Significance Level Research Articles

Validating instructional practice scale for university instructors in Ethiopia

Background Measurement is essential for methods of instruction to be successful. Having an instrument that is reliable and validated in the given setting is vital. The primary goal of this research project is to validate the instructional practice scale (IPS) for university instructors in the Ethiopian context. Methods By implementing a cross-sectional descriptive survey research design, 1,254 participants across four public universities – Arbaminch, Dilla, Wachamo, and Jinka representing the first, second, third, and fourth generations, respectively were randomly selected and participated. The data was split in half and underwent an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results The three components of the EFA were alternately filled with seventeen items that satisfied certain standards, had a loading value of > .5, and a Cronbach alpha of ≥ .874. The factors identified in the EFA have been confirmed to be the thirteen items with loading, Cronbach alpha, Raykov’s rho coefficient (rho_A), composite reliability (CR) value of >.7, and Average Variance Explained (AVE) value of > .5. Tests of measurement and structural models showed a good fit. The Fornell-Larcker criterion, which is employed in discriminant validity analysis, demonstrates that the square root of the AVE for each construct is higher than the correlation it exhibits with other constructs. The correlations’ heterotrait–monotrait (HTMT) ratio is getting close to zero, and there isn’t one in the confidence interval at the.05 significance level. Both guaranteed strong discriminant validity. Conclusion For university instructors, the 13 items generally have powerful psychometric properties. The three subsections of the instruction practice scale—planning (4 indicators), delivering (4 indicators), and assessment (5 indicators) — are meant to measure the instructional practice effectively. Implications of the findings were further discussed.

MEASURING TH INFLUENCE OF E-SERVICE QUALITY TOWARD E-CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND E-CUSTOMER LOYALTY ON ONLINE STORE BUYING BEHAVIOUR

This research is aimed to analyze the effect of e-service quality on e- customer satisfaction and e-customer loyalty. item questionnaire used as many as 20 items. Data collection is done by distributing questionnaires to customers who at least routinely shop once in a month in one or more online store in Indonesia with the number of samples of 275 respondents determined by nonprobability sampling method. Data analysis technique used is Partial Least Square-Path Modeling Reflective Multidimensional Construct (Second Order Construct) with SmartPLS 3.0 software and 5% significance level. The results obtained in this study are e-service quality has direct effect to e- customer satisfaction, e-satisfaction has a direct effect on e-customer loyalty, e- service quality has direct effect on e-customer loyalty, and e-service quality has indirect effect to e-customer loyalty through e-customer satisfaction. The advice for the company is to improve online-based services online both in terms of management and infrastructure. Suggestions for future researchers are able to refine with better theories and data and research not only on the e-commerce sector but also in other technology-based business areas.

Psychiatric Symptoms, Cognition, and Symptom Severity in Children

Mental illnesses are a leading cause of disability globally, and functional disability is often in part caused by cognitive impairments across psychiatric disorders. However, studies have consistently reported seemingly opposite findings regarding the association between cognition and psychiatric symptoms. To determine if the association between general cognition and mental health symptoms diverges at different symptom severities in children. A total of 5175 children with complete data at 2 time points assessed 2 years apart (aged 9 to 11 years at the first assessment) from the ongoing Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study were evaluated for a general cognition factor and mental health symptoms from September 2016 to August 2020 at 21 sites across the US. Polynomial and generalized additive models afforded derivation of continuous associations between cognition and psychiatric symptoms across different ranges of symptom severity. Data were analyzed from December 2022 to April 2024. Aggregate cognitive test scores (general cognition) were primarily evaluated in relation to total and subscale-specific symptoms reported from the Child Behavioral Checklist. The sample included 5175 children (2713 male [52.4%] and 2462 female [47.6%]; mean [SD] age, 10.9 [1.18] years). Previously reported mixed findings regarding the association between general cognition and symptoms may consist of several underlying, opposed associations that depend on the class and severity of symptoms. Linear models recovered differing associations between general cognition and mental health symptoms, depending on the range of symptom severities queried. Nonlinear models confirm that internalizing symptoms were significantly positively associated with cognition at low symptom burdens higher cognition = more symptoms) and significantly negatively associated with cognition at high symptom burdens. The association between mental health symptoms and general cognition in this study was nonlinear. Internalizing symptoms were both positively and negatively associated with general cognition at a significant level, depending on the range of symptom severities queried in the analysis sample. These results appear to reconcile mixed findings in prior studies, which implicitly assume that symptom severity tracks linearly with cognitive ability across the entire spectrum of mental health. As the association between cognition and symptoms may be opposite in low vs high symptom severity samples, these results reveal the necessity of clinical enrichment in studies of cognitive impairment.

Analysis of Hydrological Changes in the Fuhe River Basin in the Context of Climate Change

Against the backdrop of global warming, assessing the effects of climate change on hydrological processes is crucial for local water resource management. Variations in temperature, precipitation, and runoff at four different timescales in the Fuhe River Basin were evaluated based on observational data collected from 1960 to 2020 using the Mann–Kendall test. The findings indicated significant increases in average temperatures for the annual, flood season, and non-flood season periods, rising by 0.0197, 0.0145, and 0.0278 °C every annum, respectively (p < 0.01). Precipitation exhibited non-significant upward trends at all timescales (p > 0.1). The trend in flood season runoff was also non-significantly upward, whereas annual runoff and non-flood season runoff displayed non-significant downward trends (p > 0.1). Flood season temperature decreased with increasing altitude, exhibiting a significant Pearson correlation coefficient of −0.744 at the 0.01 level. Conversely, annual, flood, and non-flood season precipitation significantly increased with increasing altitude, with Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.678 at the 0.01 level, 0.695 at the 0.01 level, and 0.558 at the 0.05 significance level, respectively. Precipitation and runoff exhibited similar trends throughout the year, increasing initially and then decreasing over time, reaching maximum values in June. Climate change is likely responsible for the hydrological alterations in the study basin. The findings of the study could provide references for water resource management decisions in the Fuhe River Basin.

Comparative analysis of COVID-19 diagnoses and mortality among hospitalized indigenous and non-indigenous populations in Chile: 2020-2021.

Current literature presents mixed effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous communities. We aim to highlight potential disparities and temporal shifts in both the impact of COVID-19 and vaccine uptake among hospitalized Indigenous populations in Chile. We conducted an observational analysis utilizing 1,598,492 hospitalization records from 2020 to 2021 based on publicly accessible hospital discharge data spanning 65 healthcare facilities of medium and high complexity funded through the Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG) mechanism in Chile, representing roughly 70% of the country's total hospitalizations. This was supplemented with publicly available municipal data on COVID-19 vaccinations and socio-demographic variables. We performed logistic regression analysis at 0.05 level of significance to assess the bivariate and multivariable association of Indigenous status with COVID-19 diagnosis and COVID-19 deaths among hospitalized populations. We also performed univariate and multiple linear regression to assess the association of COVID-19 vaccination rate and Indigenous status at the municipality level. In addition, we report the distribution of top 10 secondary diagnoses among hospitalized COVID-19 cases and deaths separately for Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. Indigenous populations displayed lower adjusted odds for both COVID-19 diagnosis (OR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.74, 0.77) and death (OR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.85, 0.97) when compared to non-Indigenous groups. Notably, the adjusted odds ratio for COVID-19 diagnosis in Indigenous populations rose from 0.59 (95% CI: 0.57, 0.61) in 2020 to 1.17 (95% CI: 1.13, 1.21) in 2021. Factors such as the significantly higher median age and greater number of comorbidities in the non-Indigenous hospitalized groups could account for their increased odds of COVID-19 diagnosis and mortality. Additionally, our data indicates a significantly negative adjusted association between COVID-19 vaccination rates and the proportion of Indigenous individuals. Although Indigenous populations initially showed lower odds of COVID-19 diagnosis and mortality, a marked rise in diagnosis odds among these groups in 2021 underscores the urgency of targeted interventions. The observed negative association between the proportion of Indigenous populations and vaccination rates further underscores the necessity to tackle vaccine access barriers and work towards equitable distribution.

Attitude towards artificial intelligence among medical students in Kerala

Objectives: Surveys conducted on a global scale have revealed a significant level of importance in artificial intelligence (AI) among medical pupils’. There have been no inquiries overseen in Kerala to explore the opinions of medical students regarding the consumption of AI in health care or their level of understanding of AI. We seek to evaluate the depths of Kerala’s medical learners concerning AI, both in the field of health care and its potential integration into the medical program. Methods: A digital scrutiny apparatus was created through a thorough examination of existing text and collaboration with doyens in the field. The inquiry was tested with a trio of medical learners and improved based on their valuable input. We distributed a digital probe to all medical pupils in Kerala, which amounted to around 20,000 students. The survey was available for responses from April 1st, 2024 to June 1st, 2024. The students’ responses were carefully analysed, both in terms of categories and the content of their free text comments. The analysis was conducted using open coding techniques to ensure a thorough qualitative analysis. Results: In total, 1000 students provided comprehensive answers to all the questions. A significant proportion of students (82.0%) fell within the age range of 20-29 years, pursuing medicine as their undergraduate degree (85%). Many students showed a keen interest in AI, with a significant majority (79.9%) expressing their curiosity. A large percentage (83.1%) asserted to have a basic realizing of AI, but when it came to the fundamental computational principles of AI, only a minority (39.8%) agreed that they grasped them. Similarly, more than half of the students (51.6%) acknowledged their lack of knowledge regarding the limitations of AI. Most students (81.1%) had not obtained any instruction in AI. A significant portion of students (57.3%) expressed their support for incorporating AI into medical training, while a majority (76.2%) expressed a desire for increased emphasis on teaching AI in medicine. A significant portion (61.3%) of medical students expressed a lack of worry about the potential effect of AI on their job safety as doctors. According to the survey, the majority of students believe that radiology, pathology, and medical administration are the specialties that will be most affected by AI. On the other hand, psychiatry, palliative care, and obstetrics and gynaecology are considered to be the least likely to be stuck by AI. Through qualitative study of the free text notes, it was discovered that AI is viewed as a valuable tool rather than a replacement for doctors. This finding emerged as a common theme. Conclusion: It seems that medical students in Kerala have shown a keen interest in AI. However, their knowledge about AI is limited and they feel they lack a deep understanding of its fundamental computational principles and limitations. It seems that AI is currently lacking in the medical curriculum in Kerala and India, and a majority of surveyed students expressed their support for its implementation. These findings align with previous surveys conducted on a global scale.

Geographical location as a determinant of caregiver burden: a rural-urban analysis of the informal caregiving, health, and healthcare survey in Ghana.

The caregiving scholarship widely acknowledges informal caregivers' contributions to maintaining older adults' health and well-being. However, informal caregivers encounter economic, physical, social, financial and psychological challenges when caring for older adults. The caregiving literature has shown variations in caregiving intensity and motivation between rural and urban informal caregivers of older adults. This situation is likely to result in rural-urban disparities in caregiver burden. However, the literature on predictors of caregiver burden is more focused on demographic, socio-economic, caregiving and health-related factors with very little attention to geographical dynamics. For this reason, the effects of demographic, socio-economic, caregiving, and health-related factors on the variations in caregiver burden between rural and urban informal caregivers of older adults are yet to be known in the sub-Saharan African context, including Ghana. Notably, the impact of geographical location on caregiver burden is mainly missing in the informal caregiving literature in Ghana. Situated within the stress process model, we determine the association between geographical location and caregiver burden among informal caregivers of older adults in Ghana. This study employed data from a large cross-sectional survey on informal caregiving, health, and healthcare among caregivers of older adults aged 50 years or above (N = 1,853) in Ghana. We selected the World Health Organization Impact of Caregiving Scale to measure caregiver burden. Generalized multivariable linear regression models were employed to determine the association between geographical location and caregiver burden among informal caregivers of older adults. We reported beta values and standard errors with significance levels of 0.05 or less. The results showed that rural informal caregivers of older adults significantly have a decreased caregiver burden compared to urban informal caregivers (β = -1.64; SE = 0.41). Also, participants across all the self-rated health categories (poor/very poor: β = 12.63; SE = 1.65; fair: β = 9.56; SE = 1.07; good: β = 11.00; SE = 0.61, very good: β = 7.03; SE = 0.49) have a significantly increased caregiver burden for the full sample and for both rural (poor/very poor: β = 13.88; SE = 2.4; fair: β = 6.11; SE = 1.62; good: β = 9.97; SE = 0.96, very good: β = 6.06; SE = 0.71) and urban (poor/very poor: β = 11.86; SE = 2.25; fair: β = 12.33; SE = 1.42; good: β = 11.80; SE = 0.79, very good: β = 7.90; SE = 0.67) participants. This study further revealed that participants with no financial support needs reported a decreased caregiver burden compared to those with financial support needs for the full sample (β = -2.92, p-value < 0.01) and for both rural (β = -3.20; p-value < 0.01) and urban (β =-2.70; p-value < 0.01) participants. The findings from this study underscore geographical location differences in caregiver burden among informal caregivers of older adults in Ghana. Given these findings, the need to consider geographical location variations in providing welfare and health support programs to lessen caregiver burden among informal caregivers of older adults is welcomed. In line with the stress process model, such welfare and health programs should consider background, context, and stressor factors that contribute to variations in caregiver burden between rural and urban informal caregivers of older adults in Ghana and other sub-Saharan African countries.

Utilizing multiclassifier radiomics analysis of ultrasound to predict high axillary lymph node tumour burden in node-positive breast cancer patients: a multicentre study

Background The tumor burden within the axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) constitutes a pivotal factor in breast cancer, serving as the primary determinant for treatment decisions and exhibiting a close correlation with prognosis. Objective This study aimed to investigate the potential of ultrasound-based radiomics and clinical characteristics in non-invasively distinguishing between low tumor burden (1-2 positive nodes) and high tumor burden (more than 2 positive nodes) in patients with node-positive breast cancer. Methods A total of 215 patients with node-positive breast cancer, who underwent preoperative ultrasound examinations, were enrolled in this study. Among these patients, 144 cases were allocated to the training set, 37 cases to the validation set, and 34 cases to the testing set. Postoperative histopathology was used to determine the status of ALN tumor burden. The region of interest for breast cancer was delineated on the ultrasound image. Nine models were developed to predict high ALN tumor burden, employing a combination of three feature screening methods and three machine learning classifiers. Ultimately, the optimal model was selected and tested on both the validation and testing sets. In addition, clinical characteristics were screened to develop a clinical model. Furthermore, Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) values were utilized to provide explanations for the machine learning model. Results During the validation and testing sets, the models demonstrated area under the curve (AUC) values ranging from 0.577 to 0.733 and 0.583 to 0.719, and accuracies ranging from 64.9% to 75.7% and 64.7% to 70.6%, respectively. Ultimately, the Boruta_XGB model, comprising five radiomics features, was selected as the final model. The AUC values of this model for distinguishing low from high tumor burden were 0.828, 0.715, and 0.719 in the training, validation, and testing sets, respectively, demonstrating its superiority over the clinical model. Conclusions The developed radiomics models exhibited a significant level of predictive performance. The Boruta_XGB radiomics model outperformed other radiomics models in this study.

Associations of School-Level Factors and School Sport Facility Parameters with Overweight and Obesity among Children and Adolescents in Pakistan: An Empirical Cross-Sectional Study

Childhood overweight and obesity are increasingly prevalent in Pakistan, posing significant public health challenges. This study explores the associations of school-level factors and school sports facility parameters with overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in Pakistan. A cross-sectional study across seven random districts in Punjab province, Pakistan, was conducted using a representative multistage random cluster sample. Underweight (BMI &lt; 5th percentile), overweight (85th ≤ BMI &lt; 95th percentile), and obese (95th percentile ≤ BMI) were defined using the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) 2000 criteria. Statistical analyses including the Chi-square test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regression were performed to investigate predictive characteristics. Logistic regression analysis assessed the simultaneous impact of several covariates on dichotomous outcomes, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) computed and a significance level set at p &lt; 0.05. The study included 4108 Pakistani school children aged 9 to 17 years (mean age = 13.92 years, 59.3% boys) from 62 schools. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 19.4% and 10.7%, respectively. Findings revealed a concerning lack of physical education activities (60% reported 0 sessions per week), morning exercise (60%), and classroom exercises (66%) among school-aged children. Leadership attitudes toward physical education (β = 0.04, p = 0.006) and students’ satisfaction with the playground (β = 0.05, p = 0.015) showed significant associations with body weight status. Conversely, provision of physical education facilities, effective fund utilization for physical education, meeting school sports facility requirements, and weekend opening of school sports grounds did not significantly impact weight status. Satisfaction with the playground was significantly associated with a lower risk of overweight (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.69–0.95, p &lt; 0.05), indicating reduced overweight likelihood among students satisfied with school playgrounds. The study underscores significant gaps in promoting physical activity within school environments and highlights the urgent need for interventions to enhance physical education resources and sports facilities, aiming to create healthier school environments and reduce overweight and obesity prevalence among students. Further research and interventions are crucial for promoting lifelong physical activity habits and improving student health and well-being.

Tumor size measurements predicted by digital mammography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging in primary invasive breast cancer disease

Background and objective: The size of the tumor significantly influences the prognosis and treatment approach for breast cancer patients. The aim of this study was to find the most accurate imaging method for estimating pre-treatment tumor size in women with newly diagnosed primary invasive breast cancer by comparing the predicted tumor size obtained from mammography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging with the pathologic size obtained from the surgical specimens. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 181 primary invasive breast cancer patients from September 2021 to March 2023. The difference in tumor size was evaluated based on imaging and pathological reports. Variables such as age, breast density, and tumor characteristics like histologic type, grade, location, and side were recorded and analyzed. The American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System was used for reporting. Data analysis, performed using SPSS Statistics software, included descriptive statistics, Spearman's correlation coefficient, and Lin's index. The statistical significance level was set at P &lt;0.05. Results: The mean tumor size was 29.68, 29.07, 28.37, and 27.7mm by mammography, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, and pathology, respectively. All diagnostic procedures revealed a statistically significant correlation with pathologic tumor size with the Spearman correlation test, P = 0.000. MRI had the highest Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (0.93). Conclusion: The study determined that all imaging modalities were accurate in estimating tumor size when compared to the gold standard of pathological specimens and that magnetic resonance imaging outperformed digital mammography and ultrasonography.

Long-lasting insecticidal nets use and the prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care at the Bonassama District Hospital, Littoral Region of Cameroon: a cross-sectional study.

Malaria during pregnancy continues to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality for both infants and mothers, particularly in sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, despite increased efforts to control it. The utilization of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) during pregnancy is a well-established strategy to reduce the prevalence of malaria. Nonetheless, inadequate adherence remains a persistent challenge in certain regions with high malaria endemicity. This research aimed to assess the effectiveness of long-lasting insecticidal nets in preventing asymptomatic malaria infections among pregnant women attending antenatal care at the Bonassama District Hospital in the Littoral Region of Cameroon. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June 2022. Data on sociodemographic characteristics and LLIN usage were collected through a structured questionnaire, while asymptomatic malaria infections were identified using a PfHRP2/pLDH malaria qualitative rapid diagnostic kit. The relationship between categorical variables was analyzed using the chi-square test and logistic regression at a significance level of 5%. Out of the 411 pregnant women included in the study, 35.4% were diagnosed with malaria. The LLIN utilization rate was 65.1%. The risk of malaria infection was 2.7 times higher (AOR = 2.75, 95% CI = 1.83-4.14, p < 0.001) among women who did not consistently use LLINs compared to those who did. Pregnant women in their first trimester (AOR = 3.40, 95% CI = 1.24-4.64, p = 0.010) and second trimester (AOR = 1.90, 95%CI = 0.99-3.62, p = 0.055) were more likely to sleep under net when compared to those in the third trimester. Younger women 20-29 years (71.4%), those in the first trimester (69.6%) and those who had the nets before pregnancy (68.9%) were amongst those who frequently used use the nets. Among the reasons reported for not frequently using LLINs were heat (55.2%), suffocation (13.6%) and the smell of nets (8.4%). The use of LLIN was moderately high among the participants in this study, though still below national target. Age group, religion and gestation period were the major factors determining the use of LLINs. Considering the proven effectiveness of LLINs in reducing malaria morbidity and mortality, it is imperative for the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) to remain focused in promoting both LLIN ownership and utilization to achieve the national target of 100% and 80%, respectively.

Социальные представления современной молодежи об успешной женщине

The issue of success in modern individuals is a pertinent subject of scientific inquiry. It acquires special importance in the context of considering the ideas of the younger generation as a part of society that determines the prospects for its development and is most responsive to social changes. The article examines the peculiarities of the ideas about the success of residents of various urbanized environments – metropolises and small towns belonging to the youth age group. Emphasis is placed on studying the phenomenon of female success and the representation of the corresponding image in public consciousness. The empirical part of the article presents the specifics of how modern youth from metropolises and small towns perceive a successful woman. The data collection methods employed in the study included the semantic differential and the free association technique. The results were processed using both qualitative methods (prototypical association analysis) and quantitative methods (Mann – Whitney U–test, factor analysis by the principal component method). As a result of the study, the hypothesis that there are differences in the ideas of a successful woman among young people in large and small cities was confirmed at a statistically significant level.

Influence of Workload, Job Stress And Compensation on Employee Performance At Kopi Kampoeng Id

This study aims to determine the effect of workload, work stress and compensation on the performance of Kampoeng Id Coffee employees. This type of research is quantitative. The population in this study were Kopi Kampoeng Id employees. The sampling technique used saturated sampling technique with a sample of 30 respondents which were processed using SPSS Statistics 25 software. The data collection technique uses a questionnaire that has been tested for validity and reliability. The data analysis technique used is multiple linear regression analysis. The results of this study indicate that the three research variables have a partial effect, namely with the provisions of the influence of significance that has been tested with SPSS which shows each number in the following variables : t count &gt; t table, namely 2.853 &gt; 1,706 and significant level 0,028 &gt; 0,05 variable workload partially significant effect on employee performance. t count &gt; t table, namely 2,168 &gt; 1,706 and significant level 0,025 &gt; 0,05 the variable of work stress has a significant effect on employee performance. t count &gt; t table, namely 3,355 &gt; 1,706 and significant level 0,019 &gt; 0,05 compensation variables have a significant effect on employee performance. Then simultaneous testing which can be seen from the F value of the variable Workload, work stress, and compensation has a significant effect on employee performance. These results is indicated by the F test obtained Fcount &gt;Ftable, namely 5,551 &gt; 2,98 and Sig. F 0,018 &lt; 0,05. Test the coefficient of determination (Adjusted R Square) that the dependent variable Karuawan's performance (Y) can be explained 45.9% by the independent variables Workload (X1), Work Stress (X2), and Compensation (X3). While the remaining 54.1% is influenced by other variables not examined in this study. The multiple linear analysis test shows that the variable that has the dominant influence on workload is indicated by the greatest beta coefficient value, namely 0.534.

Effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning to Develop Mathematical Competencies at the Postgraduate Level

The objective of the article is to determine the effectiveness of PBL to develop the mathematical competencies of postgraduate students. The methodology used was quantitative with a correlational scope. The study participants were a total of 29 postgraduate students in administration. The instrument used was the questionnaire to obtain information on the effectiveness of PBL. The data were organized with the SPSS 25 statistical program that allowed us to calculate: descriptive statistics such as the mean (M) and standard deviation (SD), the Shapiro-Wilks test and Pearson correlations (r) with a level of significance (p) of 0.05. The main results are: The significant direct associations were greater satisfaction regarding the use of technology (r = 0.789, p = 0.00); with their academic performance (r = 0.854, p = 0.00); promote collaborative work (r = 0.811, p = 0.00); encourage mathematical learning (r= 0.791, p = 0.00); analyze and discuss the contents through problems (r = 0.825, p =0.00).

CT- and MR-based image-based data mining are consistent in the brain

PurposeImage-based data mining (IBDM) is a voxel-based analysis technique to investigate dose–response. Most often, IBDM uses radiotherapy planning CTs because of their broad accessibility, however, it was unknown whether CT provided sufficient soft tissue contrast for brain IBDM. This study evaluates whether MR-based IBDM improves upon CT-based IBDM for studies of children with brain tumours. MethodsWe compared IBDM pipelines using either CT- or MRI-based spatial normalisation in 128 children (ages 3.3–19.7 years) who received photon radiotherapy for primary brain tumours at a single institution. We quantified spatial-normalisation accuracy using contour comparison measures (centre-of-mass separation, average contour distance-to-agreement (DTavg), and Hausdorff distance) at multiple anatomic loci. We performed an end-to-end test of CT- and MRI-IBDM using modified clinical dose distributions and simulated effect labels to detect associations in pre-defined anatomic loci. Accuracy was assessed via sensitivity and specificity. ResultsSpatial normalisation accuracy was comparable for both modalities, with a significant but small improvement for MRI compared to CT in all structures except the brainstem. The median (range) difference between the DTavg for the two pipelines was 0.37 (0.00–2.91) mm. The end-to-end test revealed no significant difference in sensitivity of the IBDM-identified regions for the two pipelines. Specificity slightly improved for MR-IBDM at the 99% significance level. ConclusionCT-based IBDM was comparable to MR-based IBDM, despite a small advantage in spatial normalisation accuracy with MRI. The use of CT-IBDM over MR-IBDM is useful for multi-institutional retrospective IBDM studies, where the availability of standardised MRI data can be limited.

The Effect of Service Quality in Sports Businesses on Customer Satisfaction

Sports businesses need to improve their service quality to achieve their goals continuously. Enterprises that can achieve this will have a positive effect on customer satisfaction and will be able to sustain their existence and allow their businesses to grow. The problem statement of the research is "Is there a relationship between perceived service quality and customer satisfaction in sports businesses?". In this direction, the research aims to examine the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction in enterprises in terms of different demographic variables. The population of the study consisted of 885 members who receive active service in Mugla Culture Art Sports Center and Trade LLC sports enterprises. The sample consisted of 375 people over the age of 18, 123 of whom were female and 252 of whom were male. To collect the data needed for the research, the personal information form prepared by the researchers, the Sports Facilities Customer Satisfaction Scale (SFCSS) developed by Yıldırım (2017), and the Fitness Centers Service Quality Scale (FCSQS) developed by Sevilmiş (2019) was used. The data were collected a face-to-face questionnaire technique. SPSS 26.0 package program was used to analyze the collected data. Frequency and percentage analyses were used to determine the demographic structure of the data. A T-test was used to investigate the relationship between two independent variables and a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine the relationship between three or more variables. Statistical analyses were interpreted based on a p&amp;lt;0.05 significance level. The results of the analyses showed that the Cronbach Alpha values of the scales and sub-dimensions were highly reliable. The findings revealed a strong and positive relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction (r=0.613, p&amp;lt;0.01). This means that customer satisfaction increases with the increase in service quality in sports facilities.

Bridge Profile and Vehicle Property Determination Using Vehicle Fleet Monitoring Concept

Over the past 20 years, drive-by monitoring, using data from sensors in passing vehicles, has become increasingly popular due to its low cost and high efficiency at a network level. Despite significant advances, the dynamics of vehicles remains one of the main challenges to overcome before accurately identifying critical information about the infrastructure being crossed, bridges or road pavements. This paper introduces a novel approach to estimating bridge profiles (i.e. road surface profiles on the bridges) and vehicle properties using a fleet of passing vehicles. In this method, bridge profiles are first calculated using the innovative Inverse Newmark-beta integration method, and the cross-entropy optimization algorithm is employed to solve the problem. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed approach is highly effective in extracting bridge profiles and predicting vehicle properties, even in scenarios with significant levels of measurement noise.

Analysis of Sexually Transmitted Infections during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

Objective: To analyze the trend and impact that COVID-19 had on the notifications of STIs (HIV/AIDS, Syphilis, HBV, and HCV) in Brazil. Methods: This is an ecological study, analyzing the temporal trend of STIs notifications based on the detection rate of infections across the five geographical regions of Brazil from 2015 to 2021. The trend analysis from 2015 to 2021 was conducted using a linear regression model for historical series. To assess the impact of the pandemic, the expected cases were compared with the observed cases for the years 2015 to 2021. A significance level of 5% was established, with trend analyses conducted using the Joinpoint Regression Program, and the expected values were estimated using the R software. Results: The results demonstrate that there was a sharp decrease in the detection rates of mandatory notifiable STIs in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic period, and this trend was reflected across all regions of the country. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a reduction in STIs notifications. These results support the establishment of surveillance and health care strategies to minimize the impact of delays in the diagnosis and treatment of these infections.

The Influence of Human Capital and Spiritual Capital on Employee Performance in the District Head Office

This research was conducted with the aim of knowing and analyzing the influence of human capital on employee performance at the Central City District Head Office, Gorontalo City; knowing and analyzing the influence of spiritual capital on employee performance at the Central City Subdistrict Office, Gorontalo City; determine and analyze the influence of human capital and spiritual capital together on employee performance at the Central City District Head Office, Gorontalo City. The analytical method used is a quantitative data analysis method, using a multiple linear regression model. The research population was all employees of the Central City District Head Office, 38 people using purposive sampling, 38 people were obtained using census techniques. The results of the research show that in partial testing, Human Capital and Spiritual Capital have a significant effect on employee performance at the Central City District Head Office. The results of simultaneous calculations show that the Fcount value of 327.063 is greater than the Ftable value of 3.259 with a significance level of F of 0.000 which is a value smaller than 0.05, so it can be concluded that together Human Capital and Spiritual Capital have a significant influence on employee performance at the City District Head Office. Middle. For the Adjusted R Square value of 0.944, it means that 94.4% of the two independent variables Human Capital and Spiritual Capital together can explain the model of this research and the remaining 5.6% is explained by other variables or factors that were not studied.

Unveiling the composite rejuvenator efficacy on performance improvement of asphalt binder including high RAP contents

Since the incompatibility between crumb rubber (CR) and reclaimed asphalt binder (RAB) can cause sedimentation and limit its application, this study employed waste cooking oil (WCO) to pre-treat CR particles at different CR/WCO ratios, and assessed its impact on performance of asphalt binders including 30 % and 50 % RABs. Anti-aging and rejuvenation potentials of corresponding composite rejuvenators in binder blends were explored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) tests, while the performance of corresponding binder blends was evaluated by bending beam rheometer (BBR), linear amplitude sweep (LAS), and multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) tests. Furthermore, correlation analyses were performed to explore the relationships between the chemical and rheological parameters with a significance level below 0.05. The results confirmed the rejuvenation efficacy of composite rejuvenators in high RAB, and improvement in the critical low temperature of binder blends to a higher performance grade (PG) level compared to the non-treated CR modified binder. In addition, the fatigue cracking resistance was improved at the strain levels higher than 4 % in LAS test. However, the pre-swelled CR fairly compromised the rutting performance of binder blends compared to non-treated CR, its performance was still better than virgin binder. The correlation analysis suggested that it is possible to use chemical parameters as indicators for evaluating certain rheological properties.