltava, the lowest level is within the boundaries of the Shevchenkivskyi district on the territory of the "Peremoha" park. Microbiological air quality in Poltava's park areas exhibits an inverse relationship with proximity to the city's central roads.

The inverse relation of pre-nuclear and nuclear prominences in German

The importance of pre-nuclear prominences for focus marking has been largely neglected. Recent studies, however, present first evidence that the prosody of the pre-nuclear region indicates its status as part of a broad focus or as pre-focal. This study presents a systematic investigation of the pre-nuclear domain and its relation to the nuclear accent in German. The results show that the realization of the pre-nuclear domain indeed depends on whether it is focal or pre-focal: The pre-nuclear noun is characterized by larger F0 excursions, higher F0 maxima and larger durations when it is in broad focus than when it precedes a narrow focus. Furthermore, the realization of a pre-focal, pre-nuclear domain depends on the following focus: The pre-nuclear noun is produced with smaller F0 excursions, lower F0 maxima and shorter durations before a corrective focus than before a non-corrective narrow focus. The comparison to the nuclear accent suggests an inverse relationship, i.e., the pre-nuclear domain becomes less prominent when the nuclear domain becomes more prominent. The findings suggest that the phonetic manifestation of information structure is distributed over larger prosodic domains and entails the modulation of phrasal prominence profiles rather than just local adjustments of the nucleus.

Artemia biomass: A functional live maturation feed for Indian white shrimp, Penaeus indicus broodstock, and its culture prospective under diverse management regime

Artemia biomass production in a controlled biosecure system can be popularised in inland or coastal areas where accessibility to saltpan is limited. Against this background, four sets of experiments were executed to optimize different management regimes in Artemia biomass production, and to explore its role as a maturation diet for Indian white shrimp, Penaeus indicus. In experiment, I, Artemia biomass production was carried out in autotrophic (microalgae, TA), heterotrophic (TH), and mixotrophic (TMX) rearing systems for 18 days. Experiment II was conducted to evaluate Artemia biomass production under diverse salinity regimes (10, 15, 20, 30, 40, and 50 ppt), and in experiment III, the effect of varying stocking densities of Artemia (300, 600, 1200, and 1800 nos L−1) in production was attempted. In experiment IV, the role of adult Artemia (live, frozen, and hormone-enriched) as a maturation diet for P. indicus (36.40 ± 0.3 g) was explored, and the sex steroid profile of adult Artemia was compared with other fresh maturation feeds (polychaete, clam, and squid). At the end of Exp 1, significantly higher (P < 0.05) yields were recorded in mixotrophic (1.30 ± 0.95 kg m−3) and heterotrophic groups, (1.22 ± 0.15 kg m−3) compared with autotrophic units (0.36 ± 0.47 kg m−3). However, omega 3 fatty acids (13.92 ± 0.73%) were highest in the autotrophic system compared to TMX (11.97 ± 0.84%) and TH (8.71 ± 0.31%). In Exp II, the highest (p < 0.05) production (1.52 ± 0.13 kg m−3) was recorded at 50 ppt followed by 40 ppt (1.29 ± 0.08 kg m−3) and the lowest at 10 ppt (0.54 ± 0.01 kg m−3). The highest egg-bearing population (%) was recorded at 40 ppt (30.47 ± 3.09%) followed by 30 ppt (12.63 ± 0.82%) and 50 ppt (9.29 ± 0.80%) while none of the Artemia got matured at lower salinity treatments. The stocking density-dependent inverse relation (p < 0.01) in survival (17–67%) was registered among the treatments in Exp III with no variation (p < 0.05) in total productivity (1.26 to 1.10 kg m−3). At the end of Exp IV, 100 ± 0, 87.5 ± 7.2, and 46.6 ± 3.3% of the broodstock fed with enriched, live, and frozen Artemia had matured ovaries, respectively. A comparative analysis of sex steroids in Artemia and other fresh broodstock feeds revealed the highest (p < 0.01) 17-β-estradiol level in polychaete (998 ± 33 pg 100 mg) followed by Artemia (519 ± 28 pg 100 mg−1), clam (195 ± 29 pg 100 mg −1) and squid (61 ± 10.69 pg 100 mg−1). The study indicated mixotrophic system with 300 no L−1 density at 40 ppt can yield the optimal highest production with a better nutritional profile and higher matured population. This strongly suggests the flexibility of mixotrophic-based culture units compared with a single food source system. The presence of sex steroids in adult Artemia provides its scope as a quality fresh maturation diet and can open new vistas for its wide acceptability as SPF live maturation diet for commercial shrimp hatcheries.

Abstract P161: Association Between Kidney Function and Pre-Heart Failure: Insights From the Echocardiographic Study of Latinos (Echo-SOL)

Background: Impaired kidney function is an independent risk factor for heart failure (HF), but its association with pre-HF is not as well studied. We assessed kidney function in relation to pre-HF in a diverse Hispanic/Latino population in the US. Methods: Echocardiographic data from visit (V) 1 and 2 of Echo-SOL were analyzed (unweighted n=1643). Prevalent pre-HF was defined as any abnormal echocardiographic parameter at V1: left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction (LVSD) [ejection fraction &lt;50%, global longitudinal strain &gt;15%]; LV diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) &gt;grade 1; and LV remodeling (LVR) [LV mass index &gt;115 g/m2 in men, &gt;95 g/m2 in women, relative wall thickness &gt;0.42]. Incident pre-HF was defined at V2 among those without pre-HF at V1 (unweighted n=588). Kidney function was assessed by cystatin C (per 10 mg/L), eGFR (MDRD-traditional and CKD-EPI, per 5 mL/min/1.73 m2), and urine albumin creatinine ratio (UACR, per 10 units). Survey logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association of kidney function measures with prevalent and incident pre-HF and its domains (LVSD, LVDD, LVR), unadjusted and adjusted for age and sex and accounting for the complex survey design. Results: At V1 (mean age 56 years, 55% female), 66.7% had prevalent pre-HF; at V2, 66.3% had incident pre-HF. UACR was significantly associated with prevalent pre-HF and LVR in all models (Table 1-2). Higher cystatin C was significantly associated with incident pre-HF, LVDD, and LVR in all models; whereas eGFR (CKD-EPI) showed a marginal inverse relation with prevalent and incident pre-HF, LVDD and LVR, but only remained associated with LVR in adjusted models (Table 1-2). Conclusion: Declining kidney function (higher UACR and cystatin C) is associated with prevalent and incident pre-HF, diastolic dysfunction, and cardiac remodeling. Lower eGFR is also associated with cardiac remodeling in this population. Screening for kidney function could help us identify pre-HF and start protective therapies earlier to most effectively prevent overt HF.

Influence of Duty Cycle on the Phosphorus Content and Hardness of the Ni-P Coatings Produced by Pulse-Current Electroplating

Ni-P coatings were prepared on low carbon steel substrates using the pulse electrodeposition method. The influence of the pulse duty cycle on the phosphorus content and hardness of the Ni-P coatings was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were employed to examine the surface morphology and chemical composition of the Ni-P coating layers. The results showed that an increased pulse duty cycle (20% - 80%) led to a decreased phosphorus content from 17.81 wt.% to 13.71 wt.%. The microhardness values were found to have an inverse relationship with the phosphorus content. The highest hardness of 538.22 ± 12.92 HV0.1 was obtained from the sample produced with a duty cycle of 80%, which had the lowest P content of 13.71 wt.%.

Prevalence and associated factors of increased risk for sleep-disordered breathing and its relationship with body mass index among medical students, intern doctors, and residents

BackgroundPoor sleep quality among medical professionals due to study demands and shift work significantly impacts health. Additionally, this group has a higher obesity prevalence compared with the general population. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of increased risk for sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and its relationship with body mass index (BMI). MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted using online self-assessment questionnaires. PSQI scores over 6.5 were categorized as an increased risk for SDB. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with an increased risk of SDB. Linear regression analysis was conducted to establish the relationship between PSQI and BMI. ResultsOverall, there were 307 participants, comprising 114 medical students, 120 intern doctors, and 73 residents. One-third of participants (36.5%, 95%CI:31.1–41.9%) had an increased risk of SDB. Residents had the highest proportion of obesity class 2 (13.9%). The risk factors of SDB included medical students (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]:3.17, 95%CI:1.09–9.24), having inadequate exercise (aOR:2.08, 95%CI:1.08–4.00) and sleeping less than 7 h a day (aOR:12.50, 95%CI:5.00–33.33), working more than 40 h per week on shift increased the odds of SDB (aOR:2.97, 95%CI:1.29–6.85). Furthermore, an inverse dose-response relationship between BMI and PSQI score was observed among female participants (β = −0.03, 95%CI: (-0.052)-(-0.005)). ConclusionTo enhance sleep quality, it is advisable to include both adequate exercise and 7–8 h of sleep. Adjusting protected sleep periods is recommended. Implementing lifestyle modification strategies would benefit physicians in training and promote a healthier environment.

Factors Affecting Nursing Work Teams: A Cross-Sectional Study in Teaching Hospitals Affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

Background: Nurses, as vital members of healthcare system, play a crucial role in improving society's health, which makes it very important to develop work teams among them. This study aims to investigate the factors affecting nursing work teams in teaching hospitals affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in 2022.&#x0D; Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2022 on a sample of 267 nurses from teaching hospitals affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences who were selected using simple random sampling and the stratified method proportional to the size. Data collection tool used in this study was a valid and reliable questionnaire comprising 2 parts: nurses' demographic characteristics and 39 items related to factors affecting work teams. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 23 software through Spearman correlation coefficient, Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal-Wallis tests, and finally, multiple linear regression (the Backward method).&#x0D; Results: The results showed that the dimensions of "team goals" (22.93 ± 5.44) and "personality traits" (8.41 ±1.79) obtained the highest and lowest mean scores, respectively. Furthermore, the results of linear regression analysis showed that the effectiveness of work teams had a significant inverse relationship with the number of shifts (p = 0.034) and a significant direct relationship with employment in the intensive care units (p = 0.032).&#x0D; Conclusion: Based on the findings, several suggestions can be made to enhance the effectiveness of nursing work teams, including hiring adequate staff to reduce the number of nurses' work shifts, particularly in the intensive care units, ncouraging other hospital wards to follow the example of the work in intensive care units, establishing a system for determining and adjusting nurses' work shifts based on their opinions and priorities, conducting monthly, quarterly, and annual assessment based on attendance and participation in nursing work teams, encouraging more active nurses in this field, and considering various rewards for effective nursing work teams.

Dynamic relationship between the XRP price and correlation tensor spectra of transaction networks

The emergence of cryptoassets has sparked a paradigm shift in the world of finance and investment, ushering in a new era of digital assets with profound implications for the future of currency and asset management. A recent study showed that during the bubble period around the year, 2018, the price of cryptoasset, XRP has a strong anti correlation with the largest singular values of the correlation tensors obtained from the weekly XRP transaction networks. In this study, we provide a detailed analysis of the method of correlation tensor spectra for XRP transaction networks. We calculate and compare the distribution of the largest singular values of the correlation tensor using the random matrix theory with the largest singular values of the empirical correlation tensor. We investigate the correlation between the XRP price and the largest singular values for a period spanning two years. We also uncover the distinct dependence between the XRP price and the singular values for bubble and non-bubble periods. The significance of the time evolution of singular values is shown by comparison with the evolution of singular values of the reshuffled correlation tensor. Furthermore, we identify a set of driver nodes in the transaction networks that drives the market during the bubble period using singular vectors.

Niveles de Vitamina D en pacientes con y sin Enfermedad Renal Crónica, perfil clínico y epidemiológico: un análisis preeliminiar en un hospital de segundo nivel en quito, Ecuador.

Vitamin D has been associated with different effects unrelated to bone-mineral metabolism, such as its association with arterial hypertension. This study determines the prevalence profile of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in Ecuadorian patients, its epidemiological profile, and its relationship with other diseases such as arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease. This is a pioneering study in Ecuador of a retrospective type, carried out at the Pablo Arturo Suarez Hospital over 6 months, in which it was found that the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency was 28.5% (levels between 21 to 30 ng/ml) and deficiency was 57% (levels less than 20 ng/ml); Likewise, we ratify the inverse relationship between vitamin D levels and age, as well as finding a certain association between vitamin D levels and the presence of arterial hypertension; while no significant differences were found in its relationship with diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease without the use of renal replacement therapy and the general population. Keywords: vitamin D, chronic kidney disease, metabolism.

Divergences among ESG rating systems: Evidence from financial indexes

&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif; color: black;"&gt;This paper specifically underscores the disparities among various ESG rating systems in China, highlighting their varied interpretations and emphasis on corporate financial factors. Analyzing data on Chinese listed firms from 2009-2022, we observe that while company size and leverage ratio uniformly correlate with ESG scores across rating agencies such as Bloomberg, Huazheng, Wind, and Hexun, the influence of factors like return on assets, cash flow, company age, and Tobin's Q is markedly inconsistent among these agencies. For instance, while operational cash flow and company age are positively associated with ESG ratings from Bloomberg, Huazheng, and Wind, they hold an inverse relationship with Hexun's ratings. This divergence underscores the unique data collection, weighting, and evaluation methodologies employed by each rating system. The study emphasizes the criticality of comprehending the nuances of each rating agency's approach when interpreting ESG scores and crafting ESG strategies. Moreover, it advocates for integrating insights from multiple rating systems to cater to the diverse expectations of stakeholders.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;