Best-fit Model Research Articles

Machine Learning as a Tool for Auxiliary Diagnosis of Osteoporosis

By making predictions from the model created with machine learning, specifically supervised learning, this essay focuses on the auxiliary diagnosis of osteoporosis. The chosen dataset includes highly relevant indexes that determine the diagnosis of osteoporosis. After doing the feature selection and one-hot encoding to preprocess the dataset, we then split the dataset into validation and training sets to avoid overfitting. Then, to train the model for prediction, we used the neuron network, chose ReLU and Sigmoid functions as activation functions, and changed the number of neurons and epochs to find the best-fit model. Through further measurement, evaluation, and application, including plotting the binary cross entropy error diagram and analyzing the classification report, the model is examined as highly accurate and desirable. With an appreciable degree of accuracy, this model for auxiliary diagnosis is able to prevent disease development or deterioration by detecting early symptoms and vulnerable populations, reduce the probability for doctors to misdiagnose, and improve the efficiency and quality of the osteoporosis diagnosis, therefore enhancing patient experiences.

Enhanced Hydrophobicity and Oleophilicity of Modified Activated Carbons Derived from Agro-Wastes Biomass for the Removal of Crude Oil from Aqueous Medium

Crude oil spillage has tremendous environmental impacts and poses severe pollution problems worldwide due to the continuous activities and operations in the oil and gas sector. This has resulted in the urgent need for clean-up techniques such as the use of natural adsorbents which is considered a relatively low-cost, readily-available, efficient, eco-friendly, and easy-to-deploy mode of addressing oil spillage due to its high oil sorption capacity/efficiency, high oil selectivity, oleophilic, enduring, reusability and biodegradable properties. Empty palm fruit bunch and coconut coir were used as precursors to produce activated carbons for oil spill remediation. The influence of varying parameters was investigated using a batch experimental procedure resulting in the crude oil adsorption capacity increasing with a corresponding increase in contact time, initial oil concentration, temperature, agitation speed, and particle size but decreasing in adsorbent dosage. The combination of surface morphological modification and hydrophobicity enhancement resulted in significantly improved adsorption capacity for crude oil removal (2710.0 mg/g and 4859.5 mg/g for EPFBAC<SUB>LA</SUB> and CCAC<SUB>L.A</SUB> respectively), as evidenced by both FTIR and SEM analyses. The experimental isotherm data were analysed using various isotherm models and the best-fitted isotherm model was the Freundlich model with a correlation coefficient (R<sup>2 </sup>= 0.991 and R<sup>2 </sup>= 0.999) for EPFB<SUB>L.A</SUB> and CCAC<SUB>L.A</SUB> respectively. The kinetic behaviour of the adsorption process was best described by pseudo-second order with R<sup>2</sup> values of 0.970 and 0.999 for EPFBAC<SUB>LA</SUB> and CCAC<SUB>L.A</SUB> respectively while Boyd model revealed that the adsorption was controlled by an internal transport mechanism and film diffusion was the rate-limiting step. The crude oil adsorption was chemisorption and endothermic owing to the positive enthalpy values (ΔH<sup>o</sup> = 183.890 KJ/mol for EPFBAC<SUB>L.A </SUB>and ΔH<sup>o</sup> = 69.656 KJ/mol for CCAC<SUB>L.A</SUB>), the positive value of entropy suggested that the adsorption process was accompanied by an increase in the degree of randomness or disorder at the interface between the adsorbent and the adsorbate. A temperature rise led to a decline in Gibbs energy (ΔG<sup>o</sup>), suggesting that adsorption became more feasible and spontaneous at higher temperatures and the significant activation energies indicated the existence of a substantial energy barrier that must be overcome to initiate the reaction. The results showed the significant capability of the prepared adsorbents to be used as a low-cost, re-generable and eco-friendly adsorbent in oil spill clean-up and is recommended to exploit its usage on a large scale.

TRANSLATION AND VALIDATION OF URDU VERSION OF BRIEF DISSOCIATIVE EXPERIENCE SCALE FOR SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER IN PAKISTAN

Objective Dissociation is a ubiquitous construct in psychology and is of high clinical relevance. The objective of this study was to translate and validate the Brief Dissociative Experience Scale (DES-B) in the Urdu language for individuals with substance use disorder (SUD). DesignThis was a cross sectional study. Place and Duration of StudyThe study was conducted with a sample of 200 individuals with SUD aged 18 and above from drug rehabilitation centres across Pakistan between July to November 2023. MethodsThis study utilized a rigorous procedure of Mapi guidelines for translation and validation of DES-B. The validation of DES-B was determined through confirmatory factor analysis. ResultsThe data was analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software and factor structure, internal consistency, composite reliability, and convergent validity of the scale were determined. Of the 200 participants, 79.0% were male. The mean age of the participants was 30.61 years (SD = 8.87) with a range between 18 to 65. The findings indicated a good model fit for a one-factor structure with 8 items (χ²/df = 2.61, p < 0.00, RMSEA = 0.089, CFI = 0.908, GFI = 0.944). Moreover, the composite reliability (CR = .77), convergent validity (AVE = .31), and internal consistency (α =.76) showed favorable results. Overall, the Urdu version of DES-B demonstrated acceptable results in terms of the construct’s validity and reliability. ConclusionThe Urdu version of DES-B can be used as a reliable and valid tool to assess dissociative experiences in individuals with SUD suitable for research and clinical settings.

Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Educational Leadership Scale for Faculty Members: Insights From the Network Analysis Perspective

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Educational Leadership Scale for Faculty Members (ELSF) in Arabic. The scale was rigorously tested using both traditional methods—exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA)—as well as advanced network techniques, including exploratory graph analysis (EGA) and centrality measures. The study sample consisted of 350 faculty members (56% male, 44% female) from various universities, with a mean age of 42.3 years (SD = 7.8). Participants represented a range of academic disciplines, and all were involved in educational leadership roles within their respective institutions. EFA revealed a five‐factor structure that explained 68.4% of the total variance. CFA further confirmed the model's adequacy, with fit indices showing a good model fit (CFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.94, RMSEA = 0.06). The ELSF, comprising 22 items across these five dimensions, demonstrated strong internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.89. Additionally, EGA supported the factor structure identified by traditional methods, reinforcing the stability and consistency of the scale. Centrality measures highlighted Item 18 as the most influential, with betweenness, closeness and strength centrality scores of 0.45, 0.78 and 0.62, respectively, within the ‘Research‐Ethical Leadership’ subscale. These findings affirm the ELSF's credibility as a robust tool for assessing educational leadership among faculty members. The scale's strong psychometric properties suggest it is well‐suited for application in diverse academic settings, including potential use across Arabic‐speaking countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Oman and Kuwait.

Estimating genetic parameters and trends in growth curve traits of Zandi sheep using the SAEM algorithm.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of environmental effects on growth curve traits of Zandi lambs and estimate their genetic parameters with the best-fit animal model. For this purpose, live body weight (BW) records (n = 10,607) of 2,519 individuals (which were progeny of 278 rams and 1,485 ewes) were used to estimate genetic effects on growth curve traits from birth to yearling age of Zandi lambs. Using the Stochastic Approximation Expectation Maximization (SAEM) algorithm the growth curve parameters of five different mixed functions (i.e., Brody, Richards, Von Bertalanffy, Gompertz and Logistic) were obtained, then for the most appropriate model the genetic parameters were estimated using a Bayesian approach fitted multivariate animal model and ignoring or including maternal genetic effect. Except Richards model, all other mixed functions used here closely fitted actual BW records (R2 > 0.96). However, the Logistic function provided the best fit in every type. So, studied growth curve traits were estimated asymptotic weight which considered as mature weight (a), rate parameter (b), rate of maturing (k), and age (Ai)/weight (Wi) at the point of inflection. Of the fixed effects studied (i.e., gender, birth type, dam age, season and year of birth), the only non-significant relationship was the effect dam age on b and Ai. Based on the best-fitted model, posterior means of heritability estimates for a, b, k, Wi and Ai were 0.142 ± 0.036, 0.094 ± 0.029, 0.143 ± 0.063, 0.149 ± 0.039 and 0.029 ± 0.013, respectively. Posterior means of genetic correlations between mentioned traits ranged from -0.018 ± 0.069 (b-k) to 0.959 ± 0.029 (a-b), whereas the phenotypic correlation varied from -0.047 ± 0.014 (b-k) to 0.836 ± 0.007 (a-b). It was concluded that the model including only direct additive effect was sufficient to explain the variation in all investigated growth traits of Zandi lambs, selection for these traits results in slow genetic gain (due to the lack of sufficient genetic variation), but it would not be difficult to improve their mature weight and rate of maturing jointly. The results indicate that although the rate of genetic change for mature weight has been small (0.008 ± 0.003 kgyear-1; P < 0.05) but in the favorable direction for this breed.

Development and validation of the Health Activation Scale for Children (HAS-C): an important intermediate outcome measure for health promotion initiatives

BackgroundValid and reliable measures for assessing health activation in school-aged children are currently lacking. This study aimed to develop a scale to measure health activation and evaluate its psychometric properties among English-speaking primary school children in Singapore.MethodsThe development of the Health Activation Scale for Children (HAS-C) involved an extensive literature review, expert consultations, cognitive interviews with primary school children, and thorough discussions for dimension and item refinement. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 597 children aged 8 to 12 years, recruited from four mainstream primary schools, comprising 50.1% boys and 64.8% Chinese students. The potential scale, along with other measures, was independently completed by the children. Descriptive statistics were provided for individual scale items. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to assess factorial validity. Convergent validity was examined by correlating the scale scores with scores of health confidence and self-efficacy measures. Hypothesis-testing validity was evaluated by assessing the scale’s correlation with self-reported health behaviours, including daily consumption of vegetables and fruits, time spent on sedentary activities and physical activities. Internal consistency reliability was measured using Cronbach’s alpha.ResultsEFA suggested a three-factor structure for the 12-item HAS-C, which was subsequently confirmed by CFA with a good model fit. All three HAS-C dimension scores demonstrated moderate correlations (rho = 0.34–0.52) with health confidence and self-efficacy measures, indicating good convergent validity. They were positively correlated with more vegetable and fruit intakes, more time spent on exercises, and negatively correlated with time spent on sedentary activities, supporting hypothesis-testing validity. Internal consistency reliability for individual HAS-C dimensions was generally acceptable, with Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.70 or above.ConclusionThe 12-item multi-dimensional HAS-C exhibited good validity and reliability, making it a valuable tool for assessing health activation in primary school-aged children.

Parents' anti-Black messages, empathic reactions toward racism, fear of Black individuals, and perceived ability to engage in anti-racism advocacy among Asian American emerging adults.

Asian Americans, historically oppressed and influenced by White supremacist norms, may internalize anti-Blackness (beliefs of behaviors that minimize, marginalize, or devalue Black individuals) as they navigate White-dominated environments to survive and seek acceptance. However, there is limited research addressing the intergenerational socialization of anti-Blackness within Asian American communities and its impact as a barrier to cross-racial solidarity and involvement in anti-racism efforts. Thus, we tested whether parents' anti-Black messages were associated with fear of Black individuals and lack of empathic reactions to anti-Black racism, and in turn, related to hindrance in the perceived ability to engage in anti-racism advocacy among Asian American emerging adults. With data from 205 participants (Mage = 19.92, SD = 2.64, online convenience sample), we conducted a path analysis of parents' anti-Black messages indirectly associated with perceived ability in advocacy against anti-Black racism through fear of Black individuals and empathic reactions to anti-Black racism. Parents' anti-Black messages were associated with greater fear of Black individuals, which was associated with lower empathic reactions to racism, and in turn, ultimately associated with a lower perceived ability to engage in advocacy against anti-Black racism. This pathway was the best-fitting model compared with an alternative parallel model (fear and empathy as separate mediators) and a model with empathy as the first mediator. Our study suggests that clinicians, educators, and researchers should target parents' anti-Black messages and Asian American emerging adults' emotional responses (fear, empathy) to anti-Black racism in disrupting anti-Blackness at parental/family and individual levels.

Comparative Study of Itopride Hydrochloride in-Vitro Drug Release in Various Brands of Sustained Release Capsules By RP-HPLC

Background: The World Health Organisation has advocated the use of generic medicines to make them accessible and affordable but studies have revealed that marketed products do not produce same therapeutic effects and hence are not interchangeable. Dissolution testing of generic solid dosage forms serves as a valuable tool for acquiring dissolution profiles and for assessing the similarity or dissimilarity between the formulations under examination. Objectives: To evaluate the in-vitro drug release profiles of different generic brands of Itopride Sustained release capsules that are commercially available in Indian market and compare them with the innovator product using model dependant and as well as model independent methods. To determine whether same medicine manufactured by different brands are interchangeable. Materials &amp; Methods: In this study Eight generic brands of Itopride 150mg sustained release capsules available in the Indian market were evaluated using dissolution test with the aim to assess their bioequivalence with the innovator product (Ganaton OD). Dissolution studies were performed using USP type II apparatus at 100 rpm in 900 ml 0.1N HCl while maintaining a temperature of 37±0.5 ºC. The samples were estimated by a validated HPLC method. Dissolution test results were statistically evaluated by employing both model dependant and model independent methods. In model dependant experimental data obtained for each dissolution profile were transformed by applying the equations of different kinetic models and the best-fit model was selected whereas in model independent approach fit factors, dissolution efficiency and mean dissolution times were calculated. Results: The Weibull model best explained the release of drugs from all the brands. Upon statistical evaluation of dissolution test results its was found that while similarity factor f2 was within the limits for all generic brands, difference factor f1 of two brands was out of acceptable range thus questioning their bioequivalency with the innovator product. Also the dissolution efficiency of four out of the brands was out of acceptable limits. Keywords: bioequivalence, difference factor (f1), similarity factor (f2), dissolution profile, comparison and evaluation..

Validity and reliability of the Chinese version of human–robot interaction self-efficacy scale in Chinese adults

BackgroundWith the fast-paced advancements of robot technology, human–robot interaction (HRI) has become increasingly popular and complex, and self-efficacy in HRI has received extensive attention. Despite its popularity, this topic remains understudied in China.ObjectiveIn order to provide a psychometrically sound instrument in China, this study aimed to translate and validate the Self-Efficacy in Human–Robot Interaction Scale (SE-HRI) in two Chinese adult samples (N1 = 300, N2 = 500).MethodsThe data was analyzed by SPSS 26.0 and Amos 24.0. Item analysis and exploratory factor analysis were conducted using Sample 1 data. Confirmatory factor analysis, criterion-related validity analysis, and reliability analysis were then performed using Sample 2 data.ResultsThe results revealed that the Chinese SE-HRI scale consisted of 13 items in a two-factor model, suggesting a good model fit. Moreover, general self-efficacy and willingness to accept the use of artificial intelligence (AI) were both positively correlated with self-efficacy in HRI, while negative attitudes toward robots showed an inverse correlation, proving the Chinese SE-HRI scale exhibited excellent criterion-related validity.ConclusionThe Chinese SE-HRI scale is a reliable assessment tool for evaluating self-efficacy in HRI in China. The study discussed implications and limitations, and suggested future directions.

Genetic Parameter Estimates for Growth of Hāpuku (Groper, Polyprion oxygeneios) in Land-Based Aquaculture Using Random Regression Models

Hāpuku (Polyprion oxygeneios) is a promising candidate for aquaculture production in New Zealand. Methods for spawning, juvenile production, and growout to harvest entirely on land, where water quality, pathogens, environmental impacts, and genetic “pollution” can be tightly controlled, have been developed, and genetic improvement to optimise land-based production is the obvious next step. However, estimates of genetic parameters are required to design a rigorous, disciplined, and effective selective breeding program. By using existing data consisting of irregularly spaced repeated measurements of fork length and live body weight collected on wild-collected founders and two generations of captively reared progeny, we evaluated the species’ genetic potential for improvement in growth. We first tested a range of univariate random regression models to identify the best-fitting models for these data. Subsequently, using a bivariate model, we estimated variance components for growth trajectories of fork length and whole body weight. With one to six records available per fish, the best-fitting univariate models included only a fixed effect for contemporary groups and fixed and random genetic third-order Legendre polynomials. More complex models that included full-sib family and/or permanent environmental effects produced unacceptable constrained and/or non-positive-definite solutions. Both traits are moderately heritable at all stages of the growout phase (~0.4–0.5), and the genetic correlation patterns between daily breeding values estimated via the covariance function are different for length and weight. Genetic correlations for length between all pairs of age-specific breeding values are positive and strong (&gt;0.7) and change gradually and smoothly with increasing temporal separation. For weight, these correlations deteriorate more rapidly with increasing time lags between measurements and become negative for some age pairings. We conclude that random regression analyses are a valuable tool for extracting genetic information from irregularly spaced repeated measurements of fish size, speculate that emerging technologies for high-throughput genotyping and phenotyping will add to the value of this approach in the near future, and reason that a breeding strategy that rigorously takes into account the potentially unfavourable genetic correlations between breeding values for weight at some ages will further adapt hāpuku to land-based systems and enhance the profitability commercial-scale production.

Values Scale for Positive Youth Development in Sport.

Adolescence is a period of special significance for the development of personal and social values. Positive adolescent development (PYD) can be an ideal perspective from which to promote values in young people through their sports practice. The aim of the study was to adapt and analyse the measurement properties of the Values Scale for Positive Youth Development for use in the context of sport in young athletes. A total of 599 adolescents, competitors of different sports modalities, participated in the study. Confirmatory factor analysis and reliability and invariance analyses were performed. The results confirmed a good model fit, with adjustment indexes (CFI, GFI and AGFI) above 0.90 and error (RMSEA and SRMR) below 0.08. The factor loadings above 0.50 were obtained for all items. Adequate reliability of the scales was also confirmed, between 0.72 and 0.89, and gender, age and sport invariance were confirmed. In conclusion, the analysed scale is a valid and reliable instrument with adequate psychometric properties, which makes it an appropriate assessment tool to be used in sports contexts, based on the positive adolescent development approach.

Stress heterogeneity in the eastern Tibetan Plateau and implications for the present-day plateau expansion

The eastward expansion of the Tibetan Plateau has resulted in different earthquake types in the eastern Tibetan Plateau, but the mechanism remains unclear. Here, we construct a three-dimensional visco-elastoplastic finite element model considering the topography to investigate the influence of fault geometry and rheological heterogeneity on stress fields. In our best-fitting model, the minimum principal stress is nearly vertical around the southern Huya fault zone, which is adjacent to the Longmen Shan fault zone, due to the significant mid-lower crust lateral rheological heterogeneity, and the thrust stress regime accounts for the reverse fault and thrust-dominated earthquakes. In this scenario, the eastward horizontal motion of the mid-lower crust is obstructed and facilitates thrust faulting, suggesting the limited eastward expansion of the Tibetan Plateau. In contrast, the northern Huya fault zone, one of the terminal branches of the East Kunlun fault, accommodates the continuous eastward extrusion of the East Kunlun fault, where the stress regime under a more homogenized crust favors the strike-slip faulting process, along with the dominant strike-slip earthquakes. Moreover, the best-fitting of stress regime explains the thrust-dominated 2008 Ms. 8.0 Wenchuan and 2013 Ms. 7.0 Lushan earthquakes on the Longmen Shan fault zone. Combining geophysical and geodetic observations and model analyses, we propose that the hybrid deformation mode in the eastern Tibetan Plateau is accommodated by upper crustal shear and thrusting deformation and mid-lower crustal thickening driven by the gravitational potential energy gradient. Our results elucidate the mechanism for differences in strong historical earthquakes and, more importantly, isolate the effect of fault geometry from those of heterogeneous viscosity on crustal deformation and stress heterogeneity in the eastern Tibetan Plateau.

Prediction of suicide attempt in a Swedish population-based cohort.

Suicidal behaviors are prevalent public health concerns, and we need to improve our predictive ability to better inform prevention efforts. Using nationwide longitudinal Swedish registers, we included 344,490 males and 323,177 females born 1982-1990 with information on genetic liability and environmental exposures from birth to age 16: perinatal variables, parental psychopathology (suicide attempt, substance use disorder, major depression), family status, socioeconomic difficulties, peers' psychopathology, and school grades. We conducted sex-specific analysis and developed data-driven predictive models including risk factors that occurred between ages 0 and 16 using structural equation modeling. In both females and males, the best-fitting models reveal a complex risk pathway to suicide attempt. In females, the model indicates four direct effects on suicide attempt risk: the occurrence of suicide attempt in parents during childhood (β = 0.159, 95% CI: 0.118; 0.199) and adolescence (β = 0.115, 95% CI: 0.077; 0.153), suicide attempt in peers (β = 0.068, 95% CI: 0.057; 0.079), and low academic achievement (β = 0.166, 95% CI: 0.156; 0.175). In males, aggregate genetic liability for suicide attempt (β = 0.130, 95% CI: 0.111; 0.148), suicide attempt in parents during adolescence (β = 0.099, 95% CI: 0.074; 0.124), suicide attempt in peers (β = 0.118, 95% CI: 0.108; 0.129), and low academic achievement (β = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.152; 0.171) were related to later suicide attempt. These factors also acted as mediators to explain the association between environmental exposures in childhood and later suicide attempt. These findings illustrate sex-specific pathways to suicide attempt by including risk factors that occur during the development. Results highlight the importance of genetic and family environment but also the prominent role of academic achievement.

Building a General Algorithm for Seismic Hazard Analysis in the Sunda Arc through Geodynamic Simulations

Abstract Because of its well-documented subduction zone and outer island arc, Sumatra provides a unique setting for studying and forecasting earthquakes within the seismically active Sunda Arc. This study builds on previous research that utilized Global Positioning System data and the Akaike information criterion to analyze probabilistic seismic hazard functions. However, this study replaces surface displacement rate data with a forward model derived from previous fault modeling results to create a more broadly applicable earthquake forecasting algorithm. Although the best-fit model patterns generated by this new algorithm are consistent with past studies, the forward model demonstrates a lower degree of fit compared to models utilizing natural surface displacement data. This discrepancy highlights the need to refine the fault parameter models to estimate surface displacement rates. Despite this limitation, the study makes a valuable contribution by developing a general algorithm applicable to other subduction zones within the Sunda Arc region. With further refinement and incorporation of more accurate fault modeling and data, this algorithm has the potential to formulate the best-fit earthquake spatial forecast models. This approach could be applied to other seismically active areas, particularly those near subduction zones.

Uroflowmetry: nomograms in healthy young Pakistani men.

To create a nomogram based on urine volume and flow of males without lower urinary tract symptoms. The prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Urological Surgery and Transplantation, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from November 1, 2020, to October 31, 2022, and comprised healthy young males without lower urinary tract dysfunction who were recruited from the hospital as well as a large textile mill. They were asked to void on their normal desire. Uroflowmetry was done to determine maximum flow rate, average flow rate, and void volume values. A best-fit regression model was used to formulate uroflowmetry nomogram using average and maximum urine flow rate over voided volume. The sample size was calculated using PASS 2020 Power Analysis and Sample Size Software (2020). NCSS, LLC. Kaysville, Utah, USA. The database was developed on NCSS 2020 Statistical Software (2020). NCSS, LLC. Kaysville, Utah, USA for the data analysis. Of the 468 male subjects enrolled, data was analysed related to 432(92.3%). The mean age was 25.59±4.32 years. Mean maximum flow rate, average flow rate and void volume were 25.28±8.70mL/s, 14.77±4.79mL/s and 405.48±163.86mL, respectively. The association of age was noted with maximum flow rate (r=0.1435, p=0.004), average flow rate (r=0.1135, p=0.004) and void volume (r=0.0619, p=0.004). The best-fitted model for maximum and average flow rate was subsequently developed which was statistically significant (p<0.05). The nomograms developed could reliably predict the maximal flow rate in young Pakistani men.

Identifying PTSD and Complex PTSD Profiles in Child Victims of Sexual Abuse

ABSTRACT Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are frequent in child victims of sexual abuse. Authors argued that early trauma could lead to alterations in development that go far beyond the primary symptoms of PTSD and have proposed that Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) involving alterations in attachment, biology, affect regulation, consciousness, behavioral regulation, cognition, and self-concept, may better describe children experiencing chronic trauma at an early developmental stage. The aim of the study was to disentangle the diversity of profiles in child victims of sexual abuse based on the C-PTSD framework. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct subgroups in a sample of 861 sexually abused children aged 6 to 12. Children and their non-offending parents completed questionnaires evaluating PTSD symptoms and measures documenting alterations in development characteristics of C-PTSD. Latent profile analysis identified a best-fitting model consisting of three profiles: PTSD (40.7% of children), Resilient (32.8% of children), and C-PTSD (26.5% of children). Compared to others, children in the C-PTSD profile were more likely to have experienced more forms of interpersonal trauma and showed impairments in several domains. Findings underscore the importance of tailoring interventions to efficiently address the needs of young victims of sexual trauma.

Acceptance of the Internet-Based Sharing Nursing Service among caregivers of elderly with chronic diseases

BackgroundIn China, Internet-Based Sharing Nursing Service (IBSNS) is a new mode of nursing service delivery that has been in practice for over five years, which enables nurses to provide care at clients’ home. However, the acceptance and associated factors of IBSNS among caregivers of elderly with chronic diseases who are the major clients of the service were unclear.AimTo explore the acceptance of IBSNS and its associated factors among Chinese caregivers of elderly patient with chronic diseases based on the modified Technology Acceptance Model (mTAM).MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2023 to March 2023. Caregivers of hospitalized elderly with chronic diseases were recruited using convenience sampling method from three hospitals in Beijing, China. Data were obtained from self-reports of participants. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data.ResultsA total of 65.1% of the caregivers had neutral to weakly positive behavioral intention of IBSNS use. The mTAM model was supported with good model fit. Perceived ease of use was positively associated with perceived usefulness. Both perceived usefulness and perceived security were positively associated with attitude, consequently, attitude was associated with behavioral intention.ConclusionsImproving the ease of use, security, and usefulness may be helpful to increase the positive attitude towards IBSNS and behavioral intention of using IBSNS, which provides valuable insights that can help healthcare providers improve the integration of technology in patient care, ultimately leading to better health outcomes and more efficient healthcare systems.

An intriguing way to synthesize a TiO2–ZnO hybrid nanostructure for the pragmatic application as a photocatalyst

In an attempt to counter the problem of treating wastewater more efficiently, we report the study on photocatalytic properties of metal oxide nanostructures under different light sources. A novel sonication-assisted refluxing method was employed to synthesize a binary heterostructure consisting of TiO2 and ZnO. XRD and EDS analysis of synthesized materials confirm the presence of both TiO2 and ZnO. Also, the change in the intensity of XRD peaks and elemental composition are well observed with a change in molar concentration of Ti and Zn. HR-TEM micrographs show nanostructures having hybrid Janus and Core-shell type structures. The XPS spectra were probed to identify the surface chemical species associated with the prepared heterostructures. Raman spectra confirm the smaller ZnO particles attached over agglomerated TiO2 as a shell layer as depicted in TEM results. Optical studies exhibit the modification in the band structure of the materials due to the formation of the heterostructure. The synthesized hybrid catalyst shows impressive results in photocatalytic performance. The catalytic potency of the prepared heterostructures under UV light is reminiscent of Anatase while it gets convalescent with an increment of Zn content under visible light. The photocatalytic performance of synthesized materials under sunlight shows their potential to be utilized as commercial catalysts for direct application in wastewater treatment. The kinetic study of the degradation data reveals interesting facets of the catalysis. It suggests that the photo-corrosion of the catalyst inordinately changes the rate of photocatalytic reaction which ultimately affects the photocatalytic efficiency of the catalyst. The study also discusses the role of kinetic and validation parameters in the selection of the best-fitted kinetic model with realistic arguments.

Factor analysis of the feeding and eating in AutiSm Together Assessment

BackgroundAutistic children experience high rates of feeding challenges, negatively affecting their.health, eating patterns, and social eating experiences. The Feeding and Eating in AutiSm Together; FEAST, a caregiver-report questionnaire, was developed to characterize feeding challenges in autistic children ages 2 to 12 years. The purpose of this study is to determine the construct validity of the FEAST assessment using a large national sample of autistic children. MethodA large national sample (N = 396) of caregivers completed the online survey. An ordinal confirmatory factor model using a robust weighted least squares approach validated the four predicted groupings of feeding challenges (sensory processing; behavior; oral.motor skills; and gastrointestinal) with generally strong loadings onto the four distinct.factors. ResultsModel fit statistics indicated good model fit (Robust Root Mean Square Error of.Approximation=.080, Robust Comparative Fit Index =.909, Robust Tucker-Lewis.Index=.901) Findings provide preliminary confirmation of the construct validity of the.FEAST assessment to characterize feeding difficulties for autistic children ages 2–12. Small to medium correlations between all factors indicate items successfully targeted.four unique areas of feeding challenge. For all factors, the largest correlation was with.behavior. ConclusionAssessments developed to address the complex feeding and mealtime challenges for.autistic children are essential to identify and integrate the most appropriate intervention.approaches. FEAST offers researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive and psychometrically sound assessment tool to address autistic children’s unique feeding.challenges.

Unoccupied-Aerial-Systems-Based Biophysical Analysis of Montmorency Cherry Orchards: A Comparative Study

With the global population on the rise and arable land diminishing, the need for sustainable and precision agriculture has become increasingly important. This study explores the application of unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) in precision agriculture, specifically focusing on Montmorency cherry orchards in Payson, Utah. Despite the widespread use of UAS for various crops, there is a notable gap in research concerning cherry orchards, which present unique challenges due to their physical structure. UAS data were gathered using an RTK-enabled DJI Mavic 3M, equipped with both RGB and multispectral cameras, to capture high-resolution imagery. This research investigates two primary applications of UAS in cherry orchards: tree height mapping and crop health assessment. We also evaluate the accuracy of tree height measurements derived from three UAS data processing software packages: Pix4D, Drone2Map, and DroneDeploy. Our results indicated that DroneDeploy provided the closest relationship to ground truth data with an R2 of 0.61 and an RMSE of 31.83 cm, while Pix4D showed the lowest accuracy. Furthermore, we examined the efficacy of RGB-based vegetation indices in predicting leaf area index (LAI), a key indicator of crop health, in the absence of more expensive multispectral sensors. Twelve RGB-based indices were tested for their correlation with LAI, with the IKAW index showing the strongest correlation (R = 0.36). However, the overall explanatory power of these indices was limited, with an R2 of 0.135 in the best-fitting model. Despite the promising results for tree height estimation, the correlation between RGB-based indices and LAI was underwhelming, suggesting the need for further research.