IQ Level Research Articles

Exploring the Efficacy of Scaffolded Learning in English Language Learning at the Secondary School Level

The educational landscape is evolving, with a shift towards innovative pedagogical strategies to improve student learning outcomes. This article explores the effectiveness of scaffolded learning in secondary school English language education as a means to enhance student engagement and learning experiences. By comparing scaffolded learning with traditional teaching methods, the study aims to evaluate its impact on English language skills, student motivation, attitudes towards learning, and long-term retention and application of language skills. Challenges faced by educators in implementing scaffolded learning, its influence on classroom dynamics, feedback mechanisms, inclusivity, and adaptability to diverse student needs and IQ levels will also be examined. The findings seek to contribute valuable insights to optimize English language teaching practices in secondary schools.

Asymmetric Nexus Between Shadow Economy and Financial Instability: Does Institutional Quality Matter?

Policymakers worldwide, especially central banks, are concerned about the causes and remedies of financial instability. This study examines the asymmetric influence of the shadow economy on financial instability. Moreover, the study analyzes the moderating role of institutional quality in the shadow economy and financial instability nexus. This study used novel econometric techniques, including RALS-ADF and RALS-LM unit root tests, RALS-Fourier ARDL, NARDL, and single Fourier-Toda and Yamamoto causality tests, using yearly data from 1984-2020 for Turkey. Specifically, a positive shock to IQ declines financial instability, while a negative shock to IQ promotes it. Further, the negative shock to SE lessens the financial instability. Moreover, the negative shock to the interaction term implies that the shadow economy outweighs the IQ (depending on the level of IQ) in its effect in the case of Turkey, i.e., even if IQ increases (which usually decreases financial instability), the increasing SE has a dominant effect, and eventually upsurges financial instability. Additionally, in line with the institutional failure hypothesis, the negative shock to interaction term leads to a substantial increase in financial instability. Finally, the findings showed a one-way causality that runs from economic growth to financial instability and bidirectional causality between SE and GDP. The government should reduce shadow economic activities in the economy by enhancing IQ, which can increase government revenue and reduce financial instability.

Assessment of Serum Levels of Specific IgE to Cow Milk and Gluten Antigens in Autistic Children

Abstract Background Regimens of dietary restrictions of cow’s milk protein and wheat showed good impact on autistic children without clear explanation. Objective To investigate the possible link between serum levels of specific IgE to cow milk and gluten allergens and the severity of autism in a group of autistic children. Methods This pilot case-control study was conducted at the Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University over a period of 6 months, from May 2022 to November 2022. Twenty four autistic children aged 4 to 12 years and twenty four age- and sex-matched healthy children were included after excluding children with any chronic, allergic or autoimmune disease. Diagnosis of autism was settled according to 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Serum levels of specific IgE for 4 cow’s milk proteins and gluten protein were assessed for the patients and healthy children using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Results Mean age of autistic patients was 6.48±2.54 years with 19 males and 5 females were studies who were age and sex matched with healthy children and served as a control group. Serum levels of specific IgE against cow’s milk protein and gluten were undetectable among the 2 groups as their level was below 0.35 ku/l. Boys had significantly higher levels of specific IgE against beta lactoglobulin compared to autistic girls in female ranging from (0.01-0.2) while in males (0.06-0.33) (p = 0.04). Specific IgE to casein was positively correlated to IQ level of the studied patients (r = 0.499, p = 0.13). Conclusion Although milk and gluten intolerance were identified in autistic children, the underlying mechanism is mostly not related to atopy. Further studies should be encouraged to identify the other possible mechanisms.

An analysis of classroom management challenges to the novice elementary school teachers in Islamabad, Pakistan

This study analysed the classroom management challenges faced by novice Elementary School Teachers (ESTs) who joined the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), Islamabad, in 2022. The physical, administrative and individual challenges of the classroom were studied. Using a quantitative approach, the research focused on 661 ESTs, consisting of 249 males and 412 females. A stratified sample of 248 teachers (95 males, 153 females) was selected, and data were collected via a self-developed questionnaire. Experts confirmed the instrument’s validity and reliability were measured with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.885. Data analysis revealed that novice teachers face several challenges, including limited classroom space, insufficient furniture, and inadequate resources for science labs. They also face challenges in maintaining discipline, disruptive behaviour, and irrelevant questions from students. Furthermore, individual differences among students due to varying IQ levels, learning interests, and socio-economic backgrounds proved challenging. Overcrowded classrooms hinder novice teachers' ability to focus and provide individual attention. The study concluded that heads of educational institutions must offer consistent guidance and support to newly appointed ESTs, especially during their first year, to improve classroom management skills.

Analysis of the need for learning media for children with a certainty

<span lang="EN-US">Scholarly communication for children with special needs is significantly different from children in general. The low potential of children with special needs means that their lives differ from those with average abilities. In the aspect of developing the concept of thinking as a whole, it cannot be mastered properly because the IQ level is below the aim of this study to provide opportunities for children with special needs in the aspect of equal rights as children of the nation to get proper education in SLB by developing their potential and interest in themselves. The research methodology uses a descriptive qualitative approach to the literature study design by analysing several references from online journals and ebooks. The study's results describe the role of learning media in increasing the understanding of children with special needs by facilitating two-way communication. Education with feedback transfer of knowledge helps children with special needs optimize growth and development through appropriate talents and interests. Learning media includes the existence of effective media to help children with special needs in optimizing the development of talents and interests and establishing communication by involving teaching aids so that children's talents can develop optimally.</span>

Physical education learning outcomes of senior high school students based on gender and intellectual intelligence review

Abstract. This study examined the disparities in Physical Education (PE) learning Outcomes among high school pupils by considering their gender and intellectual aptitude. The study involved participants from a high school in Yogyakarta, selected using the Simple Random Sampling method. The data were then analysed using descriptive statistics and a two-way factorial inferential analysis of variance (ANOVA). The study divided the results into two groups based on their intellectual intelligence: low and high. In the low intellectual category, the average learning outcome for male students was 83.60. Meanwhile, the average for female students was 84.10. In the high intellectual intelligence category, the average results for male students were 85.30, while the average achievement for female students was 83.70. The ANOVA test for the intellectual intelligence variable yielded a p-value (Sig.) of 0.303, which is greater than the significance level of 0.05. This figure suggests that there is no statistically significant difference in students’ learning outcomes based on their level of intelligence, whether low or high. Similarly, the p-value of 0.383 for the gender variable was also greater than the significance level of 0.05, indicating no statistically significant variations in learning results. Additionally, the interaction effect between IQ and gender yielded a significance value of 0.100, which is greater than 0.05. It indicates no significant interaction between these two variables on the learning performance of high school students. The finding means that cognitive intelligence does not have a substantial impact on the performance of physical education (PE) among high school students. Moreover, there is no notable disparity in PE performance between male and female students, suggesting gender equality in both the opportunities and abilities in PE. Finally, the study found no notable correlation between gender and IQ levels in performance on intelligence tasks. These results diminish the importance of considering other criteria, such as physical aptitude, in evaluating PE performance and emphasize the need for comprehensive and inclusive physical education programs. Keywords: Learning Achievement, PE, Students, Adolescents, Gender, Intellectual Intelligence

Predictors of language and reading outcomes in 12-year-old children born very preterm.

To investigate predictors of language and reading outcomes in 12-year-old Swedish children born very preterm (<32 gestational weeks) in 2004-2007. Children born very preterm (n = 78, 43 girls), and term-born controls (n = 50, 32 girls), were examined on verbal IQ, semantic and phonemic fluency, sentence recall, reading fluency, word and phonological decoding at 12 years of age. The results were related to neonatal characteristics, language development, measured with Bayley-III, at 2.5 years corrected age, and concurrent non-verbal IQ. Preterm children showed language and reading difficulties that were not completely accounted for by level of concurrent non-verbal IQ. Extremely preterm born children (<28 gestational weeks) demonstrated specific linguistic weaknesses. Administration of antenatal steroids, retinopathy of prematurity and persistent ductus arteriosus explained unique variance in language and reading outcomes. Language assessments at 2.5 years had low predictive value for language and reading outcomes at age 12. Language and reading difficulties in 12-year-old children born preterm were not fully explained by concurrent non-verbal IQ, and were not reliably predicted by language assessments at 2.5 years. Renewed language assessments at school age are warranted for identifying children with persisting linguistic difficulties.

Comparison of the Strategic Plans of the Ministry of Education and Culture and Universitas Brawijaya Based on Theoretical

Education has a crucial role in determining the direction of a nation's development. Indonesia's Gross Enrollment Rate (APK) data shows a positive trend, but challenges in the quality of education remain, especially in terms of literacy, numeracy and understanding of science based on PISA scores. The inequality of educational attainment between regions indicates the need to increase access and quality of education evenly throughout Indonesia. Inadequate curriculum in developing basic competencies is one of the main causes of suboptimal achievements. Apart from that, Indonesia also faces the challenge of low public IQ levels, showing the importance of improving the education system to increase the nation's overall competitiveness. The process of preparing the vision, mission and strategic objectives by the Ministry of Education and Culture and Brawijaya University adopts an approach that is in accordance with theory, but the main challenge lies in implementing the strategic plan. Brawijaya University demonstrated excellence in overcoming implementation barriers, which enabled them to achieve strategic goals more effectively. In this context, alignment between vision, mission and goals is key in designing and implementing sustainable strategic

Cognitive performance and brain volume among survivors of pediatric hematological malignancies: a case-control study.

Cognitive dysfunction may be one of the hazardous late effects among survivors of pediatric hematological malignancies. Our study aimed to explore cognitive performance and assess the global and regional brain volume changes in survivors of hematological malignancies. This case-control study was conducted on 68 survivors of hematological malignancies, with a median follow-up period of 2years (ranging from 1 to 6.2years). Stanford-Binet Testwas used for cognitive assessment. A quantitative volumetric assessment of the brain was done using the NeuroQuant Brain Magnetic Resonance. Age and sex-matched 68 children were selected as a comparison group. Cancer survivors showed significantly lower levels of IQ and their subtests than the control group. Global brain atrophy was observed in the majority of the survivors. Many risk factors significantly affected different IQ subtests, such as radiotherapy (RTH), high cumulative doses of methotrexate (MTX), and prednisone. At the same time, low white matter volume (WMV) was observed with higher cumulative doses of MTX and anthracyclines. Hematological malignancies have a negative impact on cognition. Neurocognitive impairment and related brain changes were evident in those who received RTH, HDMTX, or high cumulative doses of steroids.

THE EFFECT OF SOCIO-EMOTIONAL LEARNING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

Socio-emotional learning has become one of the most important areas of research in the theory and practice of psychological science. Although not much time has passed since the formation of socio-emotional learning, a lot of experience has been collected in the fields of theoretical and applied research, and it is known that socio-emotional learning has a direct impact on the development of emotional intelligence. Studies prove that regardless of IQ level, students face serious failures in the future because they do not have enough time to develop emotional intelligence. The most favorable project supporting the development of emotional intelligence is socio-emotional learning. Unfortunately, since socio-emotional learning is still emerging, there is no rich literature on it. However, the demand for the development of emotional intelligence and the support of socio-emotional learning in the education policy of many countries led to conducting extensive research on this project and achieving successful results. The work carried out by psychologists shows that there is great potential to make work more active in the country. In particular, we are talking about the activities of pre-school educational institutions, secondary schools and higher educational institutions.

Frequency of CD4+CD25 + (High) Foxp3+ Regulatory T cells (Tregs) in Peripheral Blood of Pediatric Patients with Autism

Abstract Background Immune system dysfunctions have been observed in autistic spectrum of disorders (ASD). Autoimmunity may have a role in ASD. In addition, skewed cytokine responses, differences in total numbers and frequencies of immune cells and their subsets, neuroinflammation, both adaptive and innate immune dysfunction, altered levels of immunoglobulins and the presence of autoantibodies in some autistic children were reported. Objective To measure the frequency of CD4+CD25 + (High) Foxp3+ Tregs in peripheral blood of children with autism in relation to the disease severity. Patients and Methods This cross-sectional study involved 30 ASD patients were enrolled from the Psychiatry and Development clinic, Children’s Hospital, Ain Shams University, after excluding children with concomitant allergic diseases or infections. Another 30 healthy children were included as a control group. Severity of ASD and associated convulsions or impaired intelligence were demonstrated. The frequency of CD4+CD25 + (High) Foxp3+ Tregs was assessed using flow cytometry. Data collected were coded, tabulated and analyzed using Microsoft Excel software Statistical analysis (SPSS) (version 21, Chicago, IL, USA). Results Thirty patients with primary ASD were recruited, including 24 males (80%) and 6 females (20%) with mean age of 6.62 ± 2.11 years. Mild illness was diagnosed in 20 patients (66.7%) and severe illness was defined in 10 patients (33.3%)%). CD4+CD25 + (High) Foxp3+ Tregs were significantly lower among autistic children compared to healthy control (mean percentage in patients 15.41 ± 32.1%, mean percentage in control 49.2 ± 42.6%, P-value &amp;lt;0.001). The markers were not correlated with disease severity, epilepsy status or IQ level (P = 0.716, 0.729, 0.472, respectively). However,CD4+CD25 + (High) Foxp3+ Tregs were significantly lower among male patients compared to females(Median in males 1.25 (0-96), Median in females 2.25 (1.5-84.2). CD4+CD25 + (High) lymphocytes less than 3.15 cells were found to be 80% sensitive and 73.5% specific for ASD probability (AUC was 0.816). Whereas percentage of FOXP3 less than 2.55% showed 73.3% and 76.7% sensitivity and specificity, respectively (AUC was 0.753). Conclusion CD4+CD25 + (High) FOXP3, the master promotor of Tregs, was detected in lower levels in ASD Egyptian children. A level of expression lower than 2.5% is both sensitive and specific for ASD diagnosis. We recommend considering CD4+CD25 + (High) FOXP3 as a future therapeutic target in children with ASD to achieve early, efficient management.

What is important in forensic psychiatric evaluation in people with Down syndrome? A sample from Türkiye

PurposeDown syndrome is one of the common genetic causes of intellectual disability. Adult with Down syndrome may have many psychiatric comorbidities. Therefore, their mental health status should be considered in legal proceedings such as criminal responsibility and legal capacity where they are involved. This study aims to highlight that individuals with Down syndrome are often referred directly to forensic psychiatry without undergoing an interview, despite the fact that this is a group with varied mental statuses.Design/methodology/approachThis study analysed the socio-demographic, clinical and forensic characteristics of eight adult individuals with Down syndrome for whom the Council of Forensic Medicine (CFM) requested an opinion on criminal liability and other legal situations between 2018 and 2022. The CFM is an authoritative institution to which cases from all areas of Türkiye are referred.FindingsThe mean age of the individuals with Down syndrome for whom a forensic psychiatric opinion was requested was 24.63 (±7.95) and the mean IQ level was 54.13 (±13.38). All cases were male, 6 / 8 were referred for assessment of criminal responsibility and 4 / 6 of those referred for assessment of criminal responsibility were referred for sexual offences. It was found that 5 / 8 of the cases had moderate intellectual disability and 3 / 8 of the cases had mild intellectual disability.Research limitations/implicationsRegarding the limitations of this study, the first one is the small sample size. Nevertheless, due to the low prevalence of people with Down syndrome in society, it is plausible that their stigmatization may not be reflected in the judicial system, even in cases involving violent behaviour. The second limitation is that the reports lack all psychiatric medical documents, including forensic psychiatric evaluations of individuals with Down syndrome. Additionally, additional diseases were recorded based on familial anamnesis. The third limitation is that this study is the first publication to investigate Down syndrome from a forensic psychiatric perspective. Thus, there is a lack of literature to make direct comparisons and references in the discussion section.Social implicationsThis is the first study about forensic psychiatric aspects for people with Down syndrome. The aim of this study was to examine the forensic psychiatric approach in Down syndrome, one of the most common genetic causes of intellectual disability, the situations in which forensic psychiatric assessment is required and the issues that might be considered important in this regard. Although there are various publications in the literature on the psychiatric conditions of individuals with Down syndrome, to our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate individuals with Down syndrome in terms of forensic psychiatric evaluation. People with Down syndrome are known to have varying degrees of intellectual disability and different types of psychiatric comorbidity.Originality/valuePeople with Down syndrome are a heterogeneous group in terms of intellectual disability. The criminal responsibility and legal capacity of individuals may vary according to the legal situation. When requesting forensic psychiatric evaluation of these patients with psychiatric co-morbidity, patients should not be prejudged in terms of their level of mental competence and each case should be assessed individually.

Impaired neurogenesis induced by fluoride via the Notch1 signaling and effects of carvacrol intervention

The negative regulation on neurogenesis has been implicated in fluoride neurotoxicity, while the evidence is limited. To explore whether fluoride interferes with neurogenesis via the Notch1 signaling and the potential alleviation effects of carvacrol (CAR), we conducted in vivo and in vitro experiments, as well as epidemiological analyses in this study. The results showed that urinary fluoride levels and circulating Notch1 levels were associated with IQ levels in boys. NaF-treated rats had fewer neurons, lower densities of dendritic spines, depressed neurogenesis, and impaired learning and memory abilities. In vitro experiments using undifferentiated PC12 cells mimicking neurogenesis revealed that NaF suppressed differentiation and neurite outgrowth. Besides, Notch1 signaling activation was detected in vivo and in vitro. The latter was confirmed using an in vitro model supplemented with DAPT, a potent Notch1 inhibitor. Furthermore, CAR supplementation negatively regulated NICD1 and Hes1 expressions and promoted hippocampal neurogenesis, thereby improving neurological functions in NaF-treated rats. These findings indicated that the inhibition of neurogenesis in hippocampi induced by fluoride via Notch1 signaling activation may be one of the underlying mechanisms of its neurotoxicity, and that CAR significantly alleviated the neurotoxicity of NaF via the Notch1 signaling.

Semantic reading deficits in young adults: lack of conceptual thinking

The paper describes the results of a series of qualitative studies on comprehension of metaphoric meanings of verbal texts by young healthy adults. Using stimuli of various genres (fables, jokes, short story, science education text) we showed that despite high IQ and education levels the majority of participants failed to reconstruct meanings of the texts. Namely, they struggled with: 1) formulating core ideas of the text; 2) differentiating important semantic features of the text from unimportant ones; 3) rewording the core ideas of the text with no distortion of their meanings; 4) building up the text’s cognitive representation; 5) putting together the information explicitly described in the text and use it to deduce new knowledge; 6) reading traditional cultural codes; 7) providing metacognitive control under their own subjective projections. All these difficulties indicate pre-conceptual stage of cognitive development and might be overcome through developing of conceptual thinking skills. We also discuss educational practices that supposedly contribute to the abovementioned difficulties: lack of semantic reading training in primary school, non-systematised presentation of information and prevalence of visual forms of communication, and early digitalization of education leading to the increase of cognitive load while reading.

Relationship of Attitude and Performance in Mathematics of the BEEd and BSE Students

This study aimed to determine if the attitude toward mathematics of BSE and BEED students in DMMMSU NLUC is significantly correlated to their Mathematics performance. Specifically, it seeks answers to the following questions: What is the profile of the students enrolled in Mathematics along sex, CAT Result in Mathematics and IQ level. What is the attitude of students towards Mathematics? What is performance of the respondents in Mathematics? Is there a significant relationship between profile variables and attitude towards Mathematics profile variables and performance in Mathematics, attitude toward Mathematics and Mathematics performance? Which among the variables are predictors of Mathematics performance? What action plan can be proposed to enhance the level of performance and attitude of the students in Mathematics? This study utilized the descriptive method of investigation. This is best fitted to the study because this method involves describing, recording, analyzing and interpreting conditions that exist. It also includes some forms of comparison and contrast and discovers relationship between existing non-manipulative variables. The respondents are two classes enrolled in Basic Mathematics and Contemporary Mathematics for the SY 2014-2015. Their attitude towards Mathematics were obtained using an attitude inventory, their IQ and CAT Math results were obtained from the Guidance Office and their performance were taken from their final grade in Mathematics. The attitude of students toward Mathematics and their performance in Mathematics were described, analyzed, compared, and interpreted. Mean was used to describe the attitude and performance in Mathematics. Furthermore, the relationship of the aforementioned variables will be obtained. Hence, the use of statistics of correlation under descriptive method was also used. The following are the salient findings of this study: Majority of the Mathematics students are females with fair to good performance in the Math CAT and IQ level. The students have positive to highly positive attitude towards Mathematics. The students have very good performance in Mathematics.IQ and CAT performance are significantly correlated with Mathematics performance. CAT significantly correlates with attitude and attitude is significantly correlated with Mathematics performance. In the light of the above-stated findings, the following conclusions are drawn: The Math classes are dominated with females who have only fairly satisfactory to satisfactory IQ levels and performance in the CAT along Mathematics. A greater majority of the students find mathematics enjoyable, interesting and fun. Most of the students have acquired the needed competencies in Mathematics. They are good in computation, comprehension and problem solving. Those who have high IQ and high CAT results perform excellently in Mathematics. The better is the attitude towards Mathematics the higher is the performance in the subject. Attitude has a positive impact of performance in Mathematics. Based on the conclusions, the researcher offered the following recommendations: Teachers are encouraged to customize their instruction and improve the use of modernized and innovative teaching techniques and strategies to enhance performance and attitude of students toward Mathematics. The Mathematics teachers especially the Math Club Adviser should consider the implementation of the Action Plan to improve attitude and performance in Mathematics. The administrators should support the implementation of the Action Plan by providing the opportunities and logistics for its accomplishment. The Action Plan should be considered for adoption by other HEIs in La Union with the administrators and Head of Mathematics Department planning its mechanics of implementation. A research on the effectiveness of the proposed action plan when implemented be conducted as basis for revisions and improvement.

Association between radiation dose, thyroid hormone, and IQ levels in children exposed to radiation in utero after the Chernobyl accident.

Few studies have explored the effects of n utero radiation exposure on human health and cognition and none have taken into account thyroid hormone levels (T3), which have shown to affect cognitive performance. We investigated mechanisms of possible radiation effects on IQ in two cohorts of 250 persons each: exposed n utero after the Chernobyl accident: a 'higher exposure group (HEG)', whose mothers resided in more heavily contaminated territories at the time of the Chernobyl accident, and a 'lesser exposure group (LEG)' whose mothers resided in less contaminated areas. The dataset included information on estimated prenatal thyroid radiation dose, gestation week at the time of the accident (ATA); thyroid hormones: T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine) levels measured at age 11-12 years and general IQ measured at three time points: t1: 6-7 years old; t2: 11-12 years old and t3: 15-16 years old. Descriptive and inference analyses were used to explore the dynamic of changes through time and the associations between key variables at the three time points. Estimated radiation doses to the thyroid gland were substantially higher in the HEG than in the LEG (mean 391 vs 25 mGy respectively). Significant differences in thyroid hormones levels were observed between the two groups, with lower values in T3 (higher in T4) in the LEG. At t1, the general IQ, as well as verbal and non-verbal IQ scores, were lower in the HEG than in the LEG. In the HEG, analyses adjusting simultaneously for radiation dose, gestational week ATA and T3 levels suggest that all three variables are associated with IQ, with the latter being highest among those exposed later during gestation and decreasing with increasing level of dose and of T3. No significant association was observed between IQ and T4 levels. No effect of exposure on IQ was seen in the LEG. Further investigation of this hypothesis will be important to understand the relation between n utero exposure radiation dose to thyroid, thyroid hormone levels and IQ, taking into account effects of potential confounding factors (physiological stress, maternal anxiety related evacuation).

Optimization of photon counting CT for cardiac imaging in patients with left ventricular assist devices: An in-depth assessment of metal artifacts.

Photon counting CT (PCCT) holds promise for mitigating metal artifacts and can produce virtual mono-energetic images (VMI), while maintaining temporal resolution, making it a valuable tool for characterizing the heart. This study aimed to evaluate and optimize PCCT for cardiac imaging in patients during left ventricular assistance device (LVAD) therapy by conducting an in-depth objective assessment of metal artifacts and visual grading. Various scan and reconstruction settings were tested on a phantom and further evaluated on a patient acquisition to identify the optimal protocol settings. The phantom comprised an empty thoracic cavity, supplemented with heart and lungs from a cadaveric lamb. The heart was implanted with an LVAD (HeartMate 3) and iodine contrast. Scans were performed on a PCCT (NAEOTOM Alpha, Siemens Healthcare). Metal artifacts were assessed by three objective methods: Hounsfield units (HU)/SD measurements (DiffHU and SDARTIFACT), Fourier analysis (AmplitudeLowFreq), and depicted LVAD volume in the images (BloomVol). Radiologists graded metal artifacts and the diagnostic interpretability in the LVAD lumen, cardiac tissue, lung tissue, and spinal cord using a 5-point rating scale. Regression and correlation analysis were conducted to determine the assessment method most closely associated with acquisition and reconstruction parameters, as well as the objective method demonstrating the highest correlation with visual grading. Due to blooming artifacts, the LVAD volume fluctuated between 27.0 and 92.7 cm3. This variance was primarily influenced by kVp, kernel, keV, and iMAR (R2=0.989). Radiologists favored pacemaker iMAR, 3mm slice thickness, and T3D keV and kernel Bv56f for minimal metal artifacts in cardiac tissue assessment, and 110keV and Qr40f for lung tissue interpretation. The model adequacy for DiffHU SDARTIFACT, AmplitueLowFreq, and BloomVol was 0.28, 0.76, 0.29, and 0.99 respectively for phantom data, and 0.95, 0.98, 1.00, and 0.99 for in-vivo data. For in-vivo data, the correlation between visual grading (VGSUM) and DiffHU SDARTIFACT, AmplitueLowFreq, and BloomVol was -0.16, -0.01, -0.48, and -0.40 respectively. We found that optimal scan settings for LVAD imaging involved using 120 kVp and IQ level 80. Employing T3D with pacemaker iMAR, the sharpest allowed vascular kernel (Bv56f), and VMI at 110keV with kernel Qr40 yields images suitable for cardiac imaging during LVAD-therapy. Volumetric measurements of the LVAD for determination of the extent of blooming artifacts was shown to be the best objective method to assess metal artifacts.

Social Media and Social Interaction: Adversities and Advantages with Special Reference to Cyber Bullying

The present research entitled, “Social media and social interaction: Adversities and advantages with special reference to cyber bullying” investigates the effects of social media on social interaction among individuals in contemporary society with the rise of social media platforms such as whatsapp, facebook, instagram, and snapchat etc., There has been a significant shift in interaction and communication. The present research investigates the positive and negative effects of social media on interpersonal relationship, communication pattern and social behaviour. A descriptive as well as analytical design with a semi-structured questionnaire is utilised to understand the influence of social media usage on social interaction and communications at Manzini town in Eswatini. The respondents using social media expresses the positive impact of using social media like development of social contacts, increased IQ level and encouraging worldwide interaction with people and on the other hand those who highlighted negative impact view social media as waste of time, money and limits face-to-face interaction and communication skills, furthering cyber bullying and addiction. The challenge against privacy and security of the social media user leads to harassment or cyberbullying. The respondents recognise the effectiveness of intervention aimed at promoting safety and responsible social media. The present research provides a valuable insight into the benefits and drawbacks of social media encouraging researchers and policy makers to conduct further studies in developing strategies to mitigate the risks and promote healthy social media use.

Endocrine features of Prader-Willi syndrome: a narrative review focusing on genotype-phenotype correlation.

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex genetic disorder caused by three different types of molecular genetic abnormalities. The most common defect is a deletion on the paternal 15q11-q13 chromosome, which is seen in about 60% of individuals. The next most common abnormality is maternal disomy 15, found in around 35% of cases, and a defect in the imprinting center that controls the activity of certain genes on chromosome 15, seen in 1-3% of cases. Individuals with PWS typically experience issues with the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, leading to excessive hunger (hyperphagia), severe obesity, various endocrine disorders, and intellectual disability. Differences in physical and behavioral characteristics between patients with PWS due to deletion versus those with maternal disomy are discussed in literature. Patients with maternal disomy tend to have more frequent neurodevelopmental problems, such as autistic traits and behavioral issues, and generally have higher IQ levels compared to those with deletion of the critical PWS region. This has led us to review the pertinent literature to investigate the possibility of establishing connections between the genetic abnormalities and the endocrine disorders experienced by PWS patients, in order to develop more targeted diagnostic and treatment protocols. In this review, we will review the current state of clinical studies focusing on endocrine disorders in individuals with PWS patients, with a specific focus on the various genetic causes. We will look at topics such as neonatal anthropometry, thyroid issues, adrenal problems, hypogonadism, bone metabolism abnormalities, metabolic syndrome resulting from severe obesity caused by hyperphagia, deficiencies in the GH/IGF-1 axis, and the corresponding responses to treatment.

Brain developmental trajectories in offspring of parents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

AbstractEarly diagnosis and intervention are essential for managing and improving long-term outcomes of severe mental illness, highlighting the need for reliable early biomarkers. This longitudinal study explores whether the development of the brain during childhood and adolescence differs between offspring of parents with and without schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Moreover, we will assess if the age-dependent change over time in brain volume, cortical thickness and surface, structural network indices, and cortical gyrification are related to the presence and severity of psychiatric symptoms and level of IQ. We obtained 286 T1-weighted MRI scans of 184 offspring (aged 8–18 years at baseline) of at least one parent diagnosed with bipolar disorder (n=78) or schizophrenia (n=52) and offspring of parents without severe mental illness (n=54); 102 offspring underwent a follow-up scan (on average 3.9 years between scans).Group comparisons and the associations with clinical and cognitive measures were analysed with linear mixed-effects models. To correct for multiple comparisons, we applied a Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) correction (q=0.05). A significant effect of age was found on most of the included brain features, with suggestive evidence for subtle deviations in trajectories in the cortical thickness, structural network indices but not in gyrification index, sulcal depth, length and width or surface area in offspring of parents with schizophrenia. Interestingly, these deviations in brain development in schizophrenia offspring remained significant after taking the presence of a diagnosis or level of IQ into account. These findings suggest the aberrant brain development in familial high-risk youngsters is associated with being at familial risk and not with (also) being at clinical high-risk.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared