Kendall's Tau Correlation Research Articles

On the extensions of the Chatterjee-Spearman test

[Chatterjee (2021), ‘A New Coefficient of Correlation’, Journal of the American Statistical Association, 116(536), 2009–2022] introduced a novel independence test that is rank-based, asymptotically normal and consistent against all alternatives. One limitation of Chatterjee's test is its low statistical power for detecting monotonic relationships. To address this limitation, in our previous work (Zhang, 2024, Commun. Stat. – Theory Methods), we proposed to combine Chatterjee's and Spearman's correlations into a max-type statistic and established the asymptotic joint normality. This work examines three key extensions of the combined test. First, motivated by its original asymmetric form, we extend the Chatterjee-Spearman test to a symmetric version, and derive the asymptotic null distribution of the symmetrised statistic. Second, we investigate the relationships between Chatterjee's correlation and other popular rank correlations, including Kendall's tau and quadrant correlation. We demonstrate that, under independence, Chatterjee's correlation and any of these rank correlations are asymptotically joint normal and independent. Simulation studies demonstrate that the Chatterjee-Kendall test has better power than the Chatterjee-Spearman test. Finally, we explore two possible extensions to the multivariate case. These extensions expand the applicability of the rank-based combined tests to a broader range of scenarios.

Ultrasound Predicts Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy Findings Using Machine Learning Models.

Ultrasound is a promising low-risk imaging modality that can provide objective airway measurements that may circumvent limitations of drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE). This study was devised to identify ultrasound-derived anatomical measurements that could accurately predict collapse pattern and location based on the VOTE criteria (VOTE: Velum, Oropharynx, Tongue, and Epiglottis). Ultrasonography was performed on 20 adult patients of various airway subsites while awake and sedated with concurrent endoscopy performed during drug-induced sleep. Measurements were obtained from the ultrasonographic images, and percent collapse (Pc) was estimated then graded using a standard VOTE score. Generalized Least Squares regression (GLS) was used to establish models predictive of Pc on a continuous scale, while multiple machine learning (ML) models were trained to predict each VOTE score (binary, >50% collapse) from ultrasound measurements. Measurements of multiple ultrasonographic airway subsites demonstrated associations with endoscopic collapse using Kendall Tau correlation. The GLS models showed moderate to strong correlation between multiple ultrasound features and Pc (R2 adj 0.53-0.82) across all VOTE subsites. ML models accurately predicted binarized VOTE scores from ultrasound measurements in four out of five VOTE subsites (F1 score >0.65), while the VOTE subsite with the most accurately predicted collapse was lateral velum collapse with an F1 score of 0.93 averaged across all models. Ultrasound is a reliable imaging modality and can identify features of airway collapse during drug-induced sleep. Regression (GLS) and ML models show promise in predicting severity of collapse during DISE with analysis of airway ultrasonographic measurements. 3 Laryngoscope, 2025.

Small-area and socially differentiated analyses of the utilization of screening examinations in the city of Hamburg: a secondary data analysis

Social reporting in Hamburg identifies existing inequalities at the urban area level. These social-contextual variations may potentially influence preventive health behaviors. The aim of this article is to examine correlations between the degree of social regional disadvantage of Hamburg's population and the utilization of regular screening examinations for children, adolescents, and adults through small-area analysis. The analyses are based on claims data from 2017 of insured individuals living in Hamburg from three cooperating statutory health insurance funds. A socially contextual indicator (1 = "very low" to 7 = "high") was assigned to the data at urban area level. Based on this, binary correlations between the social indicator and calculated utilization rates (stratified by gender and age) of early detection examinations were examined using Kendall's tau correlation analysis. The study population included N = 433,053 individuals (53.7 % female) from the city of Hamburg. Strong positive associations were found between utilization rates and social contextual index classes for U7 to U9 examinations (r > 0.7; p-values < 0.05) as well as cervical cancer screening (r > 0.9; p-values = 0.002), indicating that utilization increases with the rising social status of the urban area level. Additionally, strong positive correlations can be observed in some subgroups for prostate cancer screening (> 59 years: r = 0.905, p-value = 0.004) and colorectal cancer screening (women aged 50-60 years: r = 0.905, p-value = 0.004). No significant correlations were found for other subgroups, as well as for skin cancer screening, breast cancer screening and the J1 examination (p-value > 0.05). Strong negative associations have only been detected for the general health check-up for individuals aged 35 to 59 (women: r = -0.810, p-value = 0.011; men: r = -0.714, p-value = 0.024). The results indicate inequalities in the use of early detection examinations provided by statutory health insurers for children and adults to the disadvantage of urban areas ranking lower in social status. This socially selective utilization may lead to an accumulation of health problems in urban areas that are already disadvantaged socially, which would result in an exacerbation of existing social and health inequalities. Small-scale and socially differentiated analyses of healthcare provision should be seen as a regular component of regional healthcare provision. They provide starting points for a more needs-oriented further development of the healthcare system and secondary prevention services.

Associations of Essential and Non-Essential Trace Elements' Levels in the Blood, Serum, and Urine in Women with Premature Ovarian Insufficiency.

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is poorly understood, with causes identified in only 25% of cases. Emerging evidence suggests links between trace elements (TEs) and POI. This study is the first to compare concentrations of manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), molybdenum (Mo), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) across urine, serum, and whole blood in women with POI compared to healthy controls (HC), aiming to explore their distribution and potential associations with POI. This cross-sectional-case-control study enrolled 81 participants (40 POI patients and 41 healthy controls) at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia. Blood and urine samples were collected to quantify basic biochemical parameters using standard clinical chemistry methods and concentrations of Mn, Cu, Zn, Se, Mo, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Participants also completed questionnaires on socio-demographics, medical history, lifestyle, and nutrition. Data was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Student's t-tests, Fisher exact test, logistic regression models adjusted on body mass index (BMI), age, hematocrit, and Kendall's tau correlation. Women with POI had significantly higher BMI and red blood cell (RBC) indices, including hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red cell distribution width (RDW), compared to controls. A larger proportion of POI patients resided in rural agricultural areas. Liver and kidney function assessments showed no significant differences between the groups. Adjusted models revealed that POI patients had significantly lower urinary levels of Cu, Zn, Se, Mo, Cd, Hg, and Pb than controls, while whole blood Mn levels were higher. Serum Cu levels were significantly elevated in POI patients, whereas Pb, Cd, and Hg were lower. No significant differences were observed for As. Correlation analysis showed several strong to moderate associations among TEs across biofluids, but only weak correlations were found between TEs and demographic or biochemical factors. This study suggests potential associations between TEs and POI in women. Notably, most TEs (Zn, Se, Cu, Mo, Cd, Hg, Pb) were significantly lower in the urine of the POI group, while Cu, Cd, Hg, and Pb showed significant differences in both urine and serum.

Balancing Performance and Health in Elite Hungarian Athletes: The Relationship Among Disordered Eating Risk, Body Composition, and Nutrition Knowledge.

disordered eating (DE) and eating disorders (ED) can negatively impact athletes' health, wellbeing, and athletic performance. this cross-sectional study aims to assess DE risk, body composition, and nutrition knowledge among elite Hungarian athletes. DE risk was assessed using DESA-6H and EAT-26 scales, nutrition knowledge through the Abridged Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire (A-NSKQ), and body composition with the OMRON BF511 device. The data were analyzed using Kendall's tau correlations, Mann-Whitney U tests, and ROC analysis. a total of 71 athletes participated (39.4% males, mean age = 24.8 years, SD = 4.8 years and 60.6% females, mean age = 24.3 years, SD = 4.3 years). At-risk scores on the DESA-6H scale were recorded for nine athletes (12.7%), while 32.4% scored in the risk zone on the EAT-26, with female athletes in aesthetic, endurance and weight-dependent sports being most affected. Low BF was observed in four males and four females. Nutrition knowledge (49.1%) was below the acceptable threshold. DESA-6H significantly correlated with EAT-26 scores, BMI, sports nutrition knowledge, and A-NSKQ total scores. A statistically significant difference by gender was found in the EAT-26 total score (p = 0.019, d = 0.65). Risk groups significantly differed in A-NSKQ scores (p = 0.026, d = 0.511) and sport nutrition knowledge, specifically (p = 0.016, d = 0.491). Using EAT-26 to identify at-risk athletes and the DESA-6H recommended cut-off, the ROC analysis showed a sensitivity of 29.1% and a specificity of 95.7%. insufficient nutrition knowledge plays a role in being at-risk for DE and ED. These results underscore the need for early detection, early sport nutrition education across all elite athletes, with particular attention to female athletes in aesthetic, endurance and weight-dependent sports, and for monitoring these athletes to prevent DE. Further work is warranted to optimize screening tools such as EAT-26 and DESA-6H for elite athletes.

Midwives' experiences of receiving maternity care and predictors of their overall birth experiences.

Limited research has been conducted on midwives' experiences of receiving maternity care. Midwives may bring a degree of their own personal lives to their work, including their own birthing experience. To explore midwives' experiences of giving birth and receiving maternity care and predictors of overall birth experience. Midwives who, after completing their midwifery education, experienced their first birth within the Australian maternity care system, were female, over the age of 18, and fluent in English. Data from an online national survey were analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis, and Kendall's tau correlation studies. In total, 447 midwives' responses were included. Overall, 85 % of midwives reported positive birth experiences, 12.5 % a negative or traumatic birth experience, and 2.5 % neither positive nor negative. Five significant predictors of overall birth experience were: having a normal vaginal birth, maternity care providers who instilled a sense of confidence in their professional competence, receiving the maternity care options of their choice, being able to use professional knowledge to question and negotiate with care providers, and having control over their care. Overall, 27.1 % of midwives reported feeling coerced at any one or more points of time. Satisfaction with postnatal care was most strongly correlated with overall birth experience. Midwives appear to experience birth as an overall positive experience, and this could be due to their high level of agency and autonomy in choosing a known and trusted individual care provider; however, knowledge of possible complications could explain high levels of reported coercion. Midwives may need to invest more in getting good postnatal support in place, as this appeared to have the greatest impact on their overall birth experience.

Breaking ICD Codes: Identifying Ambiguous Respiratory Infection Codes via Regional Diagnosis Heterogeneity.

We aimed to analyze regional variations in the assignment of International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes to acute respiratory infections, seeking to identify notable anomalies that suggest diverse diagnoses of the same condition. We analyzed national weekly diagnosis data for acute respiratory infections (ICD-10 codes J00-J22) in Poland from 2010 to 2019, covering all 380 county-equivalent administrative regions and encompassing 292 million consultations. Data were aggregated into age brackets. We calculated the Kendall tau correlations between shares of particular diagnoses. We found staggering differences across regions in applied diagnoses that persisted even after disaggregating the data into age groups. The differences did not seem to stem from different levels of health care use, as there was no consistent pattern suggesting variability in milder diagnoses. Instead, there were numerous pairs of strongly negatively correlated codes implying classification ambiguity, with the most problematic diagnosis being J06 (acute upper respiratory infections of multiple and unspecified sites), which was used almost interchangeably with a diverse range of others, especially J00 (common cold) and J20 (bronchitis). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using observable anomalies to analyze regional coding variability for the same respiratory infection. Although some of these discrepancies may raise concerns about misdiagnosis, the majority of cases involving interchangeably used codes did not seem to substantially impact treatment or prognosis. This suggests that ICD codes may have clinical ambiguities and could face challenges not only in fulfilling their intended purpose of generating internationally comparable health data but also in their use for comprehensive government health planning.

INTRA-ORGANIZATIONAL KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND INNOVATION OF POLISH ENTERPRISES

Knowledge sharing plays a key role in the effectiveness of the knowledge management process and contributes to improving the efficiency and stimulating the innovation of enterprises. Knowledge sharing is an important process that affects the improvement of innovation both at the organizational and individual level. However, the SME sector shows limitations in the intra-organizational knowledge sharing process, which may adversely affect the innovativeness of these entities. The main research objective is to identify the level of intra-organizational knowledge sharing in Polish SME enterprises and to diagnose the impact of knowledge sharing on the innovativeness of these enterprises. For the purposes of achieving the main objective and verifying the research hypotheses, a survey was conducted on a group of 355 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the Silesian Voivodeship. Statistical analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and the Kendall tau correlation coefficient and showed a positive relationship between the level of knowledge sharing and the innovativeness of SMEs. However, it was not possible to confirm the increasing scope of knowledge sharing with the increase in the size of the enterprise.

Applying the Quadrant Method for Pumping-Trace Metal Correlations in Variable Time, Low-Data Systems.

Due to increasing global demand for fresh water, it is increasingly necessary to understand how aquifer pumping affects groundwater chemistry. However, comprehensive predictive relationships between pumping and groundwater quality have yet to be developed, as the available data, which are often collected over inconsistent time intervals, are poorly suited for long-term historical correlation studies. For example, we needed an adequate statistical method to better understand relationships between pumping rate and water quality in the City of Norman (OK, USA). Here we used the interval-scaled change in mean pumping rate combined with the Quadrant method to examine correlations between pumping rates and changes in trace metal concentrations. We found that correlations vary across the study area and are likely dependent on a variety of factors specific to each well. Comparing the Quadrant method to the commonly used Kendall's tau correlation, which requires different assumptions about aquifer behavior, the methods produced similar correlations when sample sizes were large and the time interval between samples was relatively short. Sample sizes were then artificially restricted to determine correlation reproducibility. Despite being less reproducible overall, the Quadrant method was more reproducible when there were large time intervals between samples and very small sample sizes (n ~ 4), but not as reproducible as significant (p ≤ 0.1) Kendall's tau correlations. Therefore, the Quadrant method may be useful for further investigating the effects of pumping in cases where Kendall's tau does not produce significant correlations.

The Relationship between Perceived Bureaucratic Orientation and Job Satisfaction among Nurses in The Healthcare System Iligan City, Philippines

Introduction: Prior studies reveal that job satisfaction among nurses has become a growing global concern, revealing varied levels of satisfaction across different countries. Little is known about the role of bureaucratic orientation influencing job satisfaction in the Philippine context. This study investigated the relationship between bureaucratic orientation and job satisfaction among nurses in a hospital in the Philippines. Material and Methods: Using a quantitative, descriptive-correlational design, data were collected from 102 registered nurses through structured questionnaires. The study analyzed nurses' perceptions of hospital bureaucratic orientation and job satisfaction using normality tests (Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Shapiro-Wilk). Due to non-normal variable distribution, Kendall-Tau correlation was applied to assess the relationship between bureaucratic orientation and job satisfaction Results: Nurses perceived bureaucratic orientation as leaning towards administrative control, with management having primary control over practice, personnel, and resources. The study found a positive significant correlation between administrative control over practice and appropriate support from superiors and with a pleasant working environment. However, administrative control over resources and personnel negatively correlated with nurses' emotions towards work. Greater management participation in committee structures was also negatively associated with nurses' emotional fulfillment and perceived workplace significance. Conclusion: These results highlight the need for participatory management practices enhancing job satisfaction among nurses. The findings of this study can inform hospital administrators and nurses’ additional insight, especially in a Philippine healthcare setting on how they can collaboratively support each other to improve nursing practice.

Non-targeted analysis and suspect screening of organic contaminants in temperate snowfall using liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry

Contaminants released into the atmosphere that undergo regional and long-range transport can deposit back to Earth through snowfall. When snow melts, these contaminants re-enter the environment, sometimes far from their original emission sources. Here we present the first comprehensive characterization of organic contaminants in snow from North America. Fresh snowfall samples were collected in the central United States over a three-year period and measured by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry for suspect screening and non-targeted analysis. The resulting data set was screened against experimental MS/MS libraries and underwent supplemental in silico MS/MS analysis. In total, 91 possible compounds were tentatively identified in snow, and 17 were successfully confirmed and semi-quantified with reference standards. These contaminants were mostly anthropogenic in origin and included six herbicides, three insect repellants, one insecticide metabolite, and one fungicide. The most prominent compounds present in all samples were N-cyclohexylformamide (known contaminant in tire leachate), DEET (insect repellent), and dimethyl phthalate (plasticizer), with median deposition fluxes of 4032, 284, and 262 ng m−2, respectively. Three additional compounds were detected in 100% of samples: coumarin (phytochemical and fragrance additive), 5-methylbenzotriazole (antifreeze component), and quinoline (heterocyclic aromatic). The Peto-Peto test revealed statistically significant differences in deposition fluxes for these six contaminants (p < 0.05), with weak but statistically significant positive associations between coumarin and DEET and between coumarin and quinoline according to a Kendall's tau correlation analysis. These findings demonstrate the utility of in silico analysis to complement MS/MS matching with experimental databases. Even so, thousands of unidentified features remained in the data set, highlighting the limitations of current strategies in non-targeted analysis of environmental samples.

Prediction uncertainty of evapotranspiration deficit index

ABSTRACT Understanding uncertainty in drought characteristics is vital in water resource management. To demonstrate an effective presentation of the uncertainty in agricultural drought derived from the evapotranspiration deficit indices (ETDIs), this study simulated ETDIs using the general ETDI formula with 1000 parameter combinations at different locations in the Ruvu River basin, Tanzania. Then, principal component analysis was used to reduce ETDI simulations to proxies of simulations. Thirdly, the evaluation of Kendall tau correlations between the proxies of simulations and ETDI simulations produced behavioural simulations, which were used to calculate the 95% prediction uncertainty (95PPU) of ETDIs and median ETDI. Finally, the 95PPU of ETDIs and median ETDI were characterized into drought durations. The findings show that the 95PPU bands of ETDIs and drought durations were very narrow but enclosed their median values. Therefore, the 95PPU and median from this approach comprehensively present drought characteristics derived from several ETDIs.

Understanding childhood obesity in Pakistan: exploring the knowledge, attitudes, practices of mothers, and influential factors. A cross-sectional study.

Childhood obesity is a significant public health issue with far-reaching implications. The World Health Organization reported that in 2020, around 38 million children under five were overweight or obese globally, and in 2016, 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were affected. In Pakistan, the situation is alarming; 66.9% of school-going children in Punjab were overweight, and 5.8% were obese in 2022. This study explores mothers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding childhood obesity in Pakistan and identifies factors contributing to this epidemic. Maternal perspectives are crucial as they significantly influence children's dietary habits, physical activity, and attitudes toward food and body image. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2023 to January 2024 at four medical centers: Fazaia Ruth Pfau Medical College Hospitals Karachi, Baqai Medical University Karachi, and Nishtar Medical University Multan. The study included 191 mothers with children aged 5 to 15 years. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perceptions of childhood obesity. IBM-SPSS version 26.0 was used for data analysis, employing statistical tests like Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, Spearman, or Kendall Tau correlation to examine associations. Among the 191 mothers, 48.7% had education beyond intermediate, and 86.9% were housewives. The children's BMI distribution showed that 27.7% were obese and 21.5% overweight. Mothers had moderate knowledge (60.5%) about childhood obesity; 75.4% recognized its long-term health risks, and 62.8% associated it with diabetes. Attitudes were generally positive, with a 78.5% average score. Most mothers (73.8%) believed obesity could be controlled and had healthy practices (70.1% average score). However, 96.9% reported witnessing stigmatization of obese children, and 79.6% felt pressured by relatives about their child's weight. The findings indicate that while Pakistani mothers have moderate knowledge and positive attitudes toward childhood obesity, their practices are influenced by educational and socioeconomic factors. Addressing these disparities, enhancing public health initiatives, and mitigating stigmatization could improve childhood obesity management in Pakistan.

Exploring Patient Empowerment in Major Depressive Disorder: Correlations of Trust, Active Role in Shared Decision-Making, and Symptomatology in a Sample of Italian Patients.

Background/Objectives: Empowerment in medicine and psychiatry involves patients gaining control over health-related decisions, improving treatment adherence, outcomes, and satisfaction. This concept is especially significant in psychiatric care due to the complex challenges of mental health conditions, including stigma and impairment of emotional and cognitive functioning. We aim to investigate the correlations between patient trust, decision-making involvement, symptom severity, and perceived empowerment among individuals with Major Depression. Methods: Patients with Major Depressive Disorder were recruited in the "Policlinico G. Rodolico" psychiatry outpatient clinic from November 2022 to June 2023. Inclusion criteria: ages 18-65, ability to consent, stable condition, psychiatric medication history, and recent consultation. Exclusion criteria: psychotic features, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, high suicide risk, and severe comorbidities. Measures included the User Scale for Measuring Empowerment in Mental Health Services (SESM), Trust in Oncologist Scale (TiOS), Clinical Decision-Making Style for Patients (CDMS-P), and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). Analysis used Kendall's Tau correlation and Two-One-Sided Tests procedure. Results: Seventy-three patients completed the study. No relationship was found between decision-making involvement and perceived empowerment (τ = -0.0625; p = 0.448), or between trust in psychiatrists and empowerment (τ = 0.0747; p = 0.364). An inverse correlation existed between patient involvement in therapy management and trust (τ = -0.2505; p = 0.002). Depression severity inversely correlated with empowerment (τ = -0.2762; p = <.001), but not with trust or decision-making involvement. Conclusions: The lack of significant correlations suggests that decision-making involvement and trust alone may not suffice to enhance empowerment. Trust may encourage patient passivity, while skepticism might drive active involvement. Higher empowerment is associated with less depressive symptoms, highlighting its potential connection with patient outcomes.

Improving the accuracy of the information retrieval evaluation process by considering unjudged document lists from the relevant judgment sets

Introduction. To improve user satisfaction and loyalty to the search engines, the performance of the retrieval systems has to be better in terms of the number of relevant documents retrieved. This can be evaluated through the information retrieval evaluation process. This study identifies two methodologies that help to recover and better rank relevant information resources based on a query, while at the same time suppressing the irrelevant one. Method. A combination of techniques was used. Documents that were relevant and not retrieved by the systems were found from the document corpus and assigned new scores based on the Manifold fusion techniques then moved into the relevant judgment sets. Documents based on judgment sets and good contributing systems have been considered in the proposed methodologies. Analysis. Kendall Tau Correlation Coefficient, Mean Average Precision (MAP), Normalized Discounted Cumulative Gain (NDCG), and Rank Biased Precision (Rbp) have been used to evaluate the performance of the methodologies. Results. The proposed methodologies outperformed the baseline works and enhanced the quality of the judgment sets, achieving a better result even with lesser pool depth. Conclusion. This research proposes two methodologies that increase the quality of the relevant documents in the judgment sets based on document similarity techniques and, thus, raise the evaluation process accuracy and reliability of the systems.

The Effect of Exchange Rate Volatility on Foreign Tourist Visits in Indonesia: GARCH Analysis

In this era of globalization, currency exchange rates are one of the crucial factors affecting a country's economy. The exchange rate of a country's currency plays an important role in economic stability and international trade, especially in the tourism sector. This study aims to conduct an in-depth analysis to identify patterns of rupiah exchange rate volatility using the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) model, and then examine whether these patterns have a significant correlation with the number of foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia. In analyzing the data, researchers conducted several classical assumption tests, namely the normality test and the heteroscedasticity test. The test results show that the data used, namely the rupiah exchange rate data and the number of foreign tourist visits, are not normally distributed and heteroscedastic. In this case, it resulted in researchers not use the Pearson correlation test so they used the Kendall-Tau correlation test and Granger Causality test which resulted in the two variables being correlated. Furthermore, GARCH modeling is carried out which provides forecasting on both data to increase in 2024. The results of this study are expected to provide a basis for consideration for stakeholders to determine policies, especially in the financial and tourism sectors.

Using social media monitoring tool and Google Trends to study dynamics of vaccination-related online discourse

IntroductionOnline discourse related to vaccinations is often charged with emotions and include misinformation.AimThe main objective of the study is assesment of trends the dynamics of the online vaccination-related discourse published publicly in Polish, using social media monitoring tool and Google Trends.Material and methodsThe study collected the number of mentions with a social media listening tool and the number of queries with Google Trends from July 1, 2018 to October 23, 2022. The analysis included the following sources of the mentions and queries: Twitter, Facebook, online portals, and forums. Data on the COVID-19 vaccination uptake in Poland was also considered.Results and discussionA total of 34,596,976 vaccination-related mentions were included in the analysis. Kendall's tau correlation showed a positive statistical association between the daily number of mentions and the number of queries related to vaccination throughout the studied period (τ = 0.66). There was a moderate positive linear association between the number of queries and the number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered in Poland (&lt;i&gt;R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/i&gt; = 0.59). There was a weak positive linear association between the number of mentions and the number of COVID-19 vaccinations in Poland (&lt;i&gt;R&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/i&gt; = 0.23).ConclusionsWith the increase in the number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered in Poland, corresponding increase in online vaccination-related searches (queries) occurred. Routine analysis of Google Trends combined with Internet and social media monitoring can provide reliable insight regarding public sentiment towards vaccination. Such analysis play a crucial role in formulating health policies and developing educational and promotional initiatives related to vaccination.

Comparison of serum prostate specific antigen (PSA), soluble E-cadherin (sE-cad), and inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase-2 (IMPDH-2) as aggressive prostate cancer predictors

BackgroundThis study aimed to compare serum prostate specific antigen (PSA), Soluble E-cadherin (sE-cad), and Inosine Monophosphate Dehydrogenase-2 in predicting prostate cancer aggressiveness by determining their correlations with Gleason score and International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) Grade Groups.MethodsThis was a hospital-based descriptive quantitative cross-sectional study whereby we enrolled 48 newly diagnosed prostate adenocarcinoma patients in the study. Their serum was analysed for PSA, sE-cad, and IMPDH-2. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to test the correlation between the serum sE-cad and Gleason score while Spearman rho correlation coefficient was used for PSA and IMPDH-2. The correlation coefficient (r) was graded as very weak (< 0.3), weak (0.3–0.4), moderate (0.5–0.6), or strong (≥ 0.7), while the magnitude was determined by calculating the coefficient of determination for the respective analysis (R2). The correlation between the biomarkers and the ISUP Grade groups was determined using the Kendall tau correlation coefficient (τ). All levels of statistical significance were set at p < 0.05.ResultsThe mean age of the subjects was 69.4 years. The Means of serum PSA, sE-cad, and IMPDH-2 were 47.2 ng/ml, 136.5 ng/ml, and 89.8 pg/ml respectively. Serum PSA weakly correlated with both Gleason score (r = 0.3, p = 0.04) and ISUP grade groups (τ = 0.3, p = 0.02). The magnitude was 0.097. Similarly, serum sE-cad correlated weakly with both Gleason scores (r = 0.4, p = 0.01), and ISUP Grade Groups (τ = 0.3, p = 0.005). The magnitude was 0.134. However, serum IMPDH-2 neither correlated with Gleason score (r = 0.03, p = 0.86) nor ISUP Grade Groups (τ = 0.004, p = 0.97). Serum sE-cad did not outperform both IMPDH-2 (p = 0.91) or PSA (p = 0.23) in predicting the Gleason score.ConclusionsSerum sE-cad best predicted aggressive prostate cancer but did not statistically outperform serum PSA or IMPDH-2. Hence, neither of the three are reliable predictors of aggressive prostate cancer.

Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-10 as a Predictor of Mortality in Elderly with COVID-19.

The age group at the most high risk for mortality due to SARS-CoV-2 infection was the elderly. This study aims to analyze markers that can predict the severity and mortality of elderly COVID-19 patients. This study used a cohort retrospective design. We include adult and elderly COVID-19 patients at Universitas Airlangga Hospital from March to August 2021. The sample used was 48 COVID-19 patients with positive real-time polymerase chain reaction swab results. We check the complete blood count and serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-10 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay during admission. Data were analyzed using t -test, Mann-Whitney, Chi-square, Pearson, and Kendall Tau correlation. Leukocyte level (6.6 ± 2.5) was lowest in the severe-critical elderly group. Neutrophil level (75.3 ± 10.2) was highest in the mild-moderate elderly group. Lymphocyte level (18.8 ± 8.7) was highest in mild-moderate nonelderly group. Platelet level (279.0 ± 117.7) was highest in the mild-moderate elderly group. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio level (9.1 ± 9.4) was highest in the severe-critical nonelderly group, IL-6 level (98.6 ± 144.1) was highest in the severe-critical elderly group, IL-10 level (107.7 ± 47.7) was highest in the severe-critical elderly group and highest IL-6/IL-10 level (1.4 ± 1.7) was found in the mild-moderate elderly group no significant differences in biomarkers identification between the elderly and nonelderly groups. There was a substantial relationship between IL-10 levels and gender, IL-10 level, and hospital discharge condition. Female elderly patients and alive elderly patients were correlated with increased levels of IL-10.

Assessing predictions on fitness effects of missense variants in HMBS in CAGI6.

This paper presents an evaluation of predictions submitted for the "HMBS" challenge, a component of the sixth round of the Critical Assessment of Genome Interpretation held in 2021. The challenge required participants to predict the effects of missense variants of the human HMBS gene on yeast growth. The HMBS enzyme, critical for the biosynthesis of heme in eukaryotic cells, is highly conserved among eukaryotes. Despite the application of a variety of algorithms and methods, the performance of predictors was relatively similar, with Kendall's tau correlation coefficients between predictions and experimental scores around 0.3 for a majority of submissions. Notably, the median correlation (≥ 0.34) observed among these predictors, especially the top predictions from different groups, was greater than the correlation observed between their predictions and the actual experimental results. Most predictors were moderately successful in distinguishing between deleterious and benign variants, as evidenced by an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of approximately 0.7 respectively. Compared with the recent two rounds of CAGI competitions, we noticed more predictors outperformed the baseline predictor, which is solely based on the amino acid frequencies. Nevertheless, the overall accuracy of predictions is still far short of positive control, which is derived from experimental scores, indicating the necessity for considerable improvements in the field. The most inaccurately predicted variants in this round were associated with the insertion loop, which is absent in many orthologs, suggesting the predictors still heavily rely on the information from multiple sequence alignment.