Moderate Fitness Research Articles

Change in Cardiorespiratory Fitness and the Risk of Colorectal and Prostate Cancer Incidence in Men.

The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the associations between changes in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and the risk of colorectal and prostate cancer in men. Data from men who completed a health assessment both in military conscription in youth and an occupational health profile assessment (HPA) later in life were used. CRF was assessed as estimated V̇O2max, using a cycle ergometer fitness test at both time points. We linked the assessment data to national register data on colorectal and prostate cancer incidence, and hazard ratios and confidence intervals were estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression. 139,764 men with a mean age of 18 (SD 0.6) at conscription and 43 (SD 8.9) at HPA were included. The average time between the two assessments was 25.9 (SD 9.0) years and mean follow-up time following HPA test was 10.0 (SD 5.6) years for prostate and colorectal cancer. Annual percentage change in relative and absolute V̇O2max from conscription to HPA was inversely associated with the risk of colorectal cancer incidence, hazard ratio of 0.83 (95% CI [0.72-0.94]) and 0.88 (95% CI [0.79-0.99]), respectively. These associations were driven by data from individuals in the lowest and moderate level fitness tertials at conscription. Change in CRF was not associated with prostate cancer incidence risk. Changes in, not only level of, CRF from youth to adulthood are related to colorectal cancer incidence risk and therefore, improving CRF should be considered as an important colorectal cancer risk reduction strategy.

Validity, Reliability and Psychometric Properties of the Exercise Dependence Questionnaire among Physically Active Young Adults

Background: Exercise Dependence (ED) is characterized by excessive and uncontrollable exercise behaviors leading to physiological and psychological symptoms. Valid assessment tools are crucial for identifying ED in understudied populations. The present study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Exercise Dependence Questionnaire (EDQ) among physically active young adults in Iran. Methods: This psychometric validation study used a cross-sectional design with 200 participants aged 18-35 years (49% male, 51% female) recruited through clustered random sampling from sports clubs in Tabriz, Iran. The EDQ was administered between May-July, 2021. Validity was assessed through forward backward translation, content validity analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Reliability was evaluated using internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and testretest (intraclass correlation, ICC) methods. Ceiling and floor effects, Standard Error of Measurement (SEM), and smallest detectable change (SDC) were also determined. Results: The EDQ demonstrated good content validity (CVI=0.88, CVR=0.73). EFA yielded a 7-factor model explaining 59.45% of variance. Key factors were withdrawal symptoms, exercise for health/social reasons, positive reward, interference with life, insight into problems, and stereotyped behavior. CFA showed moderate fit. Internal consistency was adequate overall (α=0.8) but lower for some subscales. The ICC confirmed good test-retest reliability (0.80, 95% CI 0.76-0.84). No ceiling and floor effects were detected. SEM and SDC were 0.52 and 1.03, respectively. Conclusion: The results indicated that the Persian version of the EDQ is a valid and reliable scale for assessing ED.

Measuring fidelity to manualised peer support for people with severe mental health conditions: development and psychometric evaluation of the UPSIDES fidelity scale

BackgroundPeer support workers provide support for people experiencing mental health conditions based on their own lived experience of mental health problems. Assessing fidelity to core ingredients of peer support is vital for successful implementation and intervention delivery. Modifications to its implementation are needed when scaling up to different socio-economic settings, raising further uncertainty about fidelity. As part of a large multi-centre study on peer support called Using Peer Support In Developing Empowering Mental Health Services (UPSIDES), we developed and evaluated the psychometric properties of the UPSIDES Fidelity Scale.MethodsWe constructed the fidelity scale based on an initial item pool developed through international expert consultation and iterative feedback. Scale refinement involved site-level expert consultation and translation, resulting in a service user-rated 28-item version and a peer support worker-rated 21-item version assessing receipt, engagement, enactment, competence, communication and peer support-specific components. Both versions are available in six languages: English, German, Luganda, Kiswahili, Hebrew and Gujarati. The scale was then evaluated at six study sites across five countries, with peer support workers and their clients completing their respective ratings four and eight months after initial peer support worker contact. Psychometric evaluation included analysis of internal consistency, construct validity and criterion validity.ResultsFor the 315 participants, item statistics showed a skewed distribution of fidelity values but no restriction of range. Internal consistency was adequate (range α = 0.675 to 0.969) for total scores and all subscales in both versions. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable fit of the proposed factor structure for the service user version (χ2/df = 2.746; RMSEA = 0.084) and moderate fit for the peer support worker version (χ2/df = 3.087; RMSEA = 0.093). Both versions showed significant correlations with external criteria: number of peer support sessions; perceived recovery orientation of the intervention; and severity of illness.ConclusionsThe scale demonstrates good reliability, construct and criterion validity, making it a pragmatic and psychometrically acceptable measure for assessing fidelity to a manualised peer support worker intervention. Recommendations for use, along with research and practical implications, are addressed. As validated, multi-lingual tool that adapts to diverse settings this scale is uniquely positioned for global application.Trial registrationISRCTN, ISRCTN26008944. Registered on 30 October 2019.

Frequency-dependence may moderate fitness costs linked to reduced bird song complexity.

Animal cultures can undergo rapid changes associated with innovations, revolutions or population decline. Where a rapid shift results in reduced complexity of cultural behaviours, it may have fitness consequences for individuals. Here, we report a dramatic shift in the dominant song type of critically endangered wild regent honeyeaters Anthochaera phrygia. Between 2015 and 2019, most males in the Blue Mountains sang a typical regent honeyeater song (typical Blue Mountains song), but 5%-10% sang an abbreviated version of the song with half the number of syllables (the clipped Blue Mountains song), which was associated with lower pairing success. Since 2020, the proportion of males singing the clipped Blue Mountains song has increased to 50%-75% each year. The likelihood of successful pairing in these males showed a significant concomitant increase, suggesting that the fitness costs associated with the abbreviated song decreased as it became the dominant song type. Our results suggest that the fitness consequences of loss of song complexity in declining and fragmented populations may be ameliorated by frequency-dependent shifts in song type preference.

Modeling the Relationship Between Employee Conflict, Work Stress, and Turnover Intention in the Food-Service Industry

The fast-paced and demanding food service industry faces challenges like employee conflict, workplace stress, and high turnover intentions, which impact both employee well-being and business performance. This study examines the causal relationships among employee conflict, work stress, and turnover intention using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). A sample of 237 food service restaurant workers from Pampanga, Philippines, was selected via purposive sampling. Data were collected using a survey instrument with rating scales. The study evaluated the model’s fit, internal reliability, and construct validity using confirmatory factor analysis. Path analysis revealed a moderate fit of the model to the data, indicating acceptable reliability and validity. Findings showed a direct positive effect of employee conflict on turnover intention, with work stress having an indirect influence. Recommendations include the following: implementing conflict resolution and stress management programs, improving communication, offering flexible work hours, task management, employee assistance programs, rewards, and career advancement opportunities. Due to geographical limitations, future studies should also employ qualitative or mixed methods and longitudinal designs to examine these effects over time.

The Impact of Pencak Silat Training at Night on Physical Fitness Levels

Several pencak silat schools in Bandung in particular often carry out training at night. The pencak silat school at BTC performs this exercise from 10:00 PM to 3:00 AM. It is very interesting to research, especially its impact on physical fitness and overall healthThe purpose of this study is to assess how engaging in pencak silat training during the evening affects physical fitness. This investigation employs an ex post facto approach with a Contilation research design. The participants in this research were individuals who are part of the Pencak Silat Pencak Silat Faithful Heart Terate Brotherhood in Bandung City. The research instrument uses the Multistage Fitness Test. Using quantitative survey data analysis techniques. Based on data analysis, it was concluded that there was an influence for training pencak silat focuses on physical fitness and takes place in the evening.. The results of the study showed that members of the Bandung City Pencak Silat Brotherhood Setia Hati Terate had a diverse distribution of fitness levels: 13.6% had a low fitness level, 40.9% had a medium fitness level, 36.4% had a fair fitness level, 9.1 % achieved a good level of fitness, while none achieved a high level of fitness. Consequently, it can be inferred that practicing pencak silat at nighttime yields favorable results, even though it is not significant or only reaches a moderate fitness level. This is mainly due to the intensity of training which tends to be low and does not increase consistently over time, resulting in slow and non-optimal physical improvement.

Nature, predictors, and outcomes of the psychological capital trajectories observed among upcoming police officers' undergoing vocational training

This study seeks to achieve a dynamic person-centered understanding of the nature of the psychological capital trajectories observed among upcoming police officers undergoing vocational training. Moreover, it seeks to document the predictive role of leader-member exchange and perceived organizational support in relation to these psychological capital trajectories, as well as the implications of these trajectories for a variety of outcomes related to trainees' attitudes (i.e., organizational cynicism, identification with the organization, engagement in the training program, and satisfaction toward the training program), psychological health (i.e., perceived stress), and behaviors (i.e., performance in the training program). A sample of 1200 participants undergoing a 33-week full-time vocational training program to become police officers were surveyed four times over a period of five months and a half. Results revealed that psychological capital trajectories corresponded to five primary profiles: Learning to Hate, High Fit, Moderate Fit, Honeymoon-Hangover, and Low Fit. Perceived leader-member exchange and organizational support were associated with these trajectories in a way that mainly supported our expectations. Trajectories characterized by lower levels of psychological capital were associated with higher levels of cynicism and stress, and with lower levels of engagement, identification, performance, and satisfaction. Conversely, trajectories characterized by higher levels of psychological capital were associated with the most positive outcomes.

Living with long-term conditions: validation of a new instrument for family caregivers in a Spanish-speaking population

IntroductionOptimising the management of chronicity has been a global challenge for decades. Individuals with long-term conditions (LTCs) and their families live with them for years. Thus, it is necessary to...

Investigating patellar motion using weight-bearing dynamic CT: normative values and morphological considerations for healthy volunteers

BackgroundPatellar instability is a well-known pathology in which kinematics can be investigated using metrics such as tibial tuberosity tracheal groove (TTTG), the bisect offset (BO), and the lateral patellar tilt (LPT). We used dynamic computed tomography (CT) to investigate the patellar motion of healthy subjects in weight-bearing conditions to provide normative values for TTTG, BO, and LPT, as well as to define whether BO and LPT are affected by the morphology of the trochlear groove.MethodsDynamic scanning was used to acquire images during weight-bearing in 21 adult healthy volunteers. TTTG, BO, and LPT metrics were computed between 0° and 30° of knee flexion. Sulcus angle, sulcus depth, and lateral trochlear inclination were calculated and used with the TTTG for simple linear regression models.ResultsAll metrics gradually decreased during eccentric movement (TTTG, -6.9 mm; BO, -12.6%; LPT, -4.3°). No significant differences were observed between eccentric and concentric phases at any flexion angle for all metrics. Linear regression between kinematic metrics towards full extension showed a moderate fit between BO and TTTG (R2 0.60, β 1.75) and BO and LPT (R2 0.59, β 1.49), and a low fit between TTTG and LPT (R2 0.38, β 0.53). A high impact of the TTTG distance over BO was shown in male participants (R2 0.71, β 1.89) and patella alta individuals (R2 0.55, β 1.91).ConclusionWe provided preliminary normative values of three common metrics during weight-bearing dynamic CT and showed the substantial impact of lateralisation of the patella tendon over patella displacement.Relevance statementThese normative values can be used by clinicians when evaluating knee patients using TTTG, BO, and LPT metrics. The lateralisation of the patellar tendon in subjects with patella alta or in males significantly impacts the lateral displacement of the patella.Key PointsTrochlear groove morphology had no substantial impact on motion prediction.The lateralisation of the patellar tendon seems a strong predictor of lateral displacement of the patella in male participants.Participants with patella alta displayed a strong fit between the patellar lateral displacement and tilt.TTTG, BO, and LPT decreased during concentric movement.Concentric and eccentric phases did not show differences for all metrics.Graphical

P135 FITNESS INFLUENCES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXERCISE BLOOD PRESSURE AND LEFT VENTRICULAR STRUCTURE: EVIDENCE FROM THE EXERCISE STRESS TEST COLLABORATION (EXERTION) STUDY

Background. A hypertensive response to exercise is associated with left ventricular (LV) remodelling, a principal sign of hypertensive heart disease. Fitness may modify this relationship, making clinical interpretation of peak exercise systolic blood pressure (SBP) challenging. This study examines the influence of fitness on the relationship between peak exercise SBP and LV structure. Methods. Cardiovascular structure and function (LV mass index (LVMI), LV relative wall thickness (RWT), cardiac output (CO) and total peripheral resistance (TPR)) were assessed at rest by echocardiography on 4,309 individuals (aged 58.6±12.7 years,52.0% male). SBP was measured at peak treadmill exercise, and fitness (exercise duration (minutes)) was grouped into thirds. Multiple regression analysis was conducted with fitness as an interaction term with peak exercise SBP, adjusted for age, sex, pre-exercise SBP, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) history. Results. Peak exercise SBP was similar across low (180±26.5mmHg), moderate (181±26.3mmHg) and high (182±24.5mmHg) fitness groups. Fitness modified the relationship between exercise SBP and LVMI; each 5mmHg increase in exercise SBP was associated with LVMI in moderate [0.27(0.10–0.43) and high [0.25(0.06–0.43)] fitness groups, which was not observed among those with low fitness [-0.05(-0.22–0.12)]. RWT increased with higher peak exercise SBP at all fitness levels (all p<0.001), with higher values among those with low fitness. Prevalence of LV concentric remodelling was highest in those with low fitness (29.9%) and lowest in those with high fitness (10.8%). A lower CO and higher TPR were observed in the low fitness group (7.5±2.5L/min and 14.3±5.1mmHg min/L) compared to those with high fitness (10.9±3.1L/min and 9.2±2.09mmHg min/L). Conclusion. Whilst a small effect, fitness modified the peak exercise SBP-LV structure relationship, such that for similar peak exercise SBP, those with low fitness exhibit a more adverse LV remodelling, with lower CO and higher TPR, compared to those with higher fitness. Considering fitness when interpreting SBP and cardiac imaging results from exercise stress testing may be relevant in identifying CVD risk and optimal patient management.

Beating the Clock: A Prediction Model for Timely Care in Emergency Departments.

We developed and validated a statistical prediction model using 2.5 electronic health records from 24 German emergency departments (EDs) to estimate treatment timeliness at triage. The model's moderate fit and reliance on interoperable, routine data suggest its potential for implementation in ED crowding management.

Can everyone get interesting jobs? Estimating interest fit across gender, ethnicity, and education

AbstractAlthough research and policy efforts have attempted to “even the hiring playing field” and progress equal opportunities, systemic employment patterns based on gender and ethnicity remain prevalent. An unexplored avenue of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts is the degree to which all people can obtain jobs that fit their interests. The present study used a large, diverse sample of over 250,000 American employees to estimate the average vocational interest fit that people have with their jobs and differences in fit across race/ethnicity, gender, and education. Overall, employees showed moderate positive vocational interest fit with their jobs, with an average profile correlation of .20 between person and job interests. There were small gender differences in vocational interest fit favoring men, especially White and Hispanic men, with minimal differences across other race/ethnicity groups. However, the largest group differences emerged for education, as employees with higher educational attainment showed greater vocational interest fit, particularly among women. Further intersectional analyses added greater nuance to these results, including how various groups achieve vocational interest fit across different types of jobs. Altogether, this work provides important fit benchmark estimates for researchers, counselors, organizational placement, and theory refinement.

High throughput profiling identified PA-L106R amino acid substitution in A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza virus that confers reduced susceptibility to baloxavir in vitro

Baloxavir acid (BXA) is a pan-influenza antiviral that targets the cap-dependent endonuclease of the polymerase acidic (PA) protein required for viral mRNA synthesis. To gain a comprehensive understanding on the molecular changes associated with reduced susceptibility to BXA and their fitness profile, we performed a deep mutational scanning at the PA endonuclease domain of an A (H1N1)pdm09 virus. The recombinant virus libraries were serially passaged in vitro under increasing concentrations of BXA followed by next-generation sequencing to monitor PA amino acid substitutions with increased detection frequencies. Enriched PA amino acid changes were each introduced into a recombinant A (H1N1)pdm09 virus to validate their effect on BXA susceptibility and viral replication fitness in vitro. The I38 T/M substitutions known to confer reduced susceptibility to BXA were invariably detected from recombinant virus libraries within 5 serial passages. In addition, we identified a novel L106R substitution that emerged in the third passage and conferred greater than 10-fold reduced susceptibility to BXA. PA-L106 is highly conserved among seasonal influenza A and B viruses. Compared to the wild-type virus, the L106R substitution resulted in reduced polymerase activity and a minor reduction of the peak viral load, suggesting the amino acid change may result in moderate fitness loss. Our results support the use of deep mutational scanning as a practical tool to elucidate genotype-phenotype relationships, including mapping amino acid substitutions with reduced susceptibility to antivirals.

Psychometric Properties of the Portuguese Version of the Quality of Life in Autism Questionnaire (QoLA).

The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt and validate of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Quality of Life in Autism Questionnaire (QoLA) among parents of children ASD. The translated version was administered to 91 parents (Male: 4, Female: 85, other: 2) of individuals diagnosed with ASD. Among these, 22 completed the questionnaire twice, providing data for the assessment of test-retest reliability (ICC). The B-QoLA score ranged from 41 to 122, with a mean (SD) of 74.3 ± 18.5 in Part A and ranged from 22 to 94, with a mean (SD) of 61.6 ± 16.4, in Part B. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.94 for Part A, 0.92 for Part B and 0.94 for total B-QoLA, indicating excellent internal consistency. Test-retest reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient, which was 0.96 for the total scale, 0.94 for Part A, and 0.95 for Part B. Part A-X2 (df) = 297, (167), X2/2 = 1.7, CFI = 0.85, TLI = 0.84, GFI = 0.78, AGFI = 0.75, and RMSEA (95%CI) = 0.09 (0.07-0.11); Part B-X2 (df) = 297, (167), X2/2 = 1.7, CFI = 0.85, TLI = 0.84, GFI = 0.78, AGFI = 0.75, and RMSEA (95%CI) = 0.09 (0.07-0.11), thus indicating moderate fit of the model. The Brazilian version of the QoLA shows encouraging psychometric properties on each of the two subscales, showing strong internal consistency and good construct validity.

Analyzing the Moderating Effect of Physical Fitness on the Relationship between Abdominal Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome in Older Women

PURPOSE This study aimed to analyze the moderating effect of physical fitness on the relationship between abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in older women.METHODS A total of 190 participants were categorized based on waisthip ratio (WHR) into high (50%) and low (50%) groups, as well as based on Z-score of fitness into high (25%; high fit), moderate (50%; moderate fit), and low (25%; low fit) groups. Logistic regression was used to assess the relative risk of MetS based on abdominal obesity and fitness levels, and moderation analysis using the Process macro was conducted to explore the moderating effect of fitness on the relationship between abdominal obesity and MetS risk factors.RESULTS After adjusting forcovariates, logistic regression showed that high WHR (odds ratio (OR)=2.721, <i>p</i>=0.004) led to a significantly higher risk of MetS compared with low WHR; the high fit group (OR=0.360, <i>p</i>=0.044) had a significantly lower risk of MetS compared wih the low fit group. Moderation analysis revealed that the impact of abdominal obesity on MetS risk factors varied depending on the level of fitness (<i>β</i>=-0.495, <i>p</i>=0.037), and the results remained significant after covariate adjustment (<i>β</i>=-0.458, <i>p</i>=0.049).CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that the risk of MetS from abdominal obesity can be mitigated by higher levels of physical fitness. These findings highlight the need for participation in regular physical activity to maintain a high level of fitness, along with proper nutritional intake, to prevent MetS in older women.

Performance characteristics allow for confinement of a CRISPR toxin-antidote gene drive for population suppression in a reaction-diffusion model.

Gene drive alleles that can bias their own inheritance could engineer populations for control of disease vectors, invasive species and agricultural pests. There are successful examples of suppression drives and confined modification drives, but developing confined suppression drives has proven more difficult. However, CRISPR-based toxin-antidote dominant embryo (TADE) suppression drive may fill this niche. It works by targeting and disrupting a haplolethal target gene in the germline with its gRNAs while rescuing this target. It also disrupts a female fertility gene by driving insertion or additional gRNAs. Here, we used a reaction-diffusion model to assess drive performance in continuous space, where outcomes can be substantially different from those in panmictic populations. We measured drive wave speed and found that moderate fitness costs or target gene disruption in the early embryo from maternally deposited nuclease can eliminate the drive's ability to form a wave of advance. We assessed the required release size, and finally we investigated migration corridor scenarios. It is often possible for the drive to suppress one population and then persist in the corridor without invading the second population, a potentially desirable outcome. Thus, even imperfect variants of TADE suppression drive may be excellent candidates for confined population suppression.

Validation of the Amharic version of perceived access to healthcare services for patients with cervical cancer in Ethiopia: A second-order confirmatory factor analysis.

Accessing healthcare services is a multifaceted phenomenon involving various elements, encompassing the demand, identification, reach, and utilization of healthcare needs. The literature offers methods for capturing patients' perceptions of healthcare access. However, to accurately measure patient perceptions, it is imperative to ensure the validity and reliability of such instruments by designing and implementing localized language versions. The primary aim of this study was to validate the Amharic version of the perceived access to health-care services among patients diagnosed with cervical cancer in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among cervical cancer patients at oncology centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A consecutive sampling approach was used and data collection took place from January 1 to March 30, 2023. Following initial validation and pretesting, a KoboCollect mobile phone application was employed for data collection. Subsequently, the collected data underwent cleaning in Microsoft Excel and analysis through Amos software v.26 and R programming. Various validity and reliability tests, such as content validity, convergent validity, face validity, divergent validity, known-group validity, and reliability tests, were executed. A second-order confirmatory factor analysis was developed to calculate incremental model fit indices, including CFI and TLI, along with absolute measures, namely SRMR and RMSEA. A total of 308 participants were involved in the study, with 202 (65.6%) being patients referred from outside Addis Ababa. The initial evaluation of content validity by expert panels indicated that all criteria were met, with a CVR range of 0.5 to 1, I-CVI values ranging from 0.75 to 1, an S-CVI value of 0.91, and face validity values ranging from 2.4 to 4.8. The internal consistency of items within the final constructs varied from 0.76 to 0.93. Convergent, known-group, and most divergent validity tests fell within acceptable fit ranges. Common incremental fit measures for CFI and TLI were achieved with corresponding values of 0.95 and 0.94, respectively. The absolute fit measures of SRMR and RMSEA were 0.04 and 0.07, indicating good and moderate fit, respectively. The study indicated a high internal consistency and validity of items with good fit to the data, suggesting potential accuracy of the domains. A five-domain structure was developed which enables adequate assessment of perceived access to health-care services of patients with cervical cancer in Ethiopia. We suggest that the tool can be utilized in other patient populations with a consideration of additional constructs, such as geographic accessibility.

Synthesis and in vitro antitumor evaluation of new thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives as EGFR and DHFR inhibitors

New thienopyrimidine derivatives 2–16 have been synthesized and their in vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated against five different human cancer cell lines HCT-116, Hela, MDA-MB-231, MCF7 and PC3. Compounds 6e, 7a, 7b, 7d, 10c and 10e displayed the highest antitumor activity against all tested cell lines compared to Doxorubicin. Enzyme inhibition assay revealed that compounds 6e and 10e showed high inhibitory activity against EGFR-TK, with IC50 values of 0.133 and 0.151 µM, compared to Olmutinib (IC50 = 0.028 µM); while the highest DHFR inhibitory activity was shown by compounds 7d and 10e with IC50 values of 0.462 and 0.541 µM, compared to Methotrexate (IC50 = 0.117 µM). Cell cycle analysis following a flow cytometric study using colorectal HCT-116 cancer cell line proved that compound 6e induced cell cycle arrest in G0-G1 phase, while compound 10e arrested the cell cycle at both G0-G1 and S phases. Additionally, both compounds (6e and 10e) were potently able to induce apoptosis in HCT-116 cell line. Docking results of compounds 6e and 10e into the pocket of EGFR active site showed their similar main binding features with Olmutinib, while compounds 7d and 10e showed only moderate fitting into DHFR compared to methotrexate. In silico studies revealed that most of the tested compounds obeyed Lipinski’s RO5 and showed positive drug likeness scores.

Psychometric evaluation of the Bengali brief pain inventory in a sample of Bangladeshi cancer patients

Pain is a common complain among oncology patients, and success of its management requires accurate assessment. However, the status of pain treatment in Bangladesh is largely undocumented. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Bengali version of Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-Bengali) in a Bangladeshi sample of cancer patients. BPI-Bengali and the Questionnaire on Stress in Cancer Patients Revised (QSC-R 23) were administered to a convenience sample of 60 adult oncology patients receiving pain treatment. Cronbach alpha coefficients were 0.89 and 0.94 for the severity and interference items respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficients for the test-retest stability were 0.65 (p<0.01) for the pain intensity scale and 0.88 (p<0.01) for the pain interference scale. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) yielded two components, indicating pain severity and interference clusters by explaining 75% of the variance. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated the model as moderate fit to the data (CFI=0.89, RMSEA=0.16). Convergent validity of the pain severity and interference was demonstrated by significant correlations with stress level (r=0.67, p<0.01), (r=0.66, p<0.01). The findings of this study support the psychometric properties of Bengali BPI among cancer population in terms of validity, reliability and factor structure. Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 33(1): 99-108, 2024 (January)

Perceived economic mobility predicts evaluation of low‐fit co‐brands

AbstractCo‐branding is an effective marketing strategy that is widely used by brands to expand the market, but research on the influence of consumer‐level factors is limited, with predominant emphasis on brand‐level factors that predict acceptance of brands that are seemingly “different” from each other co‐branding with one another. This research explores the effect of perceived economic mobility on perceived co‐branding fit. Findings from Experiment 1 indicate that co‐brands low or moderate (vs. high) fit with one another are perceived more favorably when perceived economic mobility is higher. Experiment 2 further examines the proposed mechanism that we propose to be holistic thinking style behind the influence of perceived economic mobility on distant co‐branding evaluation, and it also rules out two alternative explanations. Experiment 3 replicates above findings with an American dataset. Our findings contribute to the co‐branding literature by proposing a novel antecedent—perceived economic mobility—of low‐fit co‐branding. Our findings also provide managerial guidelines for enhancing co‐branding effectiveness.