Significance Level Research Articles

Age-Matched Comparative Analysis of Binocular Vision Anomalies among Children with Dyslexia in Northern Nigeria

Background: Dyslexia, a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting reading skills, poses significant challenges to children’s academic performance and quality of life. Despite its rising prevalence and adverse effects, understanding of its relationship with vision anomalies remains limited, particularly in low-resource settings like Nigeria. This study aims to assess the prevalence of binocular vision anomalies (BVAs) among children with and without dyslexia in Kano, Nigeria. Methods: This is a hospital-based, cross-sectional, matched-paired, controlled study conducted at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) Eye Clinic in Northern Nigeria. The study included school children who visited the AKTH Eye Clinic from January 2018 to December 2022. Visual acuity tests, external eye examinations and accommodative, binocular vision and oculomotor skills tests were conducted. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, Mann–Whitney U tests and Fisher’s exact tests were conducted, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: Forty-four children aged 12 ± 2 years participated. Children with dyslexia reported higher rates of visual symptoms than those without dyslexia, Blurring vision, visual distortion and eye strain were the most prevalent (p < 0.05) BV symptoms. Accommodative insufficiency), was the most common visual abnormality, and was significantly higher in children with dyslexia than those without dyslexia (45.5% vs. 18.2%). However, other visual anomalies showed no significant difference between groups. There was a high prevalence of binocular vision anomalies in both groups. Binocular test findings showed dyslexic children had significantly lower distance positive fusional vergence recovery values (p = 0.005). All cases of convergence insufficiency alone were found in the non-dyslexic group. Conclusions: The study found that children with dyslexia residing in Northern Nigeria demonstrated higher rates of visual symptoms, more accommodative insufficiency and lower distance positive fusional vergence recovery values compared to their non-dyslexic counterparts.

Virtual Classroom Competences Required by Electrical Installation and Maintenance Works Trade Teachers in Technical Colleges in Yobe State, Nigeria

This study investigated the virtual classroom proficiencies needed by Electrical Installation and Maintenance Works trade teachers in Technical Colleges in Yobe State, Nigeria. Employing a descriptive survey research design, the population of the study was 69 individuals, comprising 53 teachers and 16 ICT experts from eight Technical Colleges in Yobe State, Nigeria. Due to the manageable size of the population, the entire population was included in the study, eliminating the need for sampling. Data collection utilized the "Technical Colleges Virtual Classroom Competency Questionnaire (TCVCCQ)," structured with responses on a 5-point scale. Validation of the instrument was performed by three experts from the Department of Electrical/Electronic Technology Education, Federal College of Education (Technical), Potiskum, Yobe State, resulting in a reliability index of 0.82 determined through the Cronbach Alpha technique. Mean statistics were employed to analyze data for the research questions, while hypotheses were tested at a significance level of 0.05 using a t-test. The findings revealed a lack of proficiency among teachers in utilizing participant panels and video play features within virtual classrooms. The study recommends that principals arrange in-house workshops for teachers to acquire requisite proficiency in using participant panel features, and further suggests consultation with video experts to enhance the quality of instructional videos for improved utilization of video play features within virtual classrooms.

The Treatment Needs and Experiences of Pedohebephiles: A Systematic Review.

People with a sexual interest in children face significant barriers to seeking and receiving mental health treatment. This review aims to bridge the gap between the treatment needs and experiences of pedohebephiles, and the services aiming to support them. Reviewers screened 1705 database hits and extracted findings from 22 qualitative, 15 quantitative, and 3 mixed-method studies on the treatment needs and experiences of pedohebephiles. Research suggests that this population experiences significant levels of distress, depression, and anxiety related to their sexual interest. Many individuals belonging to this population would seek (median = 42.3%), or have sought (median = 46.5%), treatment to cope with their sexual interest or with potential related mental health repercussions. Their experiences in treatment have been mixed, with some reporting positive experiences with empathic therapists and others reporting rejection. Most frequently, pedohebephiles report fear of exposure and rejection as barriers to seeking treatment, in addition to fear of the legal repercussions. The current study is the first to summarize and discuss previous findings on the treatment needs and experiences of pedohebephiles. The findings indicate that the treatment needs of pedohebephiles often remain unaddressed. Suggestions to increase the fit between treatment services and the needs of pedohebephiles are put forward.

Contextual determinants of employee motivation

The aim of this study is to identify the elements that motivate employees in small and medium-sized enterprises operating in Bangladesh. The data were obtained using a survey methodology targeting employees who work in small and medium-sized enterprises located in the northern geographic region of Bangladesh. The sample included 284 employees surveyed from May 2023 to June 2023. The paper utilized a five-point Likert scale to evaluate the responses. Regression techniques were used to test the hypotheses. Moreover, to evaluate the hypotheses, a significance level of 5% was utilized, and the data pertaining to the subject matter and purpose of this study were examined using the SPSS program. The results of the paper indicate that employee motivation at SMEs is significantly influenced by employee empowerment, job security, and job training opportunities. Employee empowerment (β = 0.583) has the highest effect on motivation compared to the other two factors. Additionally, a substantial correlation coefficient (r = 0.498) is found between employee motivation and employee empowerment. This study contributes to the literature by investigating the external determinants of employee motivation within small and medium-sized enterprises.

Loyalty Currency and Mental Accounting: Do Consumers Treat Points Like Money?

Problem definition: Loyalty programs have greatly expanded in scale and scope, and loyalty points issued by firms serve as a new form of currency alongside the traditional currency of money. In this paper, we study how consumers decide to pay with points or money for a purchase and how these decisions are affected by consumers’ points earning characteristics. Methodology/results: We develop a model of consumers’ payment choices and estimate it on proprietary loyalty program data from a major U.S. airline company using a hierarchical Bayesian framework. Our results demonstrate that mental accounting, the subjective perceived value of points, and the reference exchange rate play important roles in consumers’ payment choices. Moreover, the primary points earning source and the total earning level are jointly associated with consumers’ attitudes toward points and money: Consumers who earn many points and mostly with the focal firm tend to value points more than money, while those who earn few points or mostly through a cobranded credit card tend to value money more than points. To better understand heterogeneity in consumers’ attitudes toward points, we propose a probabilistic segmentation of consumers and identify four behavioral segments with distinctive characteristics. Through counterfactual analysis, we demonstrate how a firm can implement money and point pricing policies to optimally target and influence consumers’ payment choices. Managerial implications: It is important for firms to understand how consumers think about points and decide to pay with points or money as it affects firms’ cash flows, profitability, and consumer loyalty and engagement. We demonstrate that firms can design optimal price targeting policies by utilizing the significant level of heterogeneity in consumers’ attitudes toward points. Furthermore, our results indicate that firms that are expanding their partnership networks and offering more points earning sources should consider the impact that this would have on consumers’ mental accounting of money and points, and consequently their payment choices. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2022.0287 .

Effect of nanodiamonds surface deposition on hydrophilicity, bulk degradation and in-vitro cell adhesion of 3D-printed polycaprolactone scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

This study was designed to deposit nanodiamonds (NDs) on 3D-printed poly-ϵ-caprolactone (PCL) scaffolds and evaluate their effect on the surface topography, hydrophilicity, degradation, andin-vitrocell adhesion compared to untreated PCL scaffolds. The PCL scaffold specimens were 3D-printed by fused deposition modeling (FDM) technique with specific porosity parameters. The 3D-printed specimens' surfaces were modified by NDs deposition followed by oxygen plasma post-treatment using a plasma focus device and a non-thermal atmospheric plasma jet, respectively. Specimens were evaluated through morphological characterization by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), microstructure characterization by Raman spectroscopy, chemical characterization by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, hydrophilicity degree by contact angle and water uptake measurements, andin-vitrodegradation measurements (n= 6). In addition,in-vitrobone marrow mesenchymal stem cells adhesion was evaluated quantitatively by confocal microscopy and qualitatively by FESEM at different time intervals after cell seeding (n= 6). The statistical significance level was set atp⩽ 0.05. The FESEM micrographs, the Raman, and FTIR spectra confirmed the successful surface deposition of NDs on scaffold specimens. The NDs treated specimens showed nano-scale features distributed homogeneously across the surface compared to the untreated ones. Also, the NDs treated specimens revealed a statistically significant smaller contact angle (17.45 ± 1.34 degrees), higher water uptake percentage after 24 h immersion in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) (21.56% ± 1.73), and higher degradation rate after six months of immersion in PBS (43.92 ± 0.77%). Moreover, enhanced cell adhesion at all different time intervals was observed in NDs treated specimens with higher nuclei area fraction percentage (69.87 ± 3.97%) compared to the untreated specimens (11.46 ± 1.34%). Surface deposition of NDs with oxygen-containing functional groups on 3D-printed PCL scaffolds increased their hydrophilicity and degradation rate with significant enhancement of thein-vitrocell adhesion compared to untreated PCL scaffolds.

Pengaruh Metode Lattice Terhadap Hasil Belajar Operasi Perkalian Bilangan Cacah dengan Menggunakan Model PBL di Kelas IV Sekolah Dasar

This study aims to determine the effect of using the lattice method on the learning outcomes of multiplication operations of integers in class IV elementary school. This research is experimental research in the form of Quasi Exsperimental Type Nonequivalent Control Group Design. The sampling technique used cluster random sampling. In hypothesis testing, simple linear regression test, correlation analysis, and t test were used. Based on correlation analysis, the experimental class obtained rxy 0.825 which is categorized as very strong. The coefficient determination value obtained is 68.06%, so it can be interpreted that the use of the lattice method has an effect of 68.06% on the learning outcomes of multiplying small numbers in class IV. Through the t-test in the form of an independent t-test based on the posttest scores of the experimental and control classes, a tcount of 2.04613 was obtained with a ttable of 2.014 at a significance level of 0.05. When the tcount and ttable are compared, 2.04613> 2.014. This means that Ho is rejected, and Ha is accepted, so it can be concluded that there is a significant effect of using the lattice method with the PBL model on the learning outcomes of multiplication operations of small numbers in class IV elementary schools

Low fetal fraction and adverse pregnancy outcomes- systematic review of the literature and metanalysis.

While cell-free DNA (cfDNA) screening has emerged as a screening modality for common aneuploidies, further research and several publications over the past decade suggested some correlation between the low concentrations of cfDNA and a number of pregnancy-related complications. The primarygoal of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the potential value of low-ff levels in the prediction of subsequent PE/PIH, GDM, SGA/FGR, and PTB. The meta-analysis results aim atsummarizing the currently available literature data and determining the clinical relevance of this biochemical markerand the potentialnecessity for additional investigation of its utility in complications other than the detection of common aneuploidies. This systematic review and meta-analysis was designed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. It included all observational studies that reported low -ff levels after the performance of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) as part of the screening for chromosomal abnormalities and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes, namely the subsequent development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and the detection of small for gestational age fetuses or growth-restricted fetuses. The Medline (1966-2041), Scopus (2004-2024), Clinicaltrials.gov (2008-2024), EMBASE (1980-2024), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials CENTRAL (1999-2024) and Google Scholar (2004-2024) databases were used in our primary search along with the reference lists of electronically retrieved full-text papers. The date of our last search was set at February 29, 2024. Our search identified 128 potentially relevant studies and,overall, 8 studies were included in the present systematic review that enrolled a total of 72,507 patients. Low ff of cfDNA cfDNA was positively associated with HDP (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.34, 2.06, I-square test: 56%). Low ff of cfDNA was positively associated with GDM (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.03, 1.56, I-square test: 76%). Furthermore, low ff levels were positively associated with SGA/FGR (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.32, 2.03, I-square test: 0%). Low ff levels were positively correlated with the risk for PTB but the association did not manage to reach a statistical significant level (OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.89, 1.67, I-square test: 66%). Our study suggests that low ff is associated with increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes, including PE/PIH, GDM, and SGA/FGR. However, the relationship between ff and PTB remains unclear due to conflicting evidence. It should be emphasized that further research is needed to reveal the underlying mechanisms behind the association of low ff with adverse pregnancy outcomes and explore its potential role in an overall prenatal screening, which could potentially not be limited to detecting aneuploidies.

Causal association between telomere length and female reproductive endocrine diseases: a univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization analysis

BackgroundThe relationship between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and female reproductive endocrine diseases has gained significant attention and research interest in recent years. However, there is still limited understanding of the exact impacts of LTL on these diseases. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the genetic causal association between LTL and female reproductive endocrine diseases by employing Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.MethodsInstruments for assessing genetic variation associated with exposure and outcome were derived from summary data of published genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) was utilized as the main analysis method to investigate the causal relationship between LTL and female reproductive endocrine diseases. The exposure data were obtained from the UK Biobanks GWAS dataset, comprising 472,174 participants of European ancestry. The outcome data were acquired from the FinnGen consortium, including abnormal uterine bleeding (menorrhagia and oligomenorrhea), endometriosis (ovarian endometrioma and adenomyosis), infertility, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Furthermore, to account for potential confounding factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, insomnia, body mass index (BMI) and a history of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), multivariable MR (MVMR) analysis was also conducted. Lastly, a series of pleiotropy tests and sensitivity analyses were performed to ensure the reliability and robustness of our findings. P < 0.0063 was considered to indicate statistically significant causality following Bonferroni correction.ResultsOur univariable MR analysis demonstrated that longer LTL was causally associated with an increased risk of menorrhagia (IVW: odds ratio [OR]: 1.1803; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0880–1.2804; P = 0.0001) and ovarian endometrioma (IVW: OR: 1.2946; 95%CI: 1.0970–1.5278; P = 0.0022) at the Bonferroni significance level. However, no significant correlation was observed between LTL and oligomenorrhea (IVW: OR: 1.0124; 95%CI: 0.7350–1.3946; P = 0.9398), adenomyosis (IVW: OR: 1.1978; 95%CI: 0.9983–1.4372; P = 0.0522), infertility (IVW: OR: 1.0735; 95%CI: 0.9671–1.1915; P = 0.1828), PCOS (IVW: OR: 1.0633; 95%CI: 0.7919–1.4278; P = 0.6829), POI (IVW: OR: 0.8971; 95%CI: 0.5644–1.4257; P = 0.6459) or PMS (IVW: OR: 0.7749; 95%CI: 0.4137–1.4513; P = 0.4256). Reverse MR analysis indicated that female reproductive endocrine diseases have no causal effect on LTL. MVMR analysis suggested that the causal effect of LTL on menorrhagia and ovarian endometrioma remained significant after accounting for smoking, alcohol consumption, insomnia, BMI and a history of PID. Pleiotropic and sensitivity analyses also showed robustness of our results.ConclusionThe results of our bidirectional two-sample MR analysis revealed that genetically predicted longer LTL significantly increased the risk of menorrhagia and ovarian endometrioma, which is consistent with the findings from MVMR studies. However, we did not notice any significant effects of LTL on oligomenorrhea, adenomyosis, infertility, PCOS, POI or PMS. Additionally, reproductive endocrine disorders were found to have no impact on LTL. To enhance our understanding of the effect and underlying mechanism of LTL on female reproductive endocrine diseases, further large-scale studies are warranted in the future.

The effect of cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychoeducation on substance abuse proclivity in adolescent smokers

ABSTRACT Aim The aim of this study is to determine how CBT-based psychoeducation affects substance abuse proclivity in adolescent smokers. Materials and Methods The study is an experimental study model with pretest–posttest control group. As a result of the power analysis carried out for the sample of the study, the sample size was calculated to be 110 adolescent smokers at a significance level of 0.05, confidence interval of 95%, an effect size of 0.7, and power of population representation of 0.95. A Descriptive Characteristics Form and SAPS were used to collect the data. The experimental group received eight sessions of cognitive-behavioral therapy-based psychoeducation. No educational program was applied to the control group. The data were analyzed using number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square, dependent samples t-test and independent samples t-test. Results Substance abuse proclivity was determined in adolescents who smoked cigarettes in the experimental and control groups. The SAPS total score average of the individuals in the experimental group decreased after psychoeducation compared to before psychoeducation. The difference between the posttest SAPS total mean scores of the control and experimental groups was statistically significant. Conclusion CBT-based psychoeducation was found to be effective in reducing substance use proclivities in adolescent smokers.

The Impact of Seasonal Changes on the Composition of Cow Milk in Jalalabad City, Afghanistan

The study investigated the impact of seasonal variations on the components of cow milk in Jalalabad City, Afghanistan. A total of 80 milk samples were collected from six different local points within the city from January to August 2023. The research spanned two distinct periods: winter (January-February-March) and summer (June-July-August). During the winter, cows were fed hay, while in the summer; they grazed on green grass in pastures. Analysis revealed significant differences in fat content and titratableacidity between the winter and summer periods, with both factors being significant at the p&lt;0.05 level according to paired t-test results. The study concluded that seasonal variations significantly affected the protein content, total solids, fat, and titratableacidity, with significance levels of p&lt;0.05 and p&lt;0.01, respectively.

Assessment of Food Masticatory Capability with Clear Aligners

Nowadays, aligners represent a possible therapeutical approach that combines both esthetic and function in order to address dental malocclusion. However, they require a significant level of compliance from the patient. According to the manufacturer, at least 22 h of wearing a day is demanded to reach the optimal therapeutical level; hence, aligners can only be removed during meals. Patients’ compliance might increase and the duration of the treatment might decrease if they were allowed to eat with aligners on. The idea of patients keeping the aligners on during meals has been contemplated, not only to favor patients’ compliance but also treatment effectiveness. This study aims to assess the degree of chewing difficulty that aligners cause when eating certain kinds of food and the quantity of residue left. Material and Methods: A questionnaire titled “Questionnaire for the Assessment of Masticatory Function with Aligners” was administered using Google Forms to 240 patients in treatment with clear aligners. The survey was validated through the reliability test using the test–retest method. This method had a higher correlation coefficient of 0.9 across all items (with a cutoff of 0.8) with statistical significance, and an excellent internal correlation coefficient (α &gt; 0.9). The statistical analysis performed consisted of descriptive analysis, frequencies, percentages, Pearson’s correlation test and Friedman’s test. Results: Pearson’s test showed a statistically significant correlation between all items except between meat or clams and yogurt or ice cream and with mozzarella or soft cheese regarding food chewing difficulties. Pearson’s test showed a statistically significant correlation between all items regarding food residues. A total of 69.2% of the cohort reported some movements of aligners during mastication. In total, 88.3% of them affirmed not to have perceived deformations or breakage of aligners during chewing. Furthermore, 79.2% of them declared that they would continue to eat if eating with aligners was proven to speed up treatment. Conclusions: Wearing clear aligners while chewing foods such as yogurt, ice cream, soft cheese, bread, rice, etc., can be possible and can help shorten the duration of orthodontic treatment, benefiting both the patient and the orthodontist. However, further research using qualitative methods is needed to understand the barriers and facilitators to chewing food with aligners.

Pengaruh Media Audio Visual Terhadap Hasil Belajar IPA Eksperimen Kelas VII MTs Qotrun Nada Depok

The aim of the research is to determine the effect of implementing Audio Visual Learning Media on science learning outcomes by conducting experiments on class VIII students at MTs Qotrun Nada Depok. The research model used is an experimental method with analysis of the mean difference between two samples. The sample used was 40 students from classes VII.1 and VII.2 as the experimental class and 40 students from classes VII.3 and VII.4 as the control class. Research data to test the hypothesis comes from test scores on Measurement Materials and quantities. The instruments used are validity and reliability. The results of the research are the results of learning science using Audio Visual Learning Media (experimental class), with an average score of 72.30 with a median of 70.59; mode 68.42; variance 177.07; and standard deviation 13.31. It can be concluded that students' science learning outcomes provide good results. The science learning outcomes of students who did not use Audio Visual Learning Media (control class) obtained an average score of 50.85 with a median of 43.75; mode 47.17; variant 190.85; and standard deviation 13.81. This shows that students' science learning outcomes provide quite good results. So it can be concluded that there is an influence of Audio Visual Learning Media on science learning outcomes. From the research results, it was found that tcount = 7.13 was higher than ttable = 1.996 at a significance level of 5%, so H0 was rejected and H1 was accepted. This means that there is a significant difference between students' science learning outcomes taught with Audio Visual Learning Media. Keywords: ,

Systemic administration of propranolol reduces bone resorption and inflammation in apical periodontitis of chronically stressed rats.

To evaluate the effect of systemic administration of propranolol on the severity of apical periodontitis (AP) in chronically stressed rats. Twenty-four 70-day-old male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus, albinus) were distributed into three groups (n = 8): rats with AP without stressful conditions (AP-Control), rats with AP and submitted to a chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) protocol (AP + S) and rats with AP and submitted to a CUS protocol treated with propranolol (AP + S + PRO). Stress procedures were applied daily until the end of the experiment. After 3 weeks of CUS, AP was induced in all groups by exposing the pulpal tissue of mandibular and maxillary first molars to the oral environment. Propranolol treatment was administered orally once a day for the entire period of the experiment. Rats were sacrificed at 42 days, and the blood was collected for stress biomarkers serum dosage by multiplex assay. Mandibles were removed and submitted to microtomography and histopathological analyses. Periapical tissue surrounding the upper first molar was homogenized and subjected to RT-PCR analysis to evaluate the mRNA expression of RANKL, TRAP and OPG. Parametric data were assessed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's test while the nonparametric data were analysed by the Kruskal-Wallis followed by Dunn's test. Significance level was set at 5% (p < .05) for all assessed parameters. Micro-CT revealed statistically significant differences in bone resorption which was greater in the AP + S group (p < .05), but no differences were observed between the Control and AP + S + PRO groups (p > .05). The AP + S + PRO group had a lower intensity and extent of inflammatory infiltrate compared to the AP + S group with smaller areas of bone loss (p < 0.05). The gene expression of RANKL and TRAP was significantly higher in the stressed group AP + S compared to the control group (p < .05), and a significantly higher OPG expression was observed in AP + S + PRO compared to the AP + S group (p < .05). Oral administration of propranolol had a significant effect on the AP severity in stressed rats, suggesting an anti-inflammatory effect and a protective role on bone resorption of AP in stressed animals. Further research is necessary to fully comprehend the underlying mechanisms.

Impact of musculoskeletal disability limitations on the economic unmet dental needs in South Korea

BackgroundMusculoskeletal disability (MSD) has been identified as having a negative impact on oral health. Patients with MSD have a greater burden of medical expenses and are expected to have an Economic unmet dental need (UDN). This study aimed to conduct a multifactorial analysis based on the Andersen model to determine the extent to which MSD contributes to inequitable dental care use.MethodsThis study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey VIII. The study population was 17,903 adults aged 19 years and older. All data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows version 26 and the level of statistical significance was set at 0.05.ResultsThe people with MSD activity limitations were rare as only 3% in this study population. There were significant differences in sex and education as predisposing factors, income, and marital status as enabling factors, and current smoking, daily brushing, and MSD activity limitation as need factors for experiencing economic UDN. MSD activity limitation was associated with 1.5-fold increased odds of Economic UDN with a fully adjusted Anderson’s Behavior Model.ConclusionsThis finding suggests poorer access to dental care among adults with MSDs owing to financial difficulties. It is necessary to explore various ways to address oral health inequalities among adults with MSD activity limitations.

Enhancing Maize Yield and Quality with Metal-Based Nanoparticles without Translocation Risks: A Brief Field Study

Our previous studies have shown physiological and yield intensification of selected crops with the application of nanoparticles (NPs). However, the impact on the quantitative, qualitative, and yield parameters of maize (Zea mays L.) in field conditions remains highly debated. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of zinc oxide (ZnO-NPs), gold NPs anchored to meso-biosilica (Au-NP-bioSi), and titanium dioxide (TiO2-NPs) as biological stimulants under field conditions during the vegetation season of 2021 in the Central European region. The study assessed the effects on the number of plants, yield, yield components, and nutritional quality, including mineral nutrients, starch, and crude protein levels. The potential translocation of these chemically–physically stable NPs, which could pose a hazard, was also investigated. The results indicate that Au-NP-bioSi and ZnO-NPs-treatments were the most beneficial for yield and yield components at a statistically significant level. Mineral nutrient outcomes were varied, with the NP-free variant performing the best for phosphorus-levels, while Au-NP-bioSi and ZnO-NPs were optimal for crude protein. Starch content was comparable across the TiO2-NPs, Au-NP-bioSi, and control variants. Importantly, we observed no hazardous translocation of NPs or negative impacts on maize grain quality. This supports the hypothesis that NPs can serve as an effective tool for precise and sustainable agriculture.

Cross-sensitization between inhalant allergens and food allergens: the extent, intensity, and age-related shifts.

Encountering individuals sensitized to both inhalant and food allergens is challenging in clinical practice. Despite its rarity, studies have documented cross-sensitization between these allergens. However, the extent, diversity, and age-related variations of this phenomenon remain unclear. Hence, our objective was to investigate a substantial quantity of allergy sensitivity test results in which both inhalant and food allergens were concurrently examined. The primary goal of our study is to calculate the cross-sensitization ratio, with a secondary objective of analyzing this phenomenon across four age groups. A retrospective analysis was conducted on a multiple-antigen simultaneous test (MAST) obtained from a domestic laboratory medicine facility and comprising 55 food allergens and 49 inhalant allergens from 368,156 individuals aged 1 to 89. By calculating the cross-sensitization ratio, the degree of cross-sensitization between each food allergen and inhalant allergen was determined. Further subgroup analysis was conducted to ascertain the cross-sensitization ratio between the four subgroups categorized by age. The median cross-sensitization ratio between food and inhalant allergens was 5.14, indicating a significant level of cross-sensitization. The cross-sensitization ratio was greatest among pollen allergens and plant-derived food allergens, followed by between some animal aeroallergens and meat/fish/dairy/poultry food allergens. The degree of overall cross-sensitization was least prominent in adolescents, greater in adults and children, and most pronounced in the elderly. Our findings reveal that various inhalant and dietary allergens have considerable cross-sensitivity, with the elderly having the highest degree of cross-sensitivity and adolescents the lowest.

Evaluation of the BRCA2 Gene Variants Association with the Risk of Breast Cancer in the Iranian Population

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer among Iranian women. Several factors affect the risk of developing the disease, with genetic factors being considered the most important in hereditary cancers. Mutations in certain genes, such as BRCA2, can lead to protein defects and result in cancer. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the frequency of BRCA2 variants in Iranian patients and their association with BC risk. Methods: In this case-control study, 50 patients and 50 healthy women were included. After DNA extraction from 5 mL of peripheral blood, rs11571833 and rs4987117 were genotyped using AS-PCR. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16, with a significance level set at less than 0.05. Results: The mean age of the patients and healthy subjects was 49.38 ± 9.98 and 53.84 ± 9.41, respectively (P = 0.027). The majority of patients were in grade and stage II of the disease. For the rs11571833 variant, the frequency of the T allele was 10% different between the patient and control groups, which was statistically significant (P = 0.020). Additionally, the recessive model of this SNP was associated with BC risk (P = 0.008). Conclusions: BRCA2 gene polymorphisms may play a role in BC, potentially containing one or more major alleles that predispose individuals to the disease. However, further studies are needed to obtain more reliable results.

The yin and yang of two opponent processes of sleep-wake regulation: Sex-associated differences in the spectral EEG markers of the drives for sleep and wake

ABSTRACT Although objectively measured characteristics of sleep efficiency and quality were found to be better in women than men, women more frequently than men suffer from poor or insufficient or non-restorative sleep. We explored this apparent paradox by testing the sex-associated differences in electroencephalographic (EEG) indicators of two opponent processes of sleep-wake regulation, the drives for sleep and wake. We tried to provide empirical support for the hypothesis that a stronger women’s sleep drive can explain better objective characteristics of sleep quality in women than men, while a stronger women’s wake drive can be an explanation of a higher frequency of sleep-related complaints in women than men. To our knowledge, this was the first attempt to examine the associations of sex with scores on the 1st and 2nd principal components of the EEG spectrum that can serve as objective spectral EEG markers of the opponent drives for sleep and wake, respectively. The particular prediction was that, in women compared to men, not only the 1st principal component score but also the 2nd principal component score could be higher (i.e. both drives could be stronger). In a sample of 80 university students (40 females), the EEG signals were recorded during 160 afternoon napping attempts (50 min or longer). The difference between male and female students in sleep latencies did not reach a statistically significant level. In accordance with our prediction, both principal component scores were found to be higher in female than in male students irrespective of sleep stage. It is likely that the influence of the wake drive is entirely overlooked in the polysomnographic studies due to the predominant contribution of the indicators of the sleep drive to the conventional objective characteristics of sleep quality. Therefore, a stronger women’s sleep drive can be an explanation of women’s better sleep quality in the results of polysomnographic studies. On the other hand, if a stronger women’s wake drive can influence the perception of their sleep quality, this can explain their more frequent sleep-related complaints.

Human Resource Development as a Key to Enhanced Performance: Insights from Outsourcing Employees in a Delivery Service Company

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of human resource development on the performance of outsourcing employees at PT Binajasa Abadikarya, focusing specifically on employees in Bali and Nusa Tenggara. This quantitative research involved 94 respondents, selected through purposive sampling based on the Slovin formula. Data collection included questionnaires, interviews, and observations, with descriptive analysis employed for data examination. The findings revealed a significant and positive correlation between human resource development and employee performance. Additionally, a significance level of 0.000, which is below the threshold of 0.05, further supports this positive correlation. Therefore, the study concludes that human resource development has a meaningful and positive effect on the performance of these employees.