Non-significant Correlation Research Articles

Influence of Heat Stress on Body Surface Temperature and Blood Metabolic, Endocrine, and Inflammatory Parameters and Their Correlation in Cows.

This study aimed to determine whether heat stress affected the values and correlations of metabolic, endocrinological, and inflammatory parameters as well as the rectal and body surface temperature of cows in the early and middle stages of lactation. This experiment was conducted in May (thermoneutral period), June (mild heat stress), and July (moderate to severe heat stress). In each period we included 15 cows in early lactation and 15 in mid-lactation. The increase in rectal and body surface temperatures (°C) in moderate to severe heat stress compared to the thermoneutral period in different regions was significant (p < 0.01) and the results are presented as mean and [95%CI]: rectal + 0.9 [0.81-1.02], eye + 6 [5.74-6.25], ear + 13 [11.9-14.0], nose + 3.5 [3.22-3.71], forehead + 6.6 [6.43-6.75], whole head + 7.5 [7.36-7.68], abdomen + 8.5 [8.25-8.77], udder + 7.5 [7.38-7.65], front limb + 6 [5.89-6.12], hind limb + 3.6 [3.46-3.72], and whole body + 9 [8.80-9.21]. During heat stress (in both mild and moderate to severe stress compared to a thermoneutral period), an increase in the values of extracellular heat shock protein 70 (eHsp70), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), cortisol (CORT), insulin (INS), revised quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (RQUICKI), urea, creatinine, total bilirubin, aspartate transpaminase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatin kinase (CK) occurred, as well as a decrease in the values of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), glucose (GLU), β-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB), calcium, phosphorus, total protein (TPROT), albumin (ALB), triglycerides (TGCs), and cholesterol (CHOL). In cows in early lactation compared to cows in mid-lactation, there was a significantly larger increase (p < 0.01) in the values of eHsp70, TNFα, GLU, RQUICKI, and GGT, while the INS increase was smaller during the three experimental periods. The decrease in the values of Ca, CHOL, and TGC was more pronounced in cows in early lactation compared to cows in mid-lactation during the three experimental periods. Rectal temperature was related to eHsp70 (r = 0.38, p < 0.001) and TNFα (r = 0.36, p < 0.01) and showed non-significant poor correlations with other blood parameters. Blood parameters correlate with body surface temperature, with the following most common results: eHsp70 and TNFα showed a moderately to strongly significant positive correlation (r = 0.79-0.96, p < 0.001); CORT, INS, and Creat showed fairly to moderately significant positive correlations; T3, T4, NEFA and GLU showed fairly to moderately significant negative correlations (r = 0.3-0.79; p < 0.01); RQUICKI, urea, AST, and GGT showed fairly and significantly positive correlations; and TGC, CHOL, TPROT, and ALB showed fairly and significantly negative correlations (r = 0.3-0.59; p < 0.01). Measuring the surface temperature of the whole body or head can be a useful tool in evaluating the metabolic response of cows because it has demonstrated an association with inflammation (TNFα, eHsp70), endocrine response (CORT, T3, T4), the increased use of glucose and decreased use of lipids for energy purposes (INS, NEFA, GLU, and RQUICKI), and protein catabolism (ALB, TPROT, urea, Creat), which underlies thermolysis and thermogenesis in cows under heat stress. In future research, it is necessary to examine the causality between body surface area and metabolic parameters.

Near-infrared spectroscopy for kidney oxygen monitoring in a porcine model of hemorrhagic shock, hemodilution, and REBOA

Acute kidney injury is a common complication of trauma and hemorrhagic shock. In a porcine model of hemorrhagic shock, resuscitative endovascular balloon aortic occlusion (REBOA) and hemodilution, we hypothesized that invasive kidney oxygen concentration measurements would correlate more strongly with noninvasive near infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS) oxygen saturation measurements when cutaneous sensors were placed over the kidney under ultrasound guidance compared to placement over the thigh muscle and subcutaneous tissue. Eight anesthetized swine underwent hemorrhagic shock 4 of which were resuscitated with intravenous fluids prior to the return of shed blood (Hemodilution protocol) and 4 of which underwent REBOA prior to resuscitation and return of shed blood (REBOA protocol). There was a moderate correlation between the NIRS and kidney tissue oxygen measurements (r = 0.61 p < 0.001; r = 0.67 p < 0.001; r = 0.66 p < 0.001for left kidney, right kidney, and thigh NIRS respectively). When the animals were separated by protocol, the Hemodilution group showed a weak or nonsignificant correlation between NIRS and kidney tissue oxygen measurements (r = 0.10 p < 0.001; r = 0.01 p = 0.1007; r = 0.28 p < 0.001 for left kidney, right kidney, and thigh NIRS respectively). This contrasts with the REBOA group, where left and right kidney as well as thigh NIRS were moderately correlated with kidney tissue oxygen (r = 0.71 p < 0.001; r = 0.74 p < 0.001; r = 0.70 p < 0.001; for left kidney, right kidney, and thigh NIRS respectively). There was a strong correlation between both kidney NIRS signals and thigh NIRS measurements (r = 0.85 p < 0.001; r = 0.88 p < 0.001;for left kidney vs thigh and right kidney vs thigh respectively). There was also a strong correlation between left and right kidney NIRS (r = 0.90 p < 0.001). These relationships were maintained regardless of the resuscitation protocol. These results suggest that kidney NIRS measurements were more closely related to thigh NIRS measurements than invasive kidney tissue oxygen concentration.

Suboptimal reliability of FIB-4 and NAFLD-fibrosis scores for staging of liver fibrosis in general population.

The burden and incidence of liver cirrhosis are increasing worldwide. Early detection of liver fibrosis would help in early interventions and preventing the progression of fibrosis and cirrhosis. The accepted noninvasive markers for liver fibrosis staging, namely fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS), have shown inconsistent performance for detecting the fibrosis stage. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of FIB-4 score and NFS for the detection of liver fibrosis in the general population. From a general population referred from a single, community-based family-physician clinic, we included study participants between the ages of 45 and 65 years, with no knowledge of liver disease and no record of alcohol consumption. Liver fibrosis was evaluated by the FIB-4 score and NFS using shear wave elastography (SWE) or transient elastography (TE) measurements as a reference. A total of 76 participants (aged 61.5 ± 0.37 years, 33% females) were included in the study cohort. We observed a nonsignificant correlation between liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and FIB-4 and NFS (r = 0.1, P = 0.37; r = 0.16, P = 0.15, respectively). Our results showed that only 5.2% with FIB-4 >3.25 and 9.7% with NFS >0.675 had LSM >12 kPa. The compatibility of fibrosis staging was 55% between FIB-4 score and LSM and only 18% between NFS and LSM. We found that FIB-4 and NFS are unreliable tools for liver fibrosis estimation in the general population. There is a need for more reliable noninvasive methods for the early detection of liver fibrosis.

Infrared Thermography as a Non-Invasive Tool to Assess Health Bio-Marks in University Students

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between cortisol concentrations (ng/ml) with body temperature, digital thermometer and thermal infrared gun (˚C). Infrared Thermography is a new and revolutionary way of measuring body temperature. Methodology: In this study data is collected about 65 individuals and extract blood samples from 50 students (25 males and 25 females). Results: Non-significant negative correlation was observed between cortisol concentrations (ng/ml) with body temperature of IRT of right eye-maximum (CC = -0.100; P = 0.490). Non-significant negative correlation was observed between cortisol concentrations (ng/ml) with body temperature of IRT of left eye-maximum (CC= -0.099; P = 0.495). Non-significant negative correlation was observed between cortisol concentrations (ng/ml) with body temperature of IRT of forehead-maximum (CC = -0.124; P = 0.413). A non-significant negative correlation is also observed between cortisol concentration (ng/ml) with body temperature of IRT of mean of left eye, thermal infrared gun and digital thermometer (˚C). Conclusion: Overall non-significant negative correlation is also observed between various concentrations with body temperature. Keywords: IRT, Cortisol, Body temperature, Digital thermal temperature, Infrared gun temperature

Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) Negatively Impacts Prey Capture Capabilities in Larval Zebrafish.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in many industrial and domestic applications, which has resulted in unintentional human exposures and bioaccumulation in blood and other organs. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is among the most prevalent PFAS in the environment and has been postulated to affect brain functions in exposed organisms. However, the impacts of PFOS in early neural development have not been well described. We used zebrafish larvae to assess the effects of PFOS on two fundamental complex behaviors, prey capture and learning. Zebrafish exposed to PFOS concentrations ranging from 2 to 20 µM for differing 48-h periods were viable through early larval stages. In addition, PFOS uptake was unaffected by the presence of a chorion. We employed two different experimental paradigms; first we assessed the impacts of increasing organismal PFOS bioaccumulation on prey capture and learning, and second, we probed stage-specific sensitivity to PFOS by exposing zebrafish at different developmental stages (0-2 vs. 3-5 days post fertilization). Following both assays we measured the amount of PFOS present in each larva and found that PFOS levels varied in larvae from different groups within each experimental paradigm. Significant negative correlations were observed between larval PFOS accumulation and percentage of captured prey, whereas nonsignificant negative correlations were observed between PFOS accumulation and experienced-induced prey capture learning. These findings suggest that PFOS accumulation negatively affects larval zebrafish's ability to perform complicated multisensory behaviors and highlights the potential risks of PFOS exposure to animals in the wild, with implications for human health. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:847-855. © 2023 SETAC.

Influence of work-related stress on patient safety culture among nurses in a tertiary hospital: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundOne of the global issues facing the nursing profession is work-related stress because it interferes with care quality and organisational competency. These kinds of stressful situations can cause damage to the mental ability of the affected individual resulting in low job productivity. In a Nigerian healthcare setting, patient safety is under-researched.AimThis study aimed to assess the influence of work-related stress on patient safety culture among nurses in a tertiary hospital.Materials and methodsThe study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey. The Population of the study was nurses who are currently serving as employees at Federal Medical Center Birnin-Kebbi. Proportional and systematic sampling methods were used in the selection of the sample of the study. The tools used for this study were adapted Hospital Survey on Patient Safety (HSOPS) and Nurses’ Occupational Stressor Scale. Ethical approval was obtained from the research ethical committee of the hospital.ResultsThe moderate stress experience was having the highest percentage (45.0%). The highest percentage of the nurses (69.9%) practised a moderate safety culture. There were weak or very weak significant negative correlations (P < 0.01) between patient safety culture practices and occupational stress across all the subscales of the nurses’ occupational stressors scale except in the occupational hazards subscale in which there was extremely weak and non-significant negative correlation. Work–family conflict was a significant predictor of patient safety culture, t (208) = -2.341, P < 0.05. Difficulty in taking leave was a significant predictor of patient safety culture, t (208) = -2.190, P < 0.05.ConclusionThere was a significant negative correlation between stress and safety practice which implies that as stress increased safety practice decreased. These study findings can be used to develop ongoing strategies and targeted interventions in addressing work-related stress.

Quantifying Articulatory Working Space in Individuals Surgically Treated for Oral Cancer With Electromagnetic Articulography.

The purpose of this study was to quantify sentence-level articulatory kinematics in individuals treated for oral squamous cell carcinoma (ITOC) compared to control speakers while also assessing the effect of treatment site (jaw vs. tongue). Furthermore, this study aimed to assess the relation between articulatory-kinematic measures and self-reported speech problems. Articulatory-kinematic data from the tongue tip, tongue back, and jaw were collected using electromagnetic articulography in nine Dutch ITOC and eight control speakers. To quantify articulatory kinematics, the two-dimensional articulatory working space (AWS; in mm2), one-dimensional anteroposterior range of motion (AP-ROM; in mm), and superior-inferior range of motion (SI-ROM in mm) were calculated and examined. Self-reported speech problems were assessed with the Speech Handicap Index (SHI). Compared to a sex-matched control group, ITOC showed significantly smaller AWS, AP-ROM, and SI-ROM for both the tongue tip and tongue back sensor, but no significant differences were observed for the jaw sensor. This pattern was found for both individuals treated for tongue and jaw tumors. Moderate nonsignificant correlations were found between the SHI and the AWS of the tongue back and jaw sensors. Despite large individual variation, ITOC showed reduced one- and two-dimensional tongue, but not jaw, movements compared to control speakers and treatment for tongue and jaw tumors resulted in smaller tongue movements. A larger sample size is needed to establish a more generalizable connection between the AWS and the SHI. Further research should explore how these kinematic changes in ITOC are related to acoustic and perceptual measures of speech.

COMPARING MAGNETIC RESONANCE ENTEROGRAPHY AND ENDOSCOPY FINDINGS TO QUANTATATIVE MAGENTIC RESONANCE IMAGING IN PEDIATRIC CROHN’S DISEASE

Abstract BACKGROUND In pediatric Crohn’s disease, endoscopy has remained the gold standard for diagnosis; however, Magnetic Resonance Enterography (MRE) is able to show inflammation of the bowel that a gastroenterologist cannot reach with endoscopy. For a standard MRE, a patient needs to ingest oral contrast, receive intravenous (IV) contrast and a spasmolytic agent, and hold his/her breath during portions of the study, which can be challenging in younger children. As shown in previous studies, quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can evaluate bowel motility in children with Crohn’s disease, showing that as motility decreases in the bowel, inflammation increases. A motility score obtained from GIQuant software (Motilent, UK) may allow existing MRE protocols to be shortened and can be done with free-breathing techniques and without IV contrast and the spasmolytic agent. AIM Our primary aim is to demonstrate that quantitative MRI, which uses the cine image to develop a motility score from GIQuant software, is as effective as standard MRE in assessing inflammation of the bowel. We secondarily hypothesize that the motility score will inversely correlate to the Endoscopic Biopsy Acute Histologic Inflammatory Score (eAIS), the Crohn’s Disease Endoscopic Index of Severity (CDEIS) score, and the MR Index of Activity (MaRIA) score. METHODS This was a retrospective study of 50 pediatric patients from Children’s Wisconsin with ileal and/ or cecal Crohn’s disease who underwent endoscopy and MRE within 7 days of each other without exposure to therapy. Cine images were used from patients’ previously obtained MREs to obtain a motility score using GIQuant. A cine image and GIQuant map example is shown in Figure 1. The relationships between motility score and MaRIA, eAIS, and CDEIS were then calculated by Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (ρ). RESULTS MaRIA and motility scores inversely correlated (ρ = -0.66, p &amp;lt;.0001), which is seen in Figure 2. MaRIA positively correlated with CDEIS (ρ = 0.30, p= 0.03) and eAIS (ρ = 0.26, p = 0.07). The motility score showed a non-significant negative correlation with CDEIS (ρ = -0.17, p = 0.24) and eAIS (ρ = -0.23, p =0.11). CONCLUSION Quantitative MRI is as effective as standard MRE in identifying inflammation of the bowel in Crohn’s disease. The cine image is obtained much faster than standard MRE and without the use of intravenous contrast, spasmolytic agent, and breath-holding techniques, which is crucial for children who are too young to cooperate with current MRE protocols. Figure 1 MRE cine image with the Region of Interest in the terminal ileum identified via the polygon and the resulting Motility Map produced by GIQuant Figure 2 MaRIA and Motility scores of each patient in our cohort

EVALUATION OF BIOSURFACTANT PRODUCING AND ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE PSEUDOMONAS FOR HEAVY METALS TOLERANCE

This study aimed to evaluate biosurfactant production and antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas bacteria isolated from some agricultural fields to detect the relationship of these isolates traits with some heavy metals resistance. Bacterial isolates were screened for biosurfactant production through blood hemolysis, oil spreading, emulsification activity, and surface tension. The antibiotic sensitivity was determined using disk diffusion method. Then, identification of the selected isolates and subjected to gradient concentrations of heavy metals to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Biosurfactant production was found in 74.29% of these isolates. The isolates resistance to Ticarcillin-clavulanate, Aztreonam, Piperacillin, and Imipenem were 92.86%, 31.43%, 2.86% and 1.43%, respectively. The eight selected isolates were identified by biochemical tests and VITEK 2 system as P. aeruginosa. The resistance of these isolates to heavy metals differed significantly. The isolate B49 recorded the highest resistance to Cu (MIC=3200 µg/ml) and Zn (MIC=2600 µg/ml), while the isolate B66 recorded the highest resistance to Cd (MIC=1000 µg/ml) and isolate B25 had higher resistance to Hg (MIC=80 µg/ml), and Pb (MIC=2800 µg/ml). The correlation coefficient between emulsification (E24%) and CdCl2 (r=0.27) and Pb (r=0.38) was significant positive, while E24% had a significant negative correlation with Zn (r= -0.63) and non-significant correlation to copper (r=0.02) and mercury (r=0.19) resistance.

ESG Score and Market Value: The Role of the Family Firm Evidence from the Italian Listed Market

In recent years, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices and disclosure has become a critical component of corporate finance and accounting. Indeed, increasingly, companies seek to demonstrate their accountability to the environment and society in order to meet the expectations of different stakeholders interested in ESG performance (Garcia-Sanchez &amp;amp; Garcia-Sanchez, 2020). Customers, regulators, employees, suppliers, social and activist groups, media and lenders are all potential stakeholders in sustainability accountability (Arif et al., 2021; Camilleri, 2015; Sajjad et al., 2020). Nevertheless, the shareholders, institutional investors and individuals, looking to invest their money in firms with sustainable finance goals and high levels of ESG performance (Louren&amp;ccedil;o et al., 2014). Companies are supposed to make and disclose sustainable initiatives in organizational decisions (Garcia-Sanchez et al., 2014) and managers convey the focus of their efforts towards a more sustainable environment and society paying much attention to ESG indicators (Broadstock et al., 2019).&#x0D; &#x0D; This paper investigates the value of ESG score for family firms (FF) and non-family firms (NFF). Stemming from previous studies (Mart&amp;iacute;nez-Ferrero &amp;amp; Fr&amp;iacute;as-Aceituno, 2015), ESG performance in family business context is still unexplored. Indeed, most of the scholars have focused their effort on exploring the adoption of FF&amp;rsquo;s non-financial disclosure while, to the best of our knowledge, no one has investigated the effect of the type of firm (family or non-family) in the relationship between non-financial performance (ESG) and financial performance.&#x0D; &#x0D; The results of the analyzes demonstrate that there is no significant relationship between non-financial performance (ESG performance) and the value of companies. Indeed, for both the hypotheses there is just a positive but non-significant correlation. This evidence was verified for both FF and NFF panel.

Influence of Weather Factors on the Incidence of Major Insect Pests of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

Population dynamics of major pests viz., web worm, Antigastra catalaunalis (Duponchel), leaf hoppers Orosius albicinctus (Distant) and gallfly Asphondilia sesami (Felt) infesting sesame was studied in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India during Rabi and Kharif seasons of the year 2020. Correlation between the pest population, percent damage and weather parameters was analyzed and regression equations were developed. The incidence of leaf hoppers, web worm and gallfly on sesame crop during Rabi season started on 4th, 3rd and 7th Standard meteorological week (SMW) respectively. The peak attained on 8th,11th, and 11th SMW with population of leafhoppers and damage by web worm and gallfly (2.01/plant,60.04 percent and 49.68 percent) respectively during Rabi season. In case of leafhopper and web worm, minimum temperature (r=0.031r=0.373) had non-significant positive correlation whereas mean relative humidity (r=-0.02) registered non-significant negative correlation with leaf hopper and web worm significant negative correlation Gall fly incidence showed significant positive correlation with maximum and minimum temperature. Whereas in Kharif season, incidence of leafhoppers, web worm and gallfly on sesame crop started on 33rd, 32nd and 37th SMW respectively. The peak activity and incidence was noticed during 37th, 39th and 40th SMW for leafhoppers, web worm and gallfly respectively. The correlation between weather parameters and incidence of major pests followed a similar pattern to kharif season. Regression analysis data revealed that the multiple non-linear regression equations are sufficient to predict the pest population with prevailing weather parameters.

Morphological Correlation between the Diameters of the Left Main Coronary Artery and its Branches Measured by QCA and Derived by Finet's Law.

Coronary artery diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. Stenting or angioplasty of coronary arteries as interventional management requires knowledge about the morphology of the coronary tree, including luminal diameters. This work aimed to study the diameters of the left main coronary artery and its branches measured by QCA in relation to the diameters derived by Finet's law. This was a cross-sectional, retrospective, hospital-based study. The number of angiograms used was 357. The diameters of the left main coronary artery (LM1), left anterior interventricular artery (LAD1), and left circumflex artery (LCx1) were measured by QCA. The diameter of LM1 was measured by 5 mm before its termination, and the diameters of LAD1 and LCx1 were obtained by 5 mm from their origins. Finet's law was used to calculate the diameters of LM2, LAD2 and LCx2 using the QCA measurements. The mean age of participants was 53.3±8.8 years. Female patients represented 58.9%. The mean diameter of the left main coronary using QCA was 3.75±0.85 mm, and the diameter calculated using Finet's law was 3.89±0.80 mm. The diameters of LAD1 and LCx1 were larger than those calculated with Finet's law. The Z-test showed a significant difference between the diameter of the LM1 calculated by Finet's law; both diameters were positively associated. The diameters of LAD1 and LAD2 showed a non-significant correlation (r = 0.0653, P = 0.259526) and a negative correlation between LCx1 and LCX2 (r = -0.2659, P = 0.00001). The Z-test showed a significant difference in the diameter of LAD and LCx measured by QCA and Finet's law. An association was found between the diameter of LM measured by QCA and calculated with Finet's law; the diameter calculated by Finet's law was larger. The diameters of LAD and LCx measured by QCA were larger than those calculated by Finet's law. A positive correlation existed between the diameters measured by QCA and Finet's law, and they had significant differences. Finet's law can assist in the selection of stent size. Despite the literature about Finet's law, generalising its use requires more studies on different ethnicities.

Validity and reliability of the Duruöz Hand Index in patients with psoriatic arthritis.

The Duruöz Hand Index (DHI) is a valuable scale developed for evaluating hand functions of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and subsequently proven to be valid and reliable in various diseases. This study aims to investigate the validity and reliability of the DHI in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Patients diagnosed with PsA according to CASPAR criteria were enrolled. The demographic, clinical, and functional characteristics of patients were evaluated. Functional assessment was performed with DHI, Hand Functional Index, Health Assessment Questionnaire, and VAS-disability scale. C-reactive protein level, patients' and physicians' global VAS, swelling and tenderness of the hand joints, gross grip strength and thumb strength, and disease activity assessments were recorded as non-functional parameters related to active disease status. Reliability was assessed by internal consistency (with Cronbach's-a) and test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient. Face, content, convergent, and divergent validities were applied. One hundred and forty-four patients (74.3% female) were included in this study. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.963, and for the test-retest reliability of the DHI, the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.904 (p < 0.001). DHI showed good correlations with the functional disability scales (Hand Functional Index, Health Assessment Questionnaire, VAS-disability), indicating its convergent validity and moderate to non-significant correlations with the non-functional parameters supporting its divergent validity. Despite the occurrence of significant deformities and functional loss in PsA patients, there is a noticeable absence of specific tools tailored for PsA. Considering the intricacies associated with skin, nail, tendon, entheseal involvement, and arthritis, there is a need for straightforward tools in both clinical practice and studies involving patients with PsA. The DHI is a valid and reliable scale to evaluate the functional disability of hands in patients with PsA.

Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the Bafadal`s Leadership Morality Questionnaire in Indonesian Context

Objective: This study aims to address the lack of quantitative, culturally contextualized measures for evaluating moral leadership in Indonesian primary schools. The objectives are threefold: 1) to assess the convergent validity of Bafadal's Leadership Morality Questionnaire (BLMQ) within the Indonesian educational setting; 2) to evaluate the discriminant validity of the BLMQ; and 3) to derive actionable insights for administrators and policymakers based on the findings. Method: A quantitative survey-based approach was employed, gathering data from 362 prospective school principals in East Java, Indonesia. A series of scales including the BLMQ, Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ), Moral Competency Inventory (MCI), Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Locus of Control (LoC) were administered. Results: The study revealed significant positive correlations between the BLMQ and other moral metrics such as the MFQ and MCI, suggesting convergent validity. On the other hand, low and non-significant correlations were found between the BLMQ and scales like the SES and LoC, which suggests discriminant validity. Notably, the correlation between the BLMQ and MCI was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The BLMQ demonstrates both convergent and discriminant validity, as it aligns closely with other moral metrics like the MFQ but not with unrelated scales like the SES and LoC. However, the non-significant correlation between the BLMQ and MCI suggests that these two instruments may be capturing different facets of moral competency.&#x0D; &#x0D; Received: 21 September 2023 / Accepted: 4 December 2023 / Published: 5 January 2024

Serum levels of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 in patients with systemic sclerosis

BackgroundSystemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disorder with fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) breaks down angiotensin II to the antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory angiotensin (1–7). Aim of the workTo assess the serum levels of ACE2 in SSc patients and to determine the association between its levels with the clinical features and disease severity. Patients and methodsSerum from 44 patients with SSc and 35 age and sex matched controls were assayed for ACE2 concentrations by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) was evaluated. ResultsPatients were 41 females and 3 males (F:M 13.7:1) with a mean age of 40.4 ± 11.3 years, and median disease duration of 5 years. Thirty-four patients had limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) and 10 had diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc). Interstitial lung disease was present in 30 (68.2 %) patients. The median mRss was 11 (4–35). The antiscleroderma-70 and anticentromere antibodies were positive in 36.4 % and 29 %, respectively. The ACE2 level was significantly lower in SSc (1.02 ng/ml; 0.13–4.25 ng/ml) compared to control (1.57 ng/ml; 0.24–23.69 ng/ml) (p = 0.026) and in females compared to males (0.8; 0.13–4.15 ng/ml vs 3.33; 1.32–4.25 ng/ml) (p = 0.04) while the levels were comparable between lcSSc and dcSSc (p = 0.88). The level was lower in those with telangiectasia (n = 24), (p = 0.048) and in those receiving cyclophosphamide (n = 11), (p = 0.038) compared to those without. There was a non-significant correlation between ACE2 level and mRss (p = 0.16). ConclusionsSerum ACE2 levels are decreased in patients with SSc and related to telangiectasias and the use of cyclophosphamide.

Evaluation of the Scales for Social Comparison of Appearance and Social Comparison of Well-Being

People constantly compare their appearance and well-being to that of other individuals. However, a measure of social comparison of well-being is lacking and existing appearance-related social comparison assessment is limited to comparison tendency using predefined social situations. This limits our understanding of the role of social comparison in appearance and well-being. Therefore, we developed the Scale for Social Comparison of Appearance (SSC-A) and the Scale for Social Comparison of Well-Being (SSC-W) to assess upward and downward social comparisons with regard to (a) frequency, (b) perceived discrepancy to the standard, and (c) engendered affective impact during the last 3 weeks. In one longitudinal and three cross-sectional studies (Ns = 500–1,121), we administered the SSC-A or SSC-W alongside measures of appearance social comparison, body satisfaction, self-concept, social rank, well-being, envy, rumination, depression, and anxiety. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the expected two-factor model representing upward and downward social comparison for both scales. Overall, upward comparison displayed the anticipated associations with the measured constructs, whereas downward comparison showed mostly small or nonsignificant correlations with the validators. The SSC-A and SSC-W are efficient measures of social comparison for appearance and well-being with good evidence for their reliability and validity in our samples.

Study of digestive enzymes in marine fish, Terapon jarbua, from Pakistan.

Current analysis were performed to investigate the activity of various digestive enzymes, such as lipases, proteases and amylases in gut and their relationship to the other morphometric variables in a wild marine fish, Terapon jarbua. The descriptive data of the studied traits included fish weight, fish total length, gut weight, gut length, relative gut length, relative gut mass, Fulton's condition factor, standard length and Zihler's index. Gut length showed positive correlation with fish total length and gut weight, relative gut length (RGL) showed positive correlation with gut length. Relative gut mass (RGM) also showed positive correlation with total length (TL), gut weight (GW) and gut length (GL). Fulton's condition factor showed positive correlation with fish weight, while negative correlation with fish total length and relative gut mass. Standard length displayed positive correlation with gut weight and gut length while, it showed negative correlation with Fulton's factor. Zihler's Index displayed positive correlation with gut length, RGL and Zihler's RGM while, while showed negative correlation with Fulton's factor and fish weight. Lipase showed negative correlation with gut weight. Amylase and protease activity have no correlation with other studied traits. Lipase activity displayed negative significant correlation with gut weight. Lipase activity showed significantly negative effect on gut-weight. Amylase activity on y-axis (PC2) contributed 13% in variation but not significantly correlated with first two principal components. It showed non-significant negative correlation with fish weight, fish length and Fulton's factor while positive but not-significant correlation with other traits. Protease has positive and non-significant correlation with fish weight, RGL, Fulton's factor, lipase and amylase while non-significant negative correlation with all other traits.

Elemental composition of carnivorous fish Wallago attu (Siluridae, Siluriformes) from River Chenab, Pakistan.

Over the decades, riverine ecosystems is suffering from intense human intervention resulting in degradation and habitat loss as a consequence, many fish species become endangered, particularly in rivers where heavy demand is placed on freshwater. Wallago attu is fast growing catfish belongs to the family siluridae has good market demand having high protein content and nutritional value in it's flesh. The data was obtained for metal concentration in wet and dry body weight in wild Wallago attu. All metal was found under permissible limit as recommended by different international organizations. Calcium was found highest, while cadmium in lowest concentration. Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Mn, K, Na, Ca and Mg showed highly significant (P<0.001) positive correlation with wet body weight except Co and Cd showed non-significant (P>0.05) correlation. Metals such as Fe, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, K, Ca, Mg and Co shown negative allometric pattern with increasing body weight concentration of Cu, Fe, Zn, Ni, Pb, Mn, Na, Ca and K showed positive relationship (P<0.001) with total length (cm), except for Co and Cd, which indicated non significant correlation (P>0.05). Present Study will helpful to assess toxicity due to presence of heavy metals for researchers and different organizations from River Chenab, Punjab, Pakistan.

Correlation between Pain, Disability, and Quality of Life in Young Adults with Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain (CNLBP) is characterized by persistent pain lasting more than 12 weeks. Common contributing factors include sedentary jobs, prolonged periods of inactivity or sitting, and a lack of physical activity. CNLBP can restrict everyday activities such as dressing and bathing, potentially leading to disability and a reduction in the Quality of Life (QOL). Aim: To determine the correlation between pain, disability, and QOL in young adults with CNLBP. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2021 to June 2024 at the outpatient department of KJ Somaiya College of Physiotherapy. After obtaining approval from the institutional ethical committee and based on the selection criteria, a total of 98 participants were included. The outcome measures utilised in the study included the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire-24 (RMDQ-24), the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHO QOL BREF), and the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) to assess disability, QOL, and pain, respectively. Pearson’s correlation test was employed to determine the correlation between these parameters. Results: The findings of the study indicated non-significant correlation between pain and disability (r=0.0021, p=0.4918), between pain and QOL (r=-0.0016, p=0.9872), and a negative, non-significant correlation between disability and QOL (r=- 0.1015, p=0.3196). Conclusion: The study concluded that there was no correlation between pain and disability, QOL and disability. Similarly, a negative non significant correlation was obtained between disability and QOL in young adults with CNLBP.

Evaluation of serum levels of heat shock protein 70 in patients with psoriasis in Basra, Iraq.

Psoriasis is a chronic, non-infectious skin disease that affects people of all ages and has no sex preference, which is caused by environmental stressors involving skin cells, immunocytes, and several biologic signaling molecules. Psoriasis has been linked to psychological, metabolic, arthritic, and cardiovascular complications. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is considered the most protective member of the HSP family. HSP70 can regulate protein homeostasis, minimize stress-induced denaturation and aggregation of intracellular proteins and operate as a protective factor in tissue damage. This study aimed to investigate the serum level of HSP70 in patients with psoriasis to assess whether there is an association of HSP70 with psoriasis and to assess the effects of age, gender, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and disease duration on the serum level of HSP70. This was a case-control study which recruited 98 patients with psoriasis and 81 apparently healthy age- and sex-matched individuals as controls. Blood samples were collected via venipuncture (5 ml) to estimate the HSP70, random blood sugar, liver enzymes, lipid profile, and complete blood count. The results revealed that the level of HSP70 was significantly higher in psoriasis patients compared to the control group (p-value < 0.05). The level of HSP70 showed a significant association with gender, but a non-significant positive correlation with duration of psoriasis. The level of HSP70 showed a non-significant negative correlation with age, BMI and waist circumference. The study suggested that HSP70 may have a potential role in the pathophysiology of psoriasis and may help to explain the mechanisms behind the development and treatment of psoriatic lesions with different severity.