Kendall's Coefficient Of Concordance Research Articles

Construction of an assessment scale for thirst severity in critically ill patients and its reliability and validity.

Developing a severity assessment scale for critically ill patients' thirst and conducting reliability and validity tests, aiming to provide healthcare professionals with a scientific and objective tool for assessing the level of thirst. Based on literature review and qualitative interviews, a pool of items was generated, and a preliminary scale was formed through two rounds of Delphi expert consultation. Convenience sampling was employed to select 178 ICU patients in a top-three hospital from May 2023 to October 2023 as the study subjects to examine the reliability and validity of the severity assessment scale for critically ill patients' thirst. The developed severity assessment scale for critically ill patients' thirst consists of 8 evaluation items and 26 evaluation indicators. The agreement coefficients for two rounds of expert consultation were 100% and 92.6% for the positive coefficient, and the authority coefficients were .900 and .906. Kendall's concordance coefficients were .101 and .120 (all p < .001). The overall Cronbach's α coefficient for the scale was .827. The inter-rater reliability coefficient was .910. The Item-Content Validity Index (I-CVI) ranged from .800 to 1.000, and the Scale-Content Validity Index/Average (S-CVI/Ave) was .950. The critically ill patients' thirst assessment scale is reliable and valid and can be widely used in clinical practice. The AiMi Academic Services (www.aimieditor.com) for English language editing and review services. The scale developed in this study is a simple and ICU-specific scale that can be used to assess the severity of thirst in critically ill patients. As such, the severity of thirst in critically ill patients can be evaluated quickly so that targeted interventions can be implemented according to the patient's specific disease and treatment conditions. Therefore, patient comfort can be improved, and thirst-related health problems can be prevented.

Group decision making model for selection of performance indicators for sustainable supplier evaluation in agro-food supply chain

Sustainable food production is of vital importance to ensure food security, enhanced stability, environmental protection, and economic development for any developing nation. In an Agro- Food Supply Chain (AFSC), joint efforts of all supply chain actors inclined towards sustainability can contribute significantly towards sustainable production. Suppliers, who are intermediaries between Food Processing Firm (FPF) and sub-suppliers or farmers, must follow the FPF's sustainability practices at their own level, and they must monitor the enactment of these activities at their sub-supplier level. In this regard, the study focuses on developing a group consensus mathematical model to derive a broader set of performance indicators to evaluate a supplier's competency in maintaining, monitoring, and tracing sustainable performance in his sub-supplier network. A two-phased group consensus model is presented; it selects performance indicators using the Delphi method and it utilizes a feedback mechanism rooted in Group Analytical Hierarchy Process. This system is based on an iterative algorithm to generate weights that all decision makers accept. The proposed model is illustrated with an analysis of an Indian flour milling company. Kendall's concordance coefficient is employed to understand the degree of agreement among decision makers before and after the application of the proposed model. Increase in its value post-application validates the efficacy of the model. This approach for performance indicator selection for sustainable supplier evaluation research is unique in the field of AFSC. Results of the study indicate that the top ranking indicator is ‘Food Safety’ followed by ‘Payment to Sub-suppliers’. Key policy implications are drawn from the result findings which can be further integrated to support sustainable growth and development of suppliers and sub-suppliers in any AFSC.

Large-scale pretrained frame generative model enables real-time low-dose DSA imaging: An AI system development and multi-center validation study.

Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) devices are commonly used in numerous interventional procedures across various parts of the body, necessitating multiple scans per procedure, which results in significant radiation exposure for both doctors and patients. Inspired by generative artificial intelligence techniques, this study proposes GenDSA, a large-scale pretrained multi-frame generative model-based real-time and low-dose DSA imaging system. GenDSA was developed to generate 1-, 2-, and 3-frame sequences following each real frame. A large-scale dataset comprising ∼3 million DSA images from 27,117 patients across 10 hospitals was constructed to pretrain, fine-tune, and validate GenDSA. Two other datasets from 25 hospitals were used for evaluation. Objective evaluations included SSIM and PSNR. Five interventional radiologists independently assessed the quality of the generated frames using the Likert scale and visual Turing test. Scoring consistency among the radiologists was measured using the Kendall coefficient of concordance (W). The Fleiss' kappa values were used for inter-rater agreement analysis for visual Turing tests. Using only one-third of the clinical radiation dose, videos generated by GenDSA were perfectly consistent with real videos. Objective evaluations demonstrated that GenDSA's performance (PSNR= 36.83, SSIM= 0.911, generation time= 0.07 s/frame) surpassed state-of-the-art algorithms. Subjective ratings and statistical results from five doctors indicated no significant difference between real and generated videos. Furthermore, the generated videos were comparable to real videos in overall quality (4.905 vs. 4.935) and lesion assessment (4.825 vs. 4.860). With clear clinical and translational values, the developed GenDSA can significantly reduce radiation damage to both doctors and patients during DSA-guided procedures. This study was supported by the National Key R&D Program and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Interobserver agreement during clinical magnetic resonance imaging of the equine foot

AbstractBackgroundAgreement between experienced observers for assessment of pathology and assessment confidence are poorly documented for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the equine foot.ObjectivesTo report interobserver agreement for pathology assessment and observer confidence for key anatomical structures of the equine foot during MRI.Study designExploratory clinical study.MethodsTen experienced observers (diploma or associate level) assessed 15 equine foot MRI studies acquired from clinical databases of 3 MRI systems. Observers graded pathology in seven key anatomical structures (Grade 1: no pathology, Grade 2: mild pathology, Grade 3: moderate pathology, Grade 4: severe pathology) and provided a grade for their confidence for each pathology assessment (Grade 1: high confidence, Grade 2: moderate confidence, Grade 3: limited confidence, Grade 4: no confidence). Interobserver agreement for the presence/absence of pathology and agreement for individual grades of pathology were assessed with Fleiss' kappa (k). Overall interobserver agreement for pathology was determined using Fleiss' kappa and Kendall's coefficient of concordance (KCC). The distribution of grading was also visualised with bubble charts.ResultsInterobserver agreement for the presence/absence of pathology of individual anatomical structures was poor‐to‐fair, except for the navicular bone which had moderate agreement (k = 0.52). Relative agreement for pathology grading (accounting for the ranking of grades) ranged from KCC = 0.19 for the distal interphalangeal joint to KCC = 0.70 for the navicular bone. Agreement was generally greatest at the extremes of pathology. Observer confidence in pathology assessment was generally moderate to high.Main limitationsDistribution of pathology varied between anatomical structures due to random selection of clinical MRI studies. Observers had most experience with low‐field MRI.ConclusionsEven with experienced observers, there can be notable variation in the perceived severity of foot pathology on MRI for individual cases, which could be important in a clinical context.

Assessment of carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 5 expression by immunohistochemistry in real-world clinical samples of non-small cell lung cancer.

e20013 Background: Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 5 (CEACAM5) is an emerging target of antibody-drug conjugate therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). High expression of CEACAM5 has been reported in approximately 25% of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (Lefebvre AM, et al. Lung Cancer. 2023; 184:107356). However, CEACAM5 expression has not been systematically examined in a real-world patient population with NSCLC. In this study, we evaluated our experience in the assessment of CEACAM5 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in routinely diagnosed clinical samples. Methods: We assessed the expression of CEACAM5 by IHC on clinical biopsy/resection samples of consecutively diagnosed NSCLC from September 2022 to June 2023 at our institution, using the anti-CEACAM5 clone 769 antibody assay protocol developed for tusamitamab ravtansine clinical trials. Only cases adequate for PD-L1 22C3 and Oncomine Comprehensive Assay v3 NGS assay were included. CEACAM5 expression was scored independently by three pathologists based on the method proposed by Lefebvre et al. Expression levels were categorized as high (≥ 50% tumor cells at ≥ 2+ intensity), moderate (1–49% tumor cells at ≥ 2+ intensity), and negative (0 or 1+ intensity). Interrater reliability was assessed by Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (KCC) and Fleiss’ Kappa. Discordant classification was reviewed with the final classification achieved by consensus. Association with PD-L1 TPS and NGS results was determined by Chi-squared test. Results: This study cohort consisted of 150 consecutively diagnosed NSCLC, including 133 adenocarcinomas and 17 squamous cell carcinomas. The samples were derived from both primary (n = 138) and metastatic sites (n = 12). Both membranous and cytoplasmic CEACAM5 expression was observed in neoplastic cells, but was consistently absent in nonneoplastic cells. The prevalence of consensus high CEACAM5 membranous expression was 21% (n = 32) overall, 20% in primary (n = 28) and 33% (n = 4) in metastatic sites. The level of interrater agreement across all categories was moderate (KCC = 0.77). Interrater agreement between high CEACAM5 expression versus moderate/negative categories combined was also moderate (Kappa = 0.60). Challenging features included the determination of staining intensity and mixed membranous and cytoplasmic staining pattern, and cases near the cut-offs of the defined categories. CEACAM5 expression was not associated with PD-L1 TPS (p = 0.42) or EGFR mutations (p = 0.44). Conclusions: Our data showed that approximately 20% of routinely diagnosed clinical NSCLC samples had high CEACAM5 expression by IHC. The interrater reliability on the determination of high CEACAM5 expression was moderate among the three pathologists. We highlighted the challenging aspects in the evaluation of this biomarker.

Impact Evaluation and Adoption of Climate Resilience and Nutrition Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato in Burundi: A Case Study of the Rural Bujumbura Province

The new orange-fleshed sweet potato varieties have been adopted with the aim of increasing production, farmers' welfare, and combating chronic malnutrition. This study analyzed the impact of orange-fleshed sweet potato adoption on production in Gihanga commune using the propensity score matching method. A survey of 385 households was carried out on April 2023, including 161 orange-fleshed sweet potato adopters and 224 non-adopters. The determinants and rate of adoption of orange-fleshed sweet potato were also analyzed using the logit model and the Average Treatment effect on the Treated (ATT) method respectively, while Kendall's Concordance Coefficient was used to determine adoption constraints. Thus, unpredictable weather and climatic conditions, lack of capital, unavailability of PDCO cuttings, insufficient arable land as well as high labor costs are the main constraints to orange-fleshed sweet-potato adoption. The adoption rate for orange-fleshed sweet potatoes is estimated at 42%. Adoption of PDCO was positively and significantly influenced by the household head's level of education, family labor, access to credit, access to extension services and membership of producer organizations, while the household head's age and household size had a negative impact on adoption. The ATT revealed that the adoption of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes increased production per adopter household by an average of 369.88 kg, although the difference was not statistically significant. The government and other players in the agricultural sector should do their part to raise awareness, disseminate, facilitate access and mobilize farmers to adopt sweet potato varieties in order to improve their productivity.

A core competency evaluation index system for the graded use of clinical nurse specialists: A Delphi study.

To describe a grading system that can be used to evaluate core competency of clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) at different levels. Evaluate core competence of CNSs at different levels reflects the quality of nursing and the development of the nursing profession. This research employed the Delphi method. The STROBE checklist for observational cross-sectional studies was followed to report this research study. This study consisted of two main phases: a literature review and semistructured interviews. Individual semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 healthcare experts and two patients. Two rounds of questionnaire surveys were administered to 21 nursing experts using the Delphi method. The CNSs were classified as primary, intermediate or advanced based on their years of work, professional titles and educational qualifications. The graded competency evaluation system consisted of five first-level indicators (clinical practice, consulting guidance and teaching, scientific research innovation, management and discipline development, and ethical decision-making), 15 second level indicators, and 40 third-level indicators. The authority coefficients (Cr) of the experts were .865 and .901. The Kendall's concordance coefficients of the three-level indicators were .417, .289 and .316 for primary CNSs; .384, .294 and .337 for intermediate CNSs; and .489, .289 and .239 for advanced CNSs. The graded use evaluation system in clinical practice initially involves a comprehensive evaluation of the core abilities of CNSs. This is a tool for cultivating and grading the abilities of specialised nurses that can promote a practical upwards spiral. The evaluation system can promote the scientific management and continuous improvement of CNSs in clinical nursing and can serve as a practical and objective reference for the effective management and development of CNSs. Patients participated in the data collection process, during which they shared their health-seeking experience with our research team.

Per-Subject Oculomotor Plant Mathematical Models and the Reliability of Their Parameters

The practical value of oculomotor plant mathematical models (OPMMs) has been demonstrated across various domains, including biometrics and eye movement prediction. To further enhance their utilization, new optimization approaches are commonly developed and introduced within the research community. In this study, we demonstrate a new integration of a previously developed per-subject optimization procedure for an Enderle OPMM and introduce methods to evaluate the reliability of OPMM parameters using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Kendall's Coefficient of Concordance (KCC). We evaluated two per-subject OPMM models, Bahill and Enderle, using the 'GazeBase' eye movement dataset. The models differed in accuracy, expressed as the per-sample error in degrees of visual angle, based on the differences between the actual and predicted saccade trajectories. We found that some of the parameter estimates for both models were quite unreliable. We discuss the importance of addressing low-reliability issues and suggest methods to modify the models to enhance reliability and performance.

Development of A New Tool to Analyze Injury Risk: Turkish Get Up Injury Risk Tool

Injury risk analysis is critical to preventing injuries' physical and psychological impact. The purpose of this study was to develop a new tool to evaluate the risk of injury particular to the Turkish get up (TGU) exercise. According to expert opinions, the Turkish Get Up Injury Risk Tool (TUGIR) is a biomechanical assessment tool developed based on the Turkish Get Up (TGU) movement. It evaluates the alignment and quality of movement during the exercise to assess the risk of injury. The upper and lower quarter Y balance tests (YBTs) and Functional Movement Screening (FMS) were performed to determine construct validity. A total of thirty- three wrestlers performed all the tests. Reliability was assessed by internal consistency determined with Cronbach's alpha coefficients and inter-rater reliability determined with Kendall's coefficient of concordance. The injury risk cut-off value was calculated according to the Angoff method. The internal consistency of the TUGIR was found to be 0.77 and 0.76, respectively, quite reliable for the right and left sides. Kendall's concordance coefficient of the total score was determined to be 0.998 for both sides. The injury risk cut-off value was found to be %72 for the overall TUGIR score. A low to moderate association was observed between TUGIR and YBTs—FMS. The TUGIR is a novel, reliable, and valid tool for assessing injury risk in sports. This tool offers several advantages, including being an easy-to-use, low- cost, and comprehensive method that can reflect sports-specific biomechanical characteristics. This research could lead to the use of this tool to assess the risk of injury in other sports branches.

FACTORS PERSUADING THE SAMBALPURI WEAVING COMMUNITY TO WORK FOR A MASTER WEAVER: A CASE STUDY OF SUBARNAPUR DISTRICT, ODISHA

The country was recently hit by COVID-19, which left the informal handloom workers completely stranded, with the lockdown imposed putting lakhs of handloom weavers lives and livelihoods at risk. In this context, the current study aims to investigate the impact of pandemics and lockdown on the income level of the Sambalpuri weaving community. The field research is being conducted in ten villages in Odishas Subarnapur district. It is found that as there are no cooperative societies, weavers are reliant on master weavers, who pay meagre wages and find it difficult to feed their families and attend to medical emergencies. Using Henry Garrett Ranking and Kendall coefficient of Concordance, we attempt to investigate the dominance factor that forced them to work under the master weavers control. The most significant reasons, according to the findings, are a lack of working capital and loans obtained from the informal sector. KEYWORDS: Handloom, Garrett Ranking and Kendalls Concordance, Income. Subject classification codes: C14, E26

Immunohistochemical assessment of HER2 low breast cancer: interobserver reproducibility and correlation with digital image analysis.

The recent findings from the DESTINY-Breast04 trial highlighted the clinical importance of distinguishing between HER2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) scores 0 and 1 + in metastatic breast cancer (BC). However, pathologist interpretation of HER2 IHC scoring is subjective, and standardized methodology is needed. We evaluated the consistency of HER2 IHC scoring among pathologists and the accuracy of digital image analysis (DIA) in interpreting HER2 IHC staining in cases of HER2-low BC. Fifty whole-slide biopsies of BC with HER2 IHC staining were evaluated, comprising 25 cases originally reported as IHC score 0 and 25 as 1 +. These slides were digitally scanned. Six pathologists with breast expertise independently reviewed and scored the scanned images, and DIA was applied. Agreement among pathologists and concordance between pathologist scores and DIA results were statistically analyzed using Kendall coefficient of concordance (W) tests. Substantial agreement among at least five of the six pathologists was found for 18 of the score 0 cases (72%) and 15 of the score 1 + cases (60%), indicating excellent interobserver agreement (W = 0.828). DIA scores were highly concordant with pathologist scores in 96% of cases (47/49), indicating excellent concordance (W = 0.959). Although breast subspecialty pathologists were relatively consistent in evaluating BC with HER2 IHC scores of 0 and 1 +, DIA may be a reliable supplementary tool to enhance the standardization and quantification of HER2 IHC assessment, especially in challenging cases where results may be ambiguous (i.e., scores 0-1 +). These findings hold promise for improving the accuracy and consistency of HER2 testing.

Application of Decision Support Expert Systems for Improved gasoline yield in Refinery Catalytic Cracking

The Catalytic Cracking Unit (CCU) stands out as the primary factor responsible for enhancing gasoline production in the refinery. This paper provides a deep insight on the complexity of the factors within this unit, explore their broader implications, and offer a rationale for their technical significance. A survey approach involving the use of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) facilitated by StatistiXL software package and Kendall Coefficient of Concordance (KCC) to measure agreement among the respondents was employed. A total of 32 variables were identified, and questionnaires were developed using Rensis Likert's 5-point scale. These questionnaires were then administered to 100 respondents. Prior to this step, the Kendall Coefficient of Concordance was utilized to establish the sequential order of importance among these identified factors. The results obtained showed an index of agreement among the judges in ranking the variables W, as 0.54, the null hypothesis of disconcordance among the judges was rejected at a p-value of 0.01. The study identified 14 significant variables based on the KCC results, including Catalytic Cracking Charge, Mid Riser Temperature, Riser Inlet Temperature, Riser Outlet Temperature, and Stripper Level. Additionally, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) effectively condensed the set of 32 variables into four manageable clusters. The integration of data analytics techniques, such as KCC and PCA, alongside expert opinions and collected data enabled the assessment of the influence of independent variables on gasoline yield and the categorization of these variables. This study offers valuable insights for both academia and the industry, especially in the context of the Catalytic Cracking Unit.

Comparing shopping communities by statistical methods

The shopping community is a widely popular form of shopping in Hungary in the second decade of the 21st century. While the literature identifies the shopping community as an element of the short supply chain, shopping communities present themselves as a "link", a form of shopping, a tool for local economic development, among other things. Based on the number of products offered in the shopping communities by product group, the shopping communities with webshops were compared using Kendall's concordance coefficient. My aim was to visualise the relative offerings of the shopping communities. The shopping community with the highest number of products ranked by product group was given the highest ranking. Using the various rankings, the ranking of the overall offerings of the shopping communities was determined by applying Kendall's concordance coefficient.

Водозаборное сооружение для целей орошения земель в горных условиях Северного Кавказа

Purpose: to develop a water intake structure for land reclamation purpose under the conditions of water withdrawal from mountainous natural water sources. Materials and methods. The paper is based on the theoretical analysis of the river hydrological and geological characteristics, which made it possible to calculate the minimum flow required for the stable operation of water intake structure and guaranteed water withdrawal during the growing seasons. The design parameters of the water intake structure were developed using the method of expert assessment with non-parametric statistics by comparing several dependent variables. Having determined the required qualities for a water intake structure, the design of a reclamation facility adapted for the conditions of the mountain and foothill zones of the North Caucasus was developed. Results. To achieve this goal, a static method for analyzing water intake structures was adapted, and statements with a factorial rating scale for expert assessment were developed. Kendall's concordance coefficient was 0.726, the data were consistent, the significance level P was less than 0.05, the differences between the factors were significant. The layer-by-layer latticed type of water intake structure has maximum efficiency. The design of a bottom-type water intake structure has been developed on the basis of the river hydrological regime and the method of water supply to the system. This type of structure demonstrates high efficiency in conditions of difficult terrain and unstable water source regimes during the growing seasons, ensuring stable water intake with minimal impact on the ecosystem. Conclusions. The proposed design of a water intake structure can be adapted to different types of water resources and their fluctuations, which makes it acceptable for mountainous areas with variable water levels in natural water sources. Minimal impact on the ecosystem is ensured by a high degree of water purification without significant changes in river channels.

A Development of the Evaluation Indicator for the Sustainable Development of Elementary School Basketball in Anhui Province

Background and Aim: School basketball in Anhui Province is one of the earliest provinces approved by the Ministry of Education. Given the important role of school basketball in Anhui Province in the reform of physical education and the fundamental role of school basketball in the selection of competitive basketball reserves, it is crucial to guide the scientific and sustainable development of school basketball in Anhui Province. Thus, the research aimed to develop a comprehensive and scientific evaluation indicator system for the sustainable development of school basketball in Anhui Province. Materials and Methods: The main research instrument of this research was expert questionnaires. The population is 31 experts. The Delphi technique was used to select 19 experts in the field of school basketball to determine the final indicator system. Using the AHP method, the researchers calculated the weights for each indicator in the evaluation indicator system based on the experts' judgments. This process contributed to an objective and quantitative determination of the indicators' importance. Results: The scientificity and applicability of the research process and results were validated through a focus group. Data analysis uses the mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, frequency statistics, and Kendall's concordance coefficient test work. The research determined the evaluation indicator system through two rounds of expert consultation, resulting in four first-level indicators, 11 second-level indicators, and 35 third-level indicators. In this research, the hierarchical analysis method (AHP) was used to determine the weights of the indicators at all levels. The research findings indicated that the developed evaluation indicator system received recognition and support from the experts in terms of its scientificity, rationality of evaluation standards, and comprehensiveness. Conclusion: The system provided an effective evaluation tool for assessing the sustainable development of school basketball in Anhui Province, guiding relevant decision-making processes, and offering reference points for improvements.

Electricity Theft Detection Based on Contrastive Learning and Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring

Electricity theft has caused enormous damage to grids safety and economy globally, bringing plentiful attention to electricity theft detection. However, the inherent problems of data imbalance, data sparsity, and data shift due to the residents will or the seasons remain challenges. Besides, there is a lack of appliance-level information provided by non-intrusive load monitoring to improve the data graininess in electricity theft detection. To address these problems, an electricity theft detection algorithm based on contrastive learning and non-intrusive load monitoring is proposed. Firstly, a semi-supervised learning architecture composed of Gramian angular field encoding for sequence visualization and contrastive learning architecture featuring few-shot learning is established for load monitoring and initial detection considering the inherent operating characteristics of appliances. Furthermore, after the filtration of typical regular-switched appliances by Kendalls coefficient of concordance, in-depth detection of abnormal operation routines of appliances is conducted for suspicious residents, aiming to improve the fault-tolerant ability and resist the emergence of unknown electricity theft methods. Finally, the electricity theft probability is computed to confirm fraudulent users. Both the public and practical datasets are utilized to verify the effectiveness of the proposed study, and the results show an overall better performance compared to other state-of-the-art algorithms.

Methodological Approach to Assessing the Quality of Public Health

Introduction: The article describes a methodological approach to elaborating the public health quality index used to reflect the true size of the medical and social resource of the society. The method of calculation takes into account both social and medical components. The public health quality index is calculated in accordance with the idea that a certain category of people has more opportunities to perform a social function. The proposed approach makes it possible to move from general assessments of public health to true ones. Objective: To develop a methodological approach to calculating the public health quality index. Materials and methods: To calculate the public health quality index, age ranges of people were selected, considering their physical fitness to perform social functions. To improve the accuracy of the assessment, each social function was weighted by systematizing expert assessments. The calculated Kendall concordance coefficient (0.7) demonstrated a high degree of expert consistency. The index was calculated considering recommendations of “The Urban Health Index: A Handbook for its Calculation and Use” (2014) by the World Health Organization. Results: According to expert opinions, the most significant social function is the ability of fertile women to realize their reproductive function while the least significant is the ability of elderly people to continue working in the next 5 years after retirement. The aspect related to the ability of men to reproduce has been also considered of great importance. Conclusion: During the study, the question was raised about the possibility of clarifying the methodology for calculating the public health index given the goals of public administration. This index should be considered as a monitoring tool available in the current period to counter emerging public health challenges.

Clinical Reproducibility of the Stone Volume Measurement: A "Kidney Stone Calculator" Study.

An accurate estimation of the stone burden is the key factor for predicting retrograde intra-renal surgical outcomes. Volumetric calculations better stratify stone burden than linear measurements. We developed a free software to assess the stone volume and estimate the lithotrity duration according to 3D-segmented stone volumes, namely the Kidney Stone Calculator (KSC). The present study aimed to validate the KSC's reproducibility in clinical cases evaluating its inter-observer and intra-observer correlations. Fifty patients that harbored renal stones were retrospectively selected from a prospective cohort. For each patient, three urologists with different experience levels in stone management made five measurements of the stone volume on non-contrast-enhanced computed tomography (NCCT) images using the KSC. the overall inter-observer correlation (Kendall's concordance coefficient) was 0.99 (p < 0.0001). All three paired analyses of the inter-observer reproducibility were superior to 0.8. The intra-observer variation coefficients varied from 4% to 6%, and Kendall's intra-observer concordance coefficient was found to be superior to 0.98 (p < 0.0001) for each participant. Subgroup analyses showed that the segmentation of complex stones seems to be less reproductible. The Kidney Stone Calculator is a reliable tool for the stone burden estimation. Its extension for calculating the lithotrity duration is of major interest and could help the practitioner in surgical planning.

Patients’ expectancy scale of acupuncture: Development and clinical performance test

PurposeThis study aims to develop and validate a concise tool for evaluating acupuncture expectancy that is easy to understand and conforms to acupuncture characteristics. Materials and methodsA draft was created using the Delphi consensus method. Reliability, validity, discrimination, and feasibility tests were conducted at the item and scale levels. ResultsThe scale themes were defined as disease-related, treatment-related, process-related, and outcome-related. After two rounds of Delphi surveys with good experts' reliability (authority coefficients of experts were 0.86 and 0.87 in the two rounds) and agreement (Kendall's concordance coefficient of the participants were 0.33 and 0.15 in the two rounds, P < 0.05), 11 items (the mean score for item importance, full mark ratios, and coefficient of variation of items were ≥3.5, ≥25%, and ≤0.30, respectively) were included in the draft. A total of 145 individuals were recruited to test the draft. Reliability was assessed by Cronbach's α coefficient (0.90), split-half reliability coefficient (0.89), and test–retest reliability (Pearson's coefficient = 0.74, P < 0.05). Content validity was assessed by the content validity index (Item-CVI ≥ 0.78 and Scale-CVI/Ave = 0.92), and a confirmatory factor analysis was performed to assess the construct validity. The discrimination of scale items was evaluated by the critical ratio (CR > 3.00) and the homogeneity test (item-total correlations >0.40). Feasibility was assessed through the acceptance rate (recovery rate = 98.60%, response rate = 100%), completion rate (100%), and completion time (4.99 ± 6.80 min). ConclusionThe patients’ expectancy scale of acupuncture (PESA) consists of 11 items with four themes, disease-related, treatment-related, process-related, and outcome-related. It has great reliability, validity, discrimination, and feasibility and has the potential to evaluate acupuncture expectancy in clinical trials.

The Influence of Social Factors on Consumer Buying Behaviour of Female Sanitary Ware in Gwarinpa District of Abuja, Nigeria

No matter the type of products that are introduced into a market, there has to be analysis of the target market and how consumers will react to those products. Anyone going into a venture or starting a business must have knowledge on consumer buying behaviour, while this does not guarantee sales; it gives entrepreneurs and marketers insight on how to understand the buying behaviour of consumers. The main objective of this study was to assess the influence of social factors on consumer buying behaviour of female sanitary ware in Gwarinpa District of Abuja, with particular emphasis on Molped Sanitary ware. The study is a survey research sampling the opinion of three hundred and twenty three women in the District. Their opinions were collected using a structured questionnaire. The data collected were analysed by tabulations, percentages and formulated hypotheses tested using Kendall coefficient of concordance. The findings reveal that family plays a significant role in influencing consumer buying behaviour of Molped female sanitary ware in Gwarinpa District of Abuja; also reference groups, role and status influences consumer buying behaviour of female sanitary ware in the District. The study concluded that social factors are significantly relevant in influencing consumer buying behaviour of female sanitary ware in Gwarinpa District of Abuja. And therefore recommended amongst others that family members should learn about the most comfortable and environmentally friendly sanitary wares they purchase in order to set an exemplary role for the younger ones; equally friends and colleagues should encourage each other and promote awareness on good sanitary wares available to them like Molped products to promote good hygiene among young women.