Principal Component Factor Analysis Research Articles

Development and validation of heart failure-specific quality-of-life measurement tool in India

ObjectiveTo develop and validate a sensitive tool for assessment of quality of life (QoL) in heart failure (HF) patients in Indian settings. MethodsThe authors conducted literature review, in depth interviews, clinical observations and designed the first draft of the QoL tool. The tool was validated using content and face validity by a panel of experts. For internal consistency reliability, the questionnaire was administered among 270 HF patients. Test-retest reliability was assessed in 20 HF patients. Principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation was employed to assess the dimensionality and to reduce the number of items. Cronbach's alpha, and Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) were employed to investigate reliability of questionnaire. The responsiveness data were collected 6 months after the baseline data collection from 30 HF patients. IBM® SPSS® Statistics Version 21 was used for statistical analysis. ResultsThe principal component factor analysis revealed mainly 5 domains. The final tool included 25 items. Cronbach's alpha (α) for the overall tool was 0.915. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) based on test-retest was 0.734. The final tool showed good responsiveness to changes with a mean ± SD of the change in response of 46 ± 12.4 and a standardized mean response of 3.7 within six-months. ConclusionThe HF specific QoL tool developed for Indian patients is a valid and reliable instrument and it can be applied in daily clinical practice, and research. Short summaryWe had developed and validated a quality-of-life tool for heart failure patients in India. This is the first ever attempt to develop a measure for heart failure patients in India. We had used a mixed methodology approach to identify all the domains in the tool. The newly developed tool is a valid, reliable, sensitive and responsive tool to measure quality of life in HF patients in India. This tool can be applied in daily clinical practice, research and health system for patients with HF in India.

Research on the Re-Optimizing Food Systems

Because the current food system prioritizes efficiency and profitability without considering equity and sustainability, the system is already very unstable. Therefore, we put forward optimization policies without changing the free market, and based on this, we established the food system evaluation model, the food system optimization model, and the time prediction model. We use data to analyze major issues and estimate the benefits of these policies. Because the current food system prioritizes efficiency and profitability without considering equity and sustainability, the system is already very unstable. Therefore, we put forward optimization policies without changing the free market, and based on this, we established the food system evaluation model, the food system optimization model, and the time prediction model. We use data to analyze major issues and estimate the benefits of these policies. We use the R language to perform correlation analysis on factors that may affect the food system. Then we use principal component analysis and factor analysis to find direct connections between different variables and establish comprehensive indicators to evaluate the food system. We evaluate from the perspectives of market, industrial foundation, technology, and adjustment capabilities, and analyze changes in the food system through changes in indicators related to equity and sustainability. Then we establish the SI model to estimate the time required to implement the system.

Provoking Punches: Factors Influencing Perceived Violent Reactions to Negative Situations

Purpose: Violence among college students is an important area of research as this group is at an increased risk of both engaging in and being a victim of violence. As such, the current research aimed to examine factors that may influence violent tendencies among a sample of college students.
 Method: Data from 101 completed surveys were analyzed. Principal components factor analysis and Cronbach’s alpha resulted in the creation of six independent variables (gun experience, weapons support, anger contagion, witness violence, violent community, and aggressive beliefs) and four dependent variables (competition for resources, social attacks, physical attacks, and unfair situations). OLS regression was used to estimate the impact of each variable on perceptions of reacting with violence to four negative situations.
 Results: Gun experience and violent community significantly predicted responding violently to both social and physical attacks, while gun support was only predictive of violence in competition for resources. Additionally, aggressive beliefs predicted perceptions of violent responses to physical attacks and in unfair situations. Finally, anger contagion was associated with students reporting an increased likelihood of responding violently to social attacks.
 Conclusions: While research shows the importance of understanding violence exposure and aggressive norms in creating and improving violence prevention programs and anti-violence strategies, the role that perceptions play is largely absent. Furthermore, this research supports the importance of implementing these programs and strategies among college students/young adults to potentially reduce violence and aggression within this age group.

FRI005 Appetite Response To Short-term Energy Restriction In Young Healthy Women

Abstract Disclosure: G.E. Choi: None. C. Okigbo: None. J. Tessa Tonleu: None. S. Shekhar: None. H.F. Leka: None. A.E. Kim: None. B. Purse: None. K.R. Hisch: None. A.E. Smith-Ryan: None. J.E. Hall: None. Short-term caloric restriction, also referred to as energy restriction (ER), is commonly used by women across the weight spectrum to address their weight or health. Chronic ER is associated with increased appetite, but the relationship is poorly characterized in short-term ER or in the absence of obesity. We investigated the impact of controlled short-term ER on appetite and relevant hormone mediators in young women. In the early follicular phase of two menstrual cycles, 19 healthy non-obese women aged 23.36 ± 2.08 years (mean ± SD) with a BMI of 23.15 ± 2.34 kg/m2 (mean ± sem) underwent two five-day diet and exercise interventions: neutral energy availability (NEA) = 45 kcal/kg lean body mass (LBM)/day and deficient energy availability (DEA) = 20 kcal/kg LBM/day. On day 5 of both interventions, a visual analog scale (VAS) appetite questionnaire, body weight, fasting leptin and orexin-A were measured. We used paired t-tests for comparisons of changes from NEA to DEA. Principal-component factor analysis divided VAS items into appetite, satiety, and hunger (Cronbach alphas >0.80). We utilized linear regression models to determine how changes (Δ) in body weight, leptin, and orexin-A affect appetite, satiety, hunger, and cravings. From NEA to DEA, appetite and hunger increased (55% vs 76%; p<0.001 and 52% vs 71%; p<0.001, respectively), while satiety and cravings decreased (42% vs 19%; p <0.01 and 49% to 38%; p<0.01, respectively). DEA resulted in a weight loss of 1.0±0.22 kg (p<0.001), a decrease in leptin of 3.13±0.95 ng/ml, p=0.002), and increased orexin-A (0.06±0.02 ng/ml, p=0.018). Δ body weight was positively associated with Δ leptin (p=0.001) but not Δ orexin-A. When adjusting for leptin and orexin-A, increased appetite was associated with weight loss (p=0.011). Δ satiety was independently correlated with Δ body weight (p=0.002) and Δ leptin (p=0.033). Δ hunger was positively correlated with Δ body weight (p=0.043), independent of Δ orexin-A). Δ leptin, orexin-A, or body weight did not correlate with Δ craving. Thus, even in non-obese women, short-term ER results in a profound effect on homeostatic mechanisms designed to maintain weight; increased appetite and decreased satiety are mediated by even a minor degree of weight loss, both independently and through decreased leptin. It is likely that changes in ghrelin also contribute to these adaptations to ER, however it was not measured in this study for technical reasons. Interestingly, the effect of short-term ER on specific food cravings is overwhelmed by the overall increase in appetite. Presentation: Friday, June 16, 2023

Social and Preventive Factors That Explain Oral Health among Pregnant Women in the Canton of Cuenca, Ecuador.

(1) Background: pregnant women in underprivileged areas may face challenges that affect their oral health. The analysis of these issues such as toothaches or cavities, among others could be crucial for them. However, no studies have been conducted in Cuenca, Ecuador. Thus, this study aimed to create a model explaining how social factors and healthy habits impact oral health in Cuenca, Ecuador. (2) Methods: An observational study was performed using a questionnaire developed from scratch. Principal component factor analysis was performed to calculate the oral disease index based on the oral health issues reported by women during pregnancy. (3) Results: 1971 women participated in the research. In total, 88% reported at least one oral health problem, with cavities (34%) and bleeding gums (33%) as the most prevalent. The rate of preventive visits and frequent brushing were the two variables that most impacted the oral disease index. The consumption of sweets, age, and the belief that visiting the dentist harms their unborn child were also important factors. However, income, education, and ethnic background showed little to no effect. (4) Conclusions: The most beneficial determinants of oral health factors in pregnant women in Cuenca, Ecuador, are preventive dentist visits, frequent brushing, and a contained consumption of sweets. The main harmful factors are age and the misconception that dental visits can harm their unborn child. Surprisingly, income, education, and ethnic background have little effect. This study can be replicated in other countries and cultures.

Effect of Grasslands Fertilisation on Soil Organic Matter Quality and Nutrients Status

Abstract Soil organic matter (SOM) represents one of the largest and most important reservoirs of organic carbon in terrestrial eco-systems. The quality of SOM (e.g., content of soil organic carbon, humic substances, humic acids, fulvic acids, and HA/FA ratio) is a key factor in determining soil fertility and productivity. The loss of SOM is currently considered a detrimental form of soil degradation. The study aims to evaluate the effect of mineral fertilising (NPK), farmyard manure, cattle slurry, and digestate applications in intensively used permanent grassland. The long-term field experiments were carried out at the locality Jevíčko, region of Boskovice Furrow Malá Haná (the Czech Republic). The effect of amending soil with different organic and mineral fertilisers was studied. Qualitative parameters of SOM, soil reaction, and the content of available nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) were followed. Results showed that the control (no organic input) and the NPK variants had the lowest SOM quality. Higher SOM quality was after the farmyard manure, Slurry, and Digetsate applications. The highest acidity (indicated by the lowest values of pH/KCl) was determined in the control, NPK, Slurry, and D variants. The most favourable soil reaction and available nutrient content were after the farmyard manure application. Humic substances spectral absorption in the UV-VIS and infrared spectral ranges showed that the highest absorbance and amount of aliphatic hydrophobic components were observed after the application of farmyard manure. The multi-criteria statistical evaluation, including principal component analysis and factor analysis, confirmed that amending soil with farmyard manure and slurry resulted in an increase in humic substances content and improved SOM quality.

In search of restaurant excellence in Peru: key insights on food values

PurposeThe restaurants in Peru enjoy today a high level of international recognition, and the gastronomy of the country is recognised as one of the best in the world. For this reason, aspiring to excellence should be one of the priorities in the industry, which should mean, among other things, enhancing those aspects related to food with the greatest impact on the maximum level of customer satisfaction. However, to the authors knowledge, this research line has not been addressed before in the context of Peruvian restaurant, so that this research focuses on assessing the influence of food – through the concept of food values –, on the probability of reaching the maximum level of satisfaction both with the food consumption experience and with the foods consumed in restaurants in Peru. This research also takes into account differences according to the geographical origin of the customers.Design/methodology/approachAn in-person survey of customers was conducted at the exit of different flagship restaurants with a high level of recognition and tourist orientation in the department of Ayacucho (Peru) between September and November 2022. Five restaurants acknowledged as tourist restaurants were selected for this study, of which, one has been officially granted the status of Tourist Restaurant and One Fork, in accordance with the Peruvian legal regulations. A total of 468 valid questionnaires were collected. The database was analysed using descriptive statistics, principal component factor analysis for food values, and binary logistic regressions.FindingsThe following food values factors emerged from the factorial analysis: “Image and Accessibility (IAA)”, “Ethics and Sustainability (EAS)” and “Natural Food-Safe (NFS)”. For the overall sample, IAA is more influential in the probability of obtaining the maximum level of both satisfactions (i.e. satisfaction with the food consumption experience and with the foods consumed in restaurants in Peru). In second place, EAS, as well as NFS (the latter one with a significance level of 90%), also affect, in this order, the probability of obtaining the highest level of satisfaction, but only with the foods consumed. When the geographical origin of the customer is considered (regional, national, international), interesting findings appear. For national customers, IAA is the factor with the greatest impact on the probability of achieving the maximum level of the endogenous satisfaction variables considered, followed by EAS, whilst for regional customers, only EAS is found to be influential in the probability of obtaining the maximum level of both types of satisfaction. For international customers, no factor is found to exert a significant influence.Originality/valueThis is the first study to assess the influence of food values on the maximum level of satisfaction among restaurant customers in Peru with both the food consumption experience and the foods consumed. Thus, this research represents a notable contribution to this research line, especially considering the great international reputation of Peruvian cuisine.

Towards the design of personalized adaptive user interfaces for smart TV viewers

Smart TV is a lean-back and shared device with diverse viewership, cultural acceptance, interaction modalities, input/output characteristics, and contextual use. Researchers, developers, and vendors constantly add new features and functionalities to its user interface (UI) to get higher market shares. However, the current smart TV UIs are static and follow a one-size-fits-all approach, where adding new features makes it cluttered and complex with limited learnability, usability, and greater cognitive overload. Another issue is the limited support for adaptive UIs to customize these features, functions, and services as per user needs. This article fills these gaps in the literature by designing a framework of personalized adaptive UIs for smart TV users capable of changing the UI layout and structure per the user needs and contextual details. The framework was tested on an Android-based smart TV and evaluated using a real-world dataset and an empirical study involving 75 household members in a mixed-mode questionnaire-based survey. The results were analyzed using Cronbach alpha, Kendall's tau-b, and principal component factor analysis. It was observed that personalized adaptive UIs are perceived positively in terms of attitude, usability, user experience, accessibility, learnability, user satisfaction, intension to use, and reduced cognitive overload.

Alterations in Placental Inflammation-Related Gene Expression Partially Mediate the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Consumption on Maternal Iron Homeostasis.

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with alterations in maternal and infant iron homeostasis that are consistent with changes seen in the setting of inflammation. We hypothesized that PAE leads to alterations in the placental expression of genes related to iron metabolism and inflammation that play functional roles in the teratogenic effects of alcohol on iron homeostasis. A total of 126 heavy-drinking women (≥1 oz (30 mL) absolute alcohol/day (~1.67 standard drinks/day) or women reporting binge drinking (≥2 drinks/occasion)) and 80 control women (<0.5 oz AA per day, no binging) in Cape Town, South Africa were interviewed prenatally regarding demographics, and alcohol, smoking, and drug use around conception and during pregnancy. Prenatal/maternal and infant hemoglobin and ferritin were measured. Whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing analysis was performed on flash-frozen transplacental tissue samples. Gene sets related to iron metabolism (n = 398) and inflammation (n = 467) were constructed by searching the Molecular Signatures Database for related ontology terms. Principal component analysis (PCA) yielded 59 factors for each theme. In multivariable regression models, PAE was related to 2 iron metabolism PCA factors (PCs) and 5 inflammation PCs, among which 2 iron metabolism and 4 inflammation factors were related to at least 1 key maternal or infant iron outcome. In causal inference analyses based on marginal structural models and the product method, the alterations in the expression profile of genes with functions in immune cell regulation, cytokine activity, angiogenesis, hematopoiesis, and ubiquitous cell processes appeared to partially mediate the relation of prenatal drinking frequency (days/week) around conception to a lower maternal hemoglobin-to-log(ferritin) ratio (proportion mediation = 51.35%). These findings suggest that placental inflammation may be partly responsible for the differences in alcohol-related iron homeostasis patterns between pregnant and non-pregnant adults.

Reduction of JITANTI PTM Questionnaire: Principal Component Factor Analysis

69 questions in the JITANTI PTM application with the logo , can be employed to measure an individual's risk of suffering from non-communicable diseases. The 69 questions in the app can tire the user's eyes, as can the app user's comments. The objective of the study is to reduce questions in order to be more effective. The research design used was cross-sectional. The sample who volunteered to fill out the JITANTI PTM application were 324 people using simple random sampling. The inclusion criteria was people who were living in Blitar Raya, at risk of suffering from non-communicable diseases, and frequently consuming fast food and drinks. Data collection was administered from April to June 2022. Data analysis was then performed to calculate validity using Pearson Product Moment, reliability by administering Cronbach's a, and factor loading employing principal component factor analysis. The software for calculations utilized SPSS. The validity test values obtained were between 0.234 – 0.708 which is greater than r table at a = 0.05 and degrees of freedom &gt; 300 = 0.113, meaning the questions met the validity requirements. The reliability test scores obtained were between 0.783 – 0.907 which met the minimum reliability requirements of 0.7. Based on the Eigenvalue, which is more than 1.0, 19 new questions can be generated (7 for knowledge, 7 for attitude, and 5 for action). Reducing the number of questions in the JITANTI PTM application can reduce user visual fatigue and speed up charging time, thereby reducing the accommodation power of vision.

A Pilot Study Investigating Motivations for Wearing Historically-Inspired Dress

A pilot study was conducted to determine the feasibility of the quantitative survey method in identifying common motivations for wearing historically-inspired dress and identifying differences in motivation between genders. A questionnaire was developed and used with 131 respondents, and Principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation was run to determine construct validity and if there were multiple constructs that can explain respondents' motivations for wearing an everyday historically-inspired dress style. Data also were analyzed using descriptive statistics and an independent samples t -test. The results suggested that the design of the instrument and sampling and data collection methods used in the pilot study must be adjusted to be feasible. Recommendations for future research include further scale development and increasing the pool of qualified research participants by reframing historically-inspired dress as HistoryBounding.

SmartLog: A Smart TV-Based Lifelogging System for Capturing, Storing, and Visualizing Watching Behavior

The modern smart TV can record viewers’ daily life-watching experiences called digital logs. These logs can be used for various purposes, including but not limited to recommendations, monitoring viewers, watching behavior, memory augmentation, e-learning, viewers’ privacy, and designing and developing adaptive User Interfaces (UI). Much work is available on lifelogging technologies related to smartphones, fitness gadgets, and wearable and non-wearable devices. However, little attention has been given to smart TV-based lifelogging systems. In this paper, we proposed a TV-based SmartLog framework for logging specific information about watching experiences. The proposed work is implemented and installed on Android-based Smart TV. We logged various activities of individual viewers and other household members and their environmental contexts. We empirically evaluated the proposed solution by analyzing data from 75 household viewers of different age groups. These groups include teenagers, homemakers, senior citizens, literate, and educated. We carried out various tests on the collected data, ie, descriptive tabulation, Kendall’s tau-b, Cronbach alpha, and Principal Component Factor Analysis (PCFA). The findings suggest that the SmartLog app received a positive perception regarding attitude, user satisfaction, ease of use, and intention to use. The proposed solution can be used to assist household viewers in terms of personalization, usability, accessibility, user experience, learnability, and reducing cognitive overload while interacting with smart TV.

Research on the Impact of AI on University Student Learning based on Principal Component Analysis and Factor Analysis Methods

Artificial intelligence (AI) was introduced in 1956 by scientists from McCarthy and Minsky held at Dartmouth College in the United States. Its rapid development has a different depth of impact on all social strata, but also has a great impact on the education industry, especially for the future college students of the motherland. This paper uses the formal statistical data of the questionnaire to analyze and establish the mathematical model to understand the influence of artificial intelligence on college students in different aspects. First, the raw data is visualized and numericized. Secondly, the analysis results of the data are taken as the evaluation index and comprehensively considered from many aspects such as priority, scientificity and operability. We used principal component analysis and factor analysis to measure each index reasonably. Finally, a comprehensive evaluation method is used to evaluate the influence of AI on college students' learning.

Symptom Clusters in Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study to Examine Their Stability and Prognostic Significance.

This study's purpose was to assess symptom cluster (SC) stability during disease progression and determine their strength of association with survival in patients with advanced cancer . Consecutively eligible patients with advanced cancer not receiving cancer-specific treatment and referred to a Tertiary Palliative Care Clinic were enrolled in a prospective cohort study. At first consultation (D0) and in subsequent consultations at day 15 (D15) and day 30 (D30), patients rated 9 symptoms through the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System scale (0-10) and 10 others using a Likert scale (1-5). Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation was used to determine SCs at each consultation. Of 318 patients with advanced cancer, 301 met eligibility criteria with a median age of 69 years (range 37-94). Three SCs were identified: neuro-psycho-metabolic (NPM), gastrointestinal, and sleep impairment, with some variations in their constitution over time. Exploratory factor analysis accounted for 40% of variance of observed variables in all SCs. Shorter median survival was observed continuously for NPM cluster (D0 23 vs. 58 days, P < .001; D15 41 vs. 104 days, P=.004; D30 46 vs. 114 days, P = .002), although the presence of 2 or more SCs on D0 and D15 also had prognostic significance (D0: 21 vs. 45 days, P = .005; D30: 50 vs. 96 days, P = .040). In a multivariable model, NPM cluster (D0 hazard ratio estimate: HR 1.64; 95%CI, 1.17-2.31; P = .005; D15 HR: 2.51; 95%CI, 1.25-5.05; P = .009; D30 HR: 3.9; 95%CI, 1.54-9.86; P = .004) and hospitalization (D0 HR: 2.27; 95%CI, 1.47-3.51; P < .001; D15 HR: 2.43; 95%CI, 1.18-5.01; P = .016; D30 HR: 3.41; 95%CI, 1.35-8.62; P = .009) were independently and significantly associated with worse survival. Three clinically relevant SCs were identified, and their constitution had small variations, maintaining a stable set of nuclear symptoms through disease progression. Presence of the NPM cluster and hospitalization maintained their prognostic value over time.

TT Genotype of TLR4 rs1928295 Is a Risk Factor of Overweight/Obesity in Han Chinese Children Aged 7-12 Years and Can Interact with Dietary Patterns to Affect the Incidence of Central Obesity and Lipid Profile, Systolic Blood Pressure Levels.

Previous studies have found that TLR4 rs1928295 polymorphism is associated with Body Mass Index in European and American Indian adults. This study evaluates the relationship between this locus polymorphism, obesity-related parameters and dietary patterns in Chinese Han Children. A total of 798 children aged 7-12 years were included in this cross-sectional study. An improved Multiple Ligase Detection Reaction was used for genotyping. Dietary patterns were identified by principal component factor analysis. The overweight/obesity rate of the TT genotype was greater than those of the CC/CT genotype (p = 0.032 and 0.048 in boys and girls, respectively). Boys of the TT genotype could interact with protein and cholesterol intake to increase low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (p = 0.02, 0.015, respectively), while girls of the TT genotype could interact with total energy intake to increase triglyceride (TG) (p = 0.018) levels. Boys predisposed to a healthy balance dietary pattern (HBDP) and girls predisposed to an egg/fruit/fish dietary pattern (EFDP) were significantly associated with lower rates of central obesity (p = 0.045, 0.028). Boys carrying the TT genotype and predisposed to animal food dietary pattern (AFDP) had a higher level of low-density lipoprotein (p = 0.017) and systolic pressure (p = 0.044). Our results indicated that the TT genotype of TLR4 rs1928295 is a potential risk factor for obesity in Chinese Han children and is associated with dietary patterns.

The effects of vestibular dysfunction on balance and self-concept in children with cochlear implants.

Children with cochlear implants (CCI) have an increased rate of vestibular dysfunction. Vestibular dysfunction is associated with decreased balance and dynamic visual acuity ability. Hearing loss alone is associated with reduced speech perception and vocabulary in children. In adults, vestibular dysfunction is associated with reduced quality of life; however, similar relationships have not been studied in children with vestibular dysfunction. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction on self-concept in CCI (n=33) compared to children with normal hearing (CNH, n=38). It was hypothesized that children with vestibular dysfunction would have reduced self-concept beyond that from hearing loss, secondary to the presence of balance and visual acuity deficits. The Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale - 2, speech perception, vocabulary, video head impulse test (vHIT), rotary chair, balance using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2), and dynamic visual acuity (DVA) testing were completed on all participants. In the 34 CCI, 24 had normal vestibular function, 6 had unilateral vestibular dysfunction, and 4 had bilateral vestibular dysfunction. There were no significant mean differences in the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale - 2 between groups. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted on the predictor variables (average horizontal canal vHIT gain, BOT-2 score, DVA, speech perception, and vocabulary) resulting in two factors; factor 1 represented "vestibular" components (vHIT, BOT-2, and DVA) and factor 2 represented "auditory-language" components (speech perception and vocabulary). In addition to age and gender, the 2 PCA factors were analyzed using multivariate regression with stepwise selection to determine which factors best predicted self-concept. The PCA auditory-language factor was the only significant predictor of self-concept. Auditory-language, not vestibular related factors, contribute to the self-concept of CCI. While adults with vestibular dysfunction have reduced quality of life, it could be that children with vestibular dysfunction have some psychosocial resilience.

Oxidative stress and metabolic biomarkers in patients with Psoriasis.

Psoriasis is an autoinflammatory disease that affects not only skin but multiple organs thus being associated with many comorbidities. Oxidative stress and inflammation play the major role in the pathogenesis of this disease. Studies that examined by-products of oxidative stress in psoriasis show discrepant results. Hence, we aimed to examine the oxidative stress, inflammation and metabolic markers and to explore their potential relationship with disease severity in patients with psoriasis. This case-control study comprised of 35 patients with psoriasis and 35 age, sex and body mass index-matched healthy controls. Metabolic and oxidative stress biomarkers [i.e., malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), and catalase (CAT)] were measured. The principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to reduce the number of measured variables into smaller number of factors. PCA factors were subsequently used in logistic regression analysis for severe psoriasis prediction.

Psychometric properties of the German Penn Alcohol Craving Scale.

Craving for alcohol is an important diagnostic criterion in alcohol use disorder (AUD) and an established predictor of future relapse. The 5-item Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) is one of the most widely used questionnaires to quantify craving and has been translated into different languages. It is assumed that the PACS constitutes one factor, although theoretical considerations suggest an additional second factor. We conducted stability and factor analyses (principal component and confirmatory factor analyses) of the German PACS (PACS-G) in samples of patients with AUD from the following three German study sites: Erlangen, N = 188 (mean age: 47.1years, 43.5% female); Mannheim, N = 440 (45.5years, 28.6% female); Hannover, N = 107 (48.1years, 48.6% female). In our samples, the 2-factor solution of the PACS-G version is more stable than the internationally assumed 1-factor solution. The resulting two PACS-G subscores 'difficulty to resist' (items 4 and 5) and 'thoughts about alcohol' (items 1, 2, and 3) have an internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) of 0.80 ≤ α ≤ 0.90, m = 0.86 and 0.86 ≤ α ≤ 0.91, m = 0.89 with an overlap of R2 = 62%. We found good convergent validity assessed via the Craving Automatized Scale-Alcohol and the Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale, but also correlations with depression and anxiety assessed via the Beck's Depression and Anxiety Inventories. This study is the first to provide evidence for a 2-factor solution ('difficulty to resist' and 'thoughts about alcohol') underlying the PACS-G version.

SOCIOECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF PALM OIL PRODUCTION IN IGBO ETITI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

Extant studies have established that Nigeria has lost its place as the global largest producer of palm oil. However, there seems to be a dearth of studies on how the socioeconomic variables of producers affect palm oil production. Consequently, this study analysed the socioeconomic determinants of palm oil production in Igbo Etiti Local Government Area (LGA) in Enugu State, Nigeria. Combinations of multi-stage random and purposive sampling procedures were used to select 120 small-scale palm oil producers. The data collected using a structured questionnaire was analysed with the aid of descriptive statistics of mean, frequency and percentage, and inferential statistical tools of OLS regression and principal component factor analysis. The results reveal that more women (74.2%) dominated palm oil production in the area. The age bracket of most (41.7 %) palm oil producers was between 46-65 years. The overwhelming proportion (70.8%) of the respondents were married with 50.8 percent of them having a household size of between 1-4 persons. The educational level attained by most of the respondents (70.8%) was primary education. 62.5 percent of the respondents had been involved in palm oil production for over 10 years. While the overwhelming proportion (80.8%) of the respondents were not members of cooperative societies. The study found age, education attainment, household size, farming experience, income, and extension contact as the socioeconomic determinants of palm oil production. The study identified financial and institutional factors as the principal factors and constraints to palm oil production in Igbo Etiti LGA of Enugu State. The study concludes that these variables are critical to improving the output of palm oil production in the area. Thus, this should form part of the critical issues to be included in any policy development that targets improvement in palm oil production.

Cross-Cultural Validation of the Barcelona Immigration Stress Scale

The concept of acculturative stress has been the subject of debate, resulting in contradictory arguments regarding its measurement. Many of the existing acculturative stress instruments have been developed for use with specific migrant groups. The objective of the current study is to revisit the psychometric properties of the Barcelona Immigration Stress Scale, an instrument aimed at measuring stress levels associated with the migration trajectory in any migrant group. Using a sample of 915 migrants who consulted in primary care, we carried out principal component and confirmatory factor analyses as well as item response theory analyses applied both to the entire sample and to different migratory groups separately. The new reduced version of the scale has very good psychometric properties both in general and applied to the Latino migratory group, the largest in the area where the study was carried out. Results were acceptable among sub-Saharan, North African, and Asian groups but not among Eastern Europeans. These results are discussed through the specificities of each migratory group and the limitations of psychometrics to capture the complexity of immigration-related and acculturative stress.