Moderate Level Of Correlation Research Articles

The Influence of Abdominal Circumference and Body Mass Index On Hypertension

The Body Mass Index (BMI) value is used to determine the body composition value, calculated using a formula involving height and weight. Increasing body weight will affect the size of the stomach circumference. One indicator of BMI that can identify the risk of morbidity due to increased body weight is the measurement of the size of the abdominal circumference. If there is an increase in BMI, the risk of developing hypertension and other heart diseases also increases. Hypertension is when a person's blood pressure exceeds normal (120/80mmHg). This research was conducted to analyze the influence of BMI and abdominal circumference on hypertension symptoms using analytical observation. Random sampling was taken from the USU Faculty of Medicine student population with the criteria of having a history of heart disease, a history of metabolic disease, taking heart medication, and being an athlete. Respondents had their height and weight measured, their BMI values were calculated, then their abdominal circumference, and their blood pressure. The results showed that there was an influence between BMI and abdominal circumference on symptoms of hypertension. There was a significant correlation between BMI and systole (p=0.000) and diastole (p=0.014) as well as a moderate correlation coefficient for systole (r=0.466) and diastole (r=0.340). There is a correlation between abdominal circumference and systole (p=0.000) and diastole (p=0.038) and a moderate level correlation coefficient with systole (r=0.480) and diastole (r=0.289). It can be concluded that there was an influence of BMI and LP on hypertension.

HIV infection among children in Malanje province, Angola: a twelve-year follow-up study.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) / acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) infection has been a serious health problem in pediatric age groups globally, and especially in African countries such as Angola. Our aim was to determine the prevalence rate, accumulate incidence rate, and mortality rate of HIV/AIDS infection in children under 14 years of age residing in four municipalities of Malanje (Malanje, Cacuso, Calandula, and Caculama), from 2010 to 2021. This was a documentary research study, with data from 2010 to 2021, developed from a sample size of 10,984 children. The prevalence rate data showed a certain level of dispersion, and no relationship was identified in its behavior over the years (R2 = 0.0036). On the other hand, the accumulate incidence rate presented a tendency to decrease, indicating a moderate level of correlation in its behavior over the years (R2 = 0.4278). Finally, the mortality rate has been decreasing and presented a high correlation in its association with the years under analysis (R2 = 0.8142). Primary schooling and low purchasing power were frequent (60% and 82%, respectively) among the families of HIV-infected children under study. Despite the temporal variation of HIV in children under 14 years of age living in the different municipalities, there was a tendency of its diminishing in the later part of the period, from 2010 to 2021. Nevertheless, the key players should focus on strengthening community strategies for prevention, investigation, and diagnosis of HIV infections in this population.

The WHO Adult ADHD self-report Scale used in a clinical sample of patients with overlapping symptoms - psychometric properties of and scoring methods for the Swedish translation

Background The WHO Adult ADHD Self-report Scale (ASRSv1.1 and ASRS-S) is used for screening for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The capacity of the Swedish version of the scale to discriminate ADHD from borderline personality disorder (BPD) and bipolar disorder (BP) has not been tested. Aim Evaluate scoring methods, psychometric properties, and diagnostic accuracy of the Swedish versions of ASRSv1.1/ASRS-S in a group of patients with ADHD and/or BPD and/or BP. Method A total of 151 young adult psychiatric patients diagnosed with ADHD, BPD and/or BD completed ASRSv1.1 and the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS) for ADHD symptoms, and the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) for functional impairment. ADHD diagnoses were assessed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS) interview. Both versions of the scale were analysed through dichotomised and non-dichotomised scoring for diagnostic accuracy analysis. Results The internal consistency for ASRSv1.1/ASRS-S was satisfactory with α 0.913 and 0.743, respectively. The two-factor structure of the ASRSv1.1 and the one factor structure of ASRS-S were supported by the confirmatory factor analyses. A strong positive correlation was found between ASRSv1.1 and WURS and a moderate level of correlation was found between ASRSv1.1 and SDS. The area under the curve for both scoring methods were excellent with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.808 and 0.817, respectively. Optimal cut-off scores were in line with the original recommendations. Conclusion The Swedish translation of ASRSv1.1/ASRS-S has psychometric properties comparable to other populations and the capacity to screen for ADHD in patients with overlapping symptoms.

Estimation of Heat Production Rate using Thermal Data During Exercise in Indoor Environments: A Study of Heat Storage Rate in Male Athletes.

The increasing preference for indoor exercise spaces highlights the relationship between indoor thermal environments and physiological responses, particularly concerning thermal comfort during physical activity. Determining the metabolic heat production rate during exercise is essential for optimizing the thermal comfort, well-being, and performance of individuals engaged in physical activities. This value can be determined during the activity using several methods, including direct calorimetry measurement, indirect calorimetry that uses analysis of respiratory gases, or approximations using collected data such as speed, body mass, and heart rate. The study aimed to calculate the metabolic heat production rate by infrared thermal evaluation (ITE) based on the body's thermal balance approach and compare it with the values determined by indirect calorimetry (IC). Fourteen participants volunteered for the study, using a cycling ergometer in a controlled climatic chamber. After the familiarization sessions, maximal O2 intake levels (VO2max) were determined through maximal graded exercise tests. Subsequently, constant work rate exercise tests were performed at 60% of VO2max for 20min. The metabolic heat production rates were calculated by IC and ITE for each athlete individually. Respiratory gases were used to determine IC, while body skin and core temperatures, along with physical environmental data, were applied to calculate ITE using the human body thermal balance approximation of ASHRAE. According to the results, heat storage rates were misleading among the body's heat transfer modes, particularly during the first 8min of the exercise. ITE showed a moderate level of correlation with IC (r: 0.03-0.86) with a higher level of dispersion relative to the mean (CV%: 12-84%). Therefore, a new equation (ITEnew) for the heat storage rates was proposed using the experimental data from this study. The results showed that ITEnew provided more precise estimations for the entire exercise period (p > 0.05). Correlations between ITEnew and IC values were consistently strong throughout the exercise period (r: 0.62-0.85). It can be suggested that ITEnew values can predict IC during the constant work rate steady-state exercise.

The Mediating Role of Teachers’ Attitudes toward Instructional Supervision in the Association between Instructional Supervisory Practice and Teachers’ Job Performance

The school needs to pay instructional supervision considerable attention to implement better teaching-learning procedures that will result in a more effective education. These procedures ought to remain democratic and cooperative. The attitude of the teachers toward supervision influences the outcomes of the supervision process. Therefore, in the context of secondary schools in Ethiopia's Dembecha area, this study sought to explore the mediating effect of teacher attitude to instructional supervision in the relationship between job performance and instructional supervisory practice. A mixed research design that was convergent parallel was utilized. Using comprehensive sampling, all four principals, two secondary school supervisors, and three hundred teachers participated in the study. Consequently, the study discovered that although teachers' work performance was at a moderate level, the status of instructional supervisory practice and their attitudes about it were at a low level. There were positive, significant, and moderate levels of correlation between instructional supervisory practice, teachers' attitudes toward instructional supervision, and teachers' job performance. Finally, the study revealed that teachers' attitude toward instructional supervision has a mediating impact on the association between instructional supervisory practice and job performance. In terms of practical applications, this study supports educators and school administrators in recognizing the benefits and drawbacks of instructional supervision and in implementing corrective actions to address the issues secondary schools encounter. Secondary schools’ instructional supervision practices need to be improved further to be widely accepted by teachers and put into practice.

Research on Civic and Political Education and Economic Development in the Age of Digital Economy

Abstract This paper constructs the evaluation index system of Civic and Political Education and Digital Economy Development and uses the entropy value method to calculate the weight value of each index in the evaluation system. A gray correlation analysis model is established to explore the degree of correlation and relevance of indicators in the evaluation system of ideological and political education and economic development. Analyze the synergistic development between the two subsystems of ideological and political education and digital economic development by using the coupling degree and the coupling coordination degree analysis method, and explore the degree of coordination of the coupling development between the two. The analysis of the relationship between civic and political education and economic development in the sample sites found that the integrated gray correlation between the two is 0.610, which is a moderate level of correlation. The coupling degree of the two is increasing year by year, and it will reach 0.525 in 2023. On average, the coupling coordination degree reaches 0.610, which belongs to primary coordination. This paper provides data support for the improvement of the coupling coordination between ideological education and economic development in the era of the digital economy. It lays the foundation for the common development of ideological education and economy.

Search for differentially methylated regions in ancient and modern genomes

Currently, active research is focused on investigating the mechanisms that regulate the development of various pathologies and their evolutionary dynamics. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, play a significant role in evolutionary processes, as their changes have a faster impact on the phenotype compared to mutagenesis. In this study, we attempted to develop an algorithm for identifying differentially methylated regions associated with metabolic syndrome, which have undergone methylation changes in humans during the transition from a hunter­gatherer to a sedentary lifestyle. The application of existing whole­genome bisulfite sequencing methods is limited for ancient samples due to their low quality and fragmentation, and the approach to obtaining DNA methylation profiles differs significantly between ancient hunter­gatherer samples and modern tissues. In this study, we validated DamMet, an algorithm for reconstructing ancient methylomes. Application of DamMet to Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes showed a moderate level of correlation with previously published methylation profiles and demonstrated an underestimation of methylation levels in the reconstructed profiles by an average of 15–20 %. Additionally, we developed a new Python­based algorithm that allows for the comparison of methylomes in ancient and modern samples, despite the absence of methylation profiles in modern bone tissue within the context of obesity. This analysis involves a two­step data processing approach, where the first step involves the identification and filtration of tissue­specific methylation regions, and the second step focuses on the direct search for differentially methylated regions in specific areas associated with the researcher’s target condition. By applying this algorithm to test data, we identified 38 differentially methylated regions associated with obesity, the majority of which were located in promoter regions. The pipeline demonstrated sufficient efficiency in detecting these regions. These results confirm the feasibility of reconstructing DNA methylation profiles in ancient samples and comparing them with modern methylomes. Furthermore, possibilities for further methodological development and the implementation of a new step for studying differentially methylated positions associated with evolutionary processes are discussed.

Does medullary diameter to stem width ratio and stem length affect outcomes of revision total knee arthroplasties? A case series.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the ratio of stem size to intramedullary canal diameter, stem length, and functional outcome in revision total knee arthroplasty (RTKA) procedures, which remains largely unexplored in the current literature. A single surgeon series of RTKA procedures performed between October 2014 and November 2022 were included in this case series, and data were analyzed retrospectively. A total of 32 patients (27 females, 5 males; mean age: 73.2±8.1 years; range, 52 to 88 years) were identified, with a minimum follow-up period of five months and a maximum of eight years. Filtering the patients based on >24 month follow-up, we were left with 13 patients aged between 65 and 88 (mean 74.9±6.9) years. The latest X-rays of patients were analyzed, and the ratio of intramedullary canal diameter to stem width was calculated for both femur and tibia in both anteroposterior and lateral planes. Household income, preoperative C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, comorbidities, body mass index, and implant dimensions were also recorded. Postoperative Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Short Form-12 (SF-12) scores, and range of motion (ROM) measurements were used to evaluate functional outcome. A moderate negative relationship between the tibial canal fill ratio (CFR) in anteroposterior views and ROM of the patients was noted. Additionally, a significant positive correlation was found between SF-12 physical score and CFR in lateral view. A moderate level of correlation between femoral CFR in anteroposterior views was also established. Due to insufficient data, joint ROM data did not show normal distribution. Therefore, a cutoff value indicating the relationship between the stem size and knee ROM could not be calculated using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Multiple regression analysis did not yield significant results, suggesting that hypothesized predictor variables were not sufficient to predict the variation in functional scores. Otherwise, no clear statistical importance or correlation between functional scores, such as WOMAC or SF-12, and CFR was found. In conclusion, the findings suggest that other factors, such as other patient characteristics, surgical techniques, or implant designs, may have a more substantial impact on the functional outcomes in RTKA patients.

The knowledge management and the guidelines of learning instruction on emergency medical services by local administrative organizations in northeastern Thailand

This study aims to emergency medical services (EMS) and their efficacy within the purview of Local Administrative Organizations (LAOs) in Thailand. As the responsibility for EMS has transitioned from public hospitals to LAOs, it has prompted inquiries into their efficiency. This research endeavors to scrutinize the determinants influencing the performance of EMS managed by LAOs. To accomplish this objective, we embraced a quantitative research approach. Data was obtained from 636 individuals who had availed emergency medical services, chosen through purposive sampling. Questionnaires were used to collect data, and the IOC index was employed to ensure data integrity. Descriptive statistics elucidated and assessed various variables. Multiple regression analysis was conducted with a statistical significance level of 0.01 to unearth the associations between administrative factors and the performance of EMS by LAOs. This research uncovers a positive, moderate-level correlation between administrative factors and the performance of EMS by LAOs. Specifically, factors such as community engagement, service preparedness, operational efficiency, budget allocation, resource availability, and staffing levels were identified as noteworthy predictors of EMS success by LAOs, explaining 60.8 percent of the variance. The outcomes of this study have practical implications for EMS management by local authorities, not only in Thailand but also in other regions grappling with analogous challenges. This research contributes to the ongoing endeavors to enhance pre-hospital care and emergency response, ultimately preserving lives and mitigating the repercussions of emergency illnesses and accidents on communities.

Development and Validation of the Amharic Version of Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectancy Measures on Intention to Take Preventive Actions on Noncommunicable Disease.

This study is aimed at developing and accessing the validity and reliability of an Amharic version of the self-efficacy and outcome expectancy measures on noncommunicable disease prevention strategies. The intentions to take protective measures on NCDs' self-efficacy and outcome expectancy scales were created in Amharic using a sequential nine-step process that included translation and contextualization of the items, content validity, pretesting of the questions, sampling, and survey administration. Principal component analysis was conducted on 829 university students which showed a one-factor solution for self-efficacy and a three-factor solution for outcome expectancy scales using split-half measures. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the factor structure, which also demonstrated good internal consistency (.828 self-efficacy, .766 outcome expectancy). The scales had a moderate level of correlation (r = .35, p.001) between them. The study resulted in reliable and valid Amharic versions of self-efficacy (9-item) and outcome expectancy (12-item) scales.

Genome size, genetic diversity, and phenotypic variability imply the effect of genetic variation instead of ploidy on trait plasticity in the cross-pollinated tree species of mulberry.

Elucidation of genome size (GS), genetic and phenotypic variation is the fundamental aspect of crop improvement programs. Mulberry is a cross-pollinated, highly heterozygous tree eudicot, and comprised of huge ploidy variation with great adaptability across the world. However, because of inadequate information on GS, ploidy-associated traits, as well as the correlation between genetic and phenotypic variation hinder the further improvement of mulberry. In this present research, a core set of 157 germplasm accessions belonging to eight accepted species of Morus including promising functional varieties were chosen to represent the genetic spectrum from the whole germplasm collection. To estimate the GS, accessions were subjected to flow cytometry (FCM) analysis and the result suggested that four different ploidies (2n = 2x, 3x, 4x, and 6x) with GS ranging from 0.72±0.005pg (S-30) to 2.89±0.015pg (M. serrata), accounting~4.01 fold difference. The predicted polyploidy was further confirmed with metaphase chromosome count. In addition, the genetic variation was estimated by selecting a representative morphologically, diverse population of 82 accessions comprised of all ploidy variations using simple sequence repeats (SSR). The estimated average Polymorphism Information Content (PIC) and expected heterozygosity showed high levels of genetic diversity. Additionally, three populations were identified by the model-based population structure (k = 3) with a moderate level of correlation between the populations and different species of mulberry, which imply the effect of genetic variation instead of ploidy on trait plasticity that could be a consequence of the high level of heterozygosity imposed by natural cross-pollination. Further, the correlation between ploidies, especially diploid and triploid with selected phenotypic traits was identified, however, consistency could not be defined with higher ploidy levels (>3x). Moreover, incite gained here can serve as a platform for future omics approaches to the improvement of mulberry traits.

The Effect of Price Perceptions on Purchase Decisions for Lion Air Aircraft Tickets at Sultan Hasanudin Airport, Makassar

Lion Air airline implements a Low Cost Carrier policy for economy class or with a minimum standard of service. It is hoped that the Low Cost Carrier policy will have a positive effect on ticket purchasing decisions, because there is a perception in the community, especially users of airport services, that low prices are often identified with low service quality below standard, while people expect low prices but quality service. Conditions like this can certainly affect the decision to buy a ticket. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of price perceptions on purchasing decisions for Lion Air airplane tickets at Sultan Hasanuddin Airport, Makassar. This research uses a quantitative approach. The population in this study are Lion Air airline service users and the sampling technique in this study uses a probability sampling technique. Data collection techniques in this study used questionnaires with a total sample of 100 respondents. Processing data in research using the SPSS 21 software program. The analytical methods used are validity test, reliability test, simple linear regression, t test and coefficient of determination. The results of the t test on the price perception variable t-count is 11.410 and t-table is 0.195 so that it shows t-count t-table, so that H0 is rejected and Ha is accepted meaning that there is an influence of price perception (X) on purchasing decisions (Y) airplane tickets Lion Air at Sultan Hasanudin Airport Makassar. And the results of the coefficient of determination on the price perception variable is 57.1%, while the remaining 42.9% is explained by other variables outside this study. The results obtained in this study, namely the influence of price perceptions (X) on purchasing decisions (Y) for Lion Air flight tickets at Sultan Hasanudin Airport, Makassar, are known to be moderate correlation levels.

A three-year prospective cohort study evaluating implant stability utilising the Osstell® and Periotest™ devices

ObjectivesTo investigate implant stability measurements from two different devices and at three different time points in order to determine their level of correlation. To also evaluate the influence of a range of clinical characteristics on the values produced by the devices at these three time points.Materials & MethodsMeasurements were recorded at implant placement (T1), implant exposure (T2) and at 3 years from implant placement (T3). A range of clinical data was collected including patient demographics and site characteristics. Stability measurements and clinical characteristics were recorded for 29 patients and 68 dental implants at T1, subsequent stability measurements were recorded for 67 implants at T2 and 58 implants at T3. Correlation testing between the Osstell® and Periotest™ devices was carried out utilising Spearman's rank correlation for each time point. Analysis of the difference between clinical factors and stability measurements was compared using Kruskal-Wallis test for each variable and time point.ResultsA single dental implant failed shortly after second stage surgery for an overall survival rate of 98% during the study timeline. The median ISQ value was 73.25 (IQR 67–75) at T1 and 74 (IQR 70.5–77) at T3. The median Periotest value was −4 (IQR −6, −2) at T1 and −6 (IQR −7, −5) at T3. The range of ISQ values observed was 50 (39–89) ISQ at T1 and decreased to 21 (61–82) ISQ at T3. The Periotest values ranged from 37 (29 to −8) at T1 and decreased to 6 (−2 to −8) at T3. A weak to moderate correlation was observed between mean ISQ and Periotest values across time points T1, T2 and T3, (r = −0.26, p = 0.05), (r = −0.35, p < 0.01) and (r = −0.28, p = 0.04) respectively.ConclusionsBased on the results of this study there was a weak to moderate level of correlation between values recorded between the two measurement devices at implant placement, implant exposure and three years following placement. For both the Osstell® and Periotest™ a narrowing of the range of stability values was observed from T1 to T3. In general, Periotest™ seemed to be more sensitive in highlighting differences in measurements affected by local conditions.

Pengaruh Motivasi Kerja terhadap Produktivitas Karyawan pada PT. Salawati Motorindo Sorong

This research is motivated by the frequent occurrence of employee turnover in a company or business organization which has an impact on work productivity in the company due to lack of work motivation and employee work discipline. Therefore, work productivity is very important to be applied to this company to achieve the goals that have been set. The purpose of this study is the effect of motivation on the work productivity of employees of PT. Salawati Motorindo Sorong. This study uses a descriptive method with a quantitative approach. data collection by questionnaire technique. Respondents in this study as many as 56 people who are employees at PT. Salawati Motorindo Sorong. Hypotheses were formulated and tested using simple linear regression analysis. The results showed that there was a positive effect of 0,189 and significantly less than 0,05 between work motivation on employee productivity. Meanwhile, for the correlation coefficient interval relationship, there is a value of 0,40 – 0,599 or a moderate level of correlation. Meanwhile, the coefficient of determination is 0.198 or 19.8% and 80.2% is influenced by other factors.

Biochemical recurrence (BCR) surrogacy for clinical outcomes after radiotherapy for adenocarcinoma of the prostate (BCRSCRAP): A meta-analysis from MARCAP Consortium.

391 Background: Event-free survival, a PSA-driven endpoint, was shown to not be surrogate endpoint for overall survival (OS) in the ICECAP two-stage meta-analytic approach. However, time to biochemical recurrence (TTBCR) in NRG/RTOG 9202 met Prentice criteria for surrogacy. We performed an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials evaluating RT dose escalation, ADT use, and adjuvant ADT prolongation to evaluate the surrogacy of time to BCR (TTBCR), censoring for non-prostate cancer deaths, using both approaches to evaluate surrogacy. Methods: This individual patient level meta-analysis was performed using data from the MARCAP consortium, and 11 radiotherapy trials were included. TTBCR was defined as time to developing a BCR or experiencing prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM), with censoring at time of other-cause death or loss to follow-up. Landmark analyses were used to test the Prentice criteria for surrogacy. For patient level correlation between TTBCR and OS, we applied a bivariate Copula model to estimate the Kendall’s τ. For trial level correlation of the treatment effect on TTBCR and true endpoints, a weighted linear regression model was applied between the effects of treatment (natural log of hazard ratio [log-HR]) on OS versus TTBCR using a weightage that was inverse variance of BCR log-HR estimate. Results: Based on Prentice criteria, BCR at the landmark time point of 48 months was associated with increased risk of mortality in trials that compared treatment intensification with adjuvant ADT prolongation (HR 2.18 [95% CI 1.95-2.42]), the addition of ADT (HR 1.38 [1.25-1.54]), and RT dose escalation (HR 2.12 [1.83-2.46]) on uni- and multi-variable analyses. At the patient level, there was a low to moderate level correlation between BCR and OS with Kendall’s τ of 0.34 and a R2 of 0.55 for correlation of treatment effect on TTBCR and OS. At the trial level, there was a poor correlation between treatment effect on TTBCR and OS (R2=0.16). Conclusions: This IPD meta-analysis demonstrates that while BCR is prognostic, it is not a surrogate endpoint for OS in localized prostate cancer for patients treated with a diverse array of radiotherapeutic strategies. This highlights the importance of other cause mortality in prostate cancer. Our results highlight the differences in interpretability of Prentice criteria and the two-stage meta-analytic approach and suitability of endpoints for clinical trial design.

A Systematic Review of the Correlation Between Marital Relationship and Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy, and Duration of Breastfeeding.

Background: Breastfeeding as an important key to sustainable development strategies is the best nutrition for ensuring healthy growth and development in the first 1,000 days of life. Objective: The current systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the correlation between marital relationship satisfaction and breastfeeding self-efficacy and duration of breastfeeding. Method: A systematical search was carried out in main electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, ProQuest, and Web of Science) and gray literature until June 2022. The study's risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa risk-of-bias tool. Publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot, and Begg's and Egger's tests. The degree of heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 test. To estimate common effect size r coefficient (r) and confidence intervals (95% CIs), random-effect models were fitted, and the results were presented using forest plots. Results: In total, 13 studies with 5,843 subjects were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, the pool estimates show a positive correlation between marital relationship satisfaction, and breastfeeding self-efficacy (r = 0.27, 95% CI (0.09-0.50), p = 0.024), but this relationship was not found in the term of breastfeeding duration (r = 0.11, 95% CI [-0.01 to 0.23], p = 0.079). The heterogeneity of studies was high (I2 = 95.2%) Conclusion: Our finding confirms a positive and moderate level of correlation between marital relationship satisfaction and breastfeeding self-efficacy. It is suggested to conduct more studies to reach appropriate conclusions regarding marital relationship satisfaction and breastfeeding duration.

Preoperative Immunocite-Derived Ratios Predict Surgical Complications Better when Artificial Neural Networks Are Used for Analysis-A Pilot Comparative Study.

We aimed to comparatively assess the prognostic preoperative value of the main peripheral blood components and their ratios-the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR)-to the use of artificial-neural-network analysis in determining undesired postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer patients. Our retrospective study included 281 patients undergoing elective radical surgery for colorectal cancer in the last seven years. The preoperative values of SII, NLR, LMR, and PLR were analyzed in relation to postoperative complications, with a special emphasis on their ability to accurately predict the occurrence of anastomotic leak. A feed-forward fully connected multilayer perceptron network (MLP) was trained and tested alongside conventional statistical tools to assess the predictive value of the abovementioned blood markers in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Statistically significant differences and moderate correlation levels were observed for SII and NLR in predicting the anastomotic leak rate and degree of postoperative complications. No correlations were found between the LMR and PLR or the abovementioned outcomes. The MLP network analysis showed superior prediction value in terms of both sensitivity (0.78 ± 0.07; 0.74 ± 0.04; 0.71 ± 0.13) and specificity (0.81 ± 0.11; 0.69 ± 0.03; 0.9 ± 0.04) for all the given tasks. Preoperative SII and NLR appear to be modest prognostic factors for anastomotic leakage and overall morbidity. Using an artificial neural network offers superior prognostic results in the preoperative risk assessment for overall morbidity and anastomotic leak rate.

Heart Rate Recovery (HRR) Is Not a Singular Predictor for Physical Fitness

For optimal recommendations in cardiovascular training for the general population, knowing the essential parameters for physical fitness is required. Heart rate recovery (HRR) is an easy-to-measure parameter and is discussed to derive the physical fitness of an individual subject. This study evaluates HRR as a potential physical fitness parameter for public health programs, as it is measured in every ergometry. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we analyzed HRR regarding physical fitness (W/kg (IAT: individual anaerobic threshold)). In total, we analyzed 1234 performance protocols in cycle ergometry. Significance tests (p < 0.001) and multiple linear regression were performed. The analysis of HRR and weight-related performance showed a significant correlation with a moderate coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.250). The coefficient of determination increases from very weak correlation levels at 1 min post-workout towards weak to moderate levels of correlation at 5 min post-workout. In this study HRR and the weight-related performance at the IAT showed a significant correlation with a mean strength. Thus, a prediction or conclusion on physical performance based singularly on HRR decrease is not recommended. However, in preventive medicine, HRR should be measured and observed on a long-term basis, for analysis of vagal activity and to draw to inferences of mortality.

Pandemi COVID-19 dan Pengangguran di Kabupaten Tangerang

The economic performance of a country or region can be shown through various macro variables, including unemployment. The labor market is one part of the economic sector affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to the health sector. Tangerang Regency is one of the region in Banten Province which is known as an industrial area and has a relatively large workforce. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of the COVID-19 pendemic on the open unemployment rate in Tangerang regency. This research method used are correlation analysis, Granger Causality and binary logistic regression model. Based on the results of the correlation analysis, it can be concluded that the district minimum wage (UMK) and the labor force have a significant and positive relationship with the unemployment rate and has moderate level of correlation, while based on the results of granger causality, it can be conclude that unemployment rate variable has a one way relationship with PDRB, UMK and the labor force. Variables that have a significant effect on reducing working hours during the pandemic are labor experience, experience squared, workings who work as argriculral, forestry, fisheries, operators and machine assembling workers, while the factors tha significantly affect the reduction in wages are labor status (married), age, age squared, profession (as manager, professional technician &amp; assistant, service and sales personal, agricultural worker, forestry, fishery, processing worker, craft, machine operator and assembling, roug worker), essential sector and usage internet for work.

Exponential Model for Adsorption Kinetics

Adsorption is one of the most widely applied techniques for the removal of contaminants from the environment. The effectiveness of an adsorbent is dependent on its kinetics. There are lots of studies on adsorption kinetics, and several mathematical models have been developed to describe this process based on certain perceived underlying mechanism. However, most models which have been used to fit the kinetic data have shown a moderate level of correlation or no fit at all. This is mainly because of error in assuming the governing equation and erroneous assumptions when finding solutions to the governing equations. In this research an exponential model is proposed. It is believed that adsorption of an adsorbate onto an adsorbent follows essentially two stages. There is a rapid stage that tends towards a first phase pseudo-equilibrium (Qr(0)) at a rate of kr and transits at a time ‘tr’ and rate ktr to a slow stage which tends towards a second phase pseudo-equilibrium (Qs(0)) at a rate of ka which marks the climax of the process. Mathematical equations were used to describe this process and solved analytically to obtain the new exponential model. The model was used to estimate kinetic data and compared with the first and second order equations with an R2 of 0.994, 0.999 and 0.998 respectively. The new adsorption parameters Qr(0) , Qs(0), kr, ks, ktr and tr were also extracted from the calibrated model.