Rank Correlation Analysis Research Articles

Meteorological Conditions and PM2.5 Impact on COVID-19 Case Fatality Ratios (CFR) in Bangkok Metropolitan Region

The emergence of a novel coronavirus strain triggered a global health crisis, impacting both health and economies worldwide, including Thailand since 2019. While prior research hinted at connections between environmental factors and rising COVID-19 cases, these links remained inconclusive. This study investigated indoor and outdoor (I/O) ratios and explored potential correlations between fine particulate matter (PM2.5), meteorological conditions, and the case fatality rate (CFR%) of COVID-19 in Bangkok and its metropolitan area from January to December 2021. In Spearman’s Rank correlation analysis, the results found that CFR% exhibited a positive correlation with relative humidity (RH) (r=0.187) and a negative correlation with PM2.5 (r=-0.190) and wind speed (WS) (r=-0.039). The generalized additive model (GAM) indicated that RH, PM2.5, temperature, and WS adversely affect the CFR% of COVID-19. Consistent relationships between PM2.5, RH, and WS were observed in both Spearman’s Rank correlation and the GAM model. This study underscored the complexity of understanding pandemic dynamics across seasons, I/O ratios, and the influence of lag days. By presenting the results, they may serve as a valuable reference for planning interventions during future pandemics.

Evaluating the Validity and Reliability of the Korean Version of the Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-Cognition.

The Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-Cognition (SCOPA-Cog) was developed to assess cognition in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the SCOPACog (K-SCOPA-Cog). We enrolled 129 PD patients with movement disorders from 31 clinics in South Korea. The original version of the SCOPA-Cog was translated into Korean using the translation-retranslation method. The test-retest method with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were used to assess reliability. Spearman's rank correlation analysis with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Korean version (MOCA-K) and the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) were used to assess concurrent validity. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.797, and the ICC was 0.887. Spearman's rank correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation with the K-MMSE and MOCA-K scores (r = 0.546 and r = 0.683, respectively). Our. demonstrate that the K-SCOPA-Cog has good reliability and validity.

Combination of prostate volume and apparent diffusion coefficient can stratify patients with a PI-RADS score of 3 to reduce unnecessary prostate biopsies.

Nowadays, there are many patients who undergo unnecessary prostate biopsies after receiving a prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) score of 3. Our purpose is to identify cutoff values of the prostate volume (PV) and minimum apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmin) to stratify those patients to reduce unnecessary prostate biopsies. Data from 224 qualified patients who received prostate biopsies from January 2019 to June 2023 were collected. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare non-normal distributed continuous variables, which were recorded as median (interquartile ranges). The correlation coefficients were calculated using Spearman's rank correlation analysis. Categorical variables are recorded by numbers (percentages) and compared by χ2 test. Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to determine the independent predictors. The receiver-operating characteristic curve and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of clinical variables. Out of a total of 224 patients, 36 patients (16.07%) were diagnosed with clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa), whereas 72 patients (32.14%) were diagnosed with any grade prostate cancer. The result of multivariate analysis demonstrated that the PV (p < 0.001, odds ratio [OR]: 0.952, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.927-0.978) and ADCmin (p < 0.01, OR: 0.993, 95% CI: 0.989-0.998) were the independent factors for predicting csPCa. The AUC values of the PV and ADCmin were 0.779 (95% CI: 0.718-0.831) and 0.799 (95% CI: 0.740-0.849), respectively, for diagnosing csPCa. After stratifying patients by PV and ADCmin, 24 patients (47.06%) with "PV < 55 mL and ADCmin < 685 μm2/s" were diagnosed with csPCa. However, only one patient (1.25%) with PV ≥ 55 mL and ADCmin ≥ 685 μm2/s were diagnosed with csPCa. In this study, we found the combination of PV and ADCmin can stratify patients with a PI-RADS score of 3 to reduce unnecessary prostate biopsies. These patients with "PV ≥ 55 mL and ADCmin ≥ 685 μm2/s" may safely avoid prostate biopsies.

The relationship of testicular stiffness with Johnsen score and sperm retrieval outcome in men with non-obstructive azoospermia.

The pathological Johnsen score (JS) is a quantitative histological scoring system used to assess spermatogenesis in men with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), while elastic modulus derived from shear wave elastography (SWE) is a diagnostic tool for evaluating spermatogenic dysfunction. In this prospective observational study, we aimed to investigate whether testicular stiffness measured by SWE could serve as a substitute for JS in predicting sperm retrieval outcomes in men with NOA. This prospective cohort study analyzed 140 testes from 115 consecutive outpatient participants with NOA who had sought treatment at the reproductive medical center of a tertiary care hospital between January 2018 and October 2021. Testicular volume, elastic modulus, JS, and sperm retrieval outcomes were calculated. Statistical differences in parameters between the positive and negative sperm retrieval groups were determined using the Mann-Whitney test. Spearman rank correlation analysis was performed to determine the correlations between JS and either testicular volumes or elastic modulus. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the testicular elastic modulus and testicular volume. The JS correlated positively with testicular volume and negatively with the maximum elastic modulus (Emax) and mean elastic modulus (Emean), with correlation coefficients of 0.804, -0.686, and -0.456, respectively (P<0.01). There were significant differences in JS, testicular volume, and Emax between participants with positive and negative sperm retrieval of microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) (P<0.01). ROC curves were plotted for JS, testicular volume, and Emax to distinguish between participants with positive and negative sperm retrieval. The areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) were 0.783 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.707-0.859; P<0.01], 0.737 (95% CI: 0.651-0.823; P<0.01), and 0.729 (95% CI: 0.643-0.814; P<0.01), respectively. When the cutoff value of JS was 4.5, its sensitivity and specificity were 60.3% and 89.6%, respectively. When the cutoff value of Emax was 3.75 kPa, its sensitivity and specificity were 79.1% and 64.4%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity were 68.5% and 83.6%, respectively when the cutoff value of testicular volume was 8.17 mL. Emax combined with testicular volume improved this diagnostic value, with an AUC of 0.742 (95% CI: 0.657-0.828; P<0.01), and sensitivity and specificity were 83.6% and 68.5%, respectively. Our study suggests that the combination of testicular stiffness and volume measurements may serve as a viable alternative to pathological JS in predicting the likelihood of successful sperm retrieval prior to micro-TESE procedures.

The link between personality dimensions, impulsivity, decision and coping style, and suicide attempts in affective patients.

Introduction Introduction: Affective patients, especially depressive, have an increased risk of suicidal behavior. Identifying individuals at increased risk remains a challenge. Among the correlates that may be crucial, the impact of personality is emphasized. Attention is paid to impulsivity, measured by subjective or objective tests.ObjectivesObjectives: Comparative analyses were carried out to capture the differences and relationship between personality dimensions, impulsivity, and the decision-making style and coping with stress strategies in suicide attempters and non-attempters in the course of an affective disorder.Methods Methods: Data were obtained from 276 individuals diagnosed with unipolar and bipolar affective disorder, both sexes. The study group was disaggregated into a subgroup of patients with (N=95) and without (N=181) suicide attempts in an individual’s history. The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was used to assess personality dimensions. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 (BIS-11) was used to measure impulsivity subjectively, and the Simple Reaction Time (SRT) test and the Continuous Performance Test (CPT) were objective assessment methods. The Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) and Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) were applied to investigate coping and decision-making styles. Statistical analyses were performed in Statistica 13.3 StatSoft, Krakow, Poland.ResultsResults: In TCI, significant differences between suicide attempters and non-attempters concerned the following dimensions: harm avoidance (HA) (p=&lt;0.0000), self-directedness (SD) (p=0.0001), and cooperativeness (C) (p=0.0186). In the CPT test, significant differences concerned correctly responded trials (p=0.0179) and Bias response (p=0.0230). In IGT, significant differences occurred in IGT block1_sum (p=0.0496) only (Table 1). We did not observe any significant differences in other tests applied. In the Spearman rank correlation analysis in the group of suicide attempters, the following correlations (p&gt;0.05) with at least moderate strength rs&gt;0.4 were revealed: Novelty seeking (NS), SD, and C correlated with several CPT parameters; Persistence (P) correlated with SRT variables; NS, HA and SD with BIS-11 variables.ConclusionsConclusions: Objective computerized tests (SRT; CPT; IGT) did not differentiate suicide attempters and non-attempters more clearly than self-reporting personality inventory TCI. Personality traits correlated with SRT and CPT variables. BIS-11 and COPE parameters did not enable to distinguish suicide attempters and non-attempters in the investigated group. This suggests that tests used complement each other, and using a single tool may be insufficient to indicate patients at increased risk of suicidal behavior.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Identification of shared gene signatures and biological mechanisms between preeclampsia and polycystic ovary syndrome

Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the most common complications of pregnancy and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent metabolic and endocrinopathy disorder in women of reproductive age. Identifying the shared genetic signatures and molecular mechanisms between PCOS and PE was the objective of this study. The intersections of WGCNA module genes, PPI module genes, and PPI hub genes revealed that 8 immunity-related genes might be shared causative genes of PE and PCOS. Further, qRT-PCR results showed that TSIX/miR-223–3p/DDX58 might play a crucial role in immune dysregulation in PE and PCOS and Spearman rank correlation analysis results illustrated the potential of DDX58 as a novel diagnostic and therapeutic target for PE and PCOS. Our study demonstrated a common disease pathway model TSIX/miR-223–3p/DDX58, illustrating that immune dysregulation may be a possible mechanism of PE and PCOS, and revealed that DDX58 might be a novel predictive target for PE and PCOS.

METTL3 mediates SOX5 m6A methylation in bronchial epithelial cells to attenuate Th2 cell differentiation in T2 asthma

ObjectiveAsthma, a chronic inflammatory disease in which type 2 T helper cells (Th2) play a causative role in the development of T2 asthma. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification, an mRNA modification, and methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) is involved in the development of T2 asthma by inhibiting Th2 cell differentiation. Sex determining region Y-box protein 5 (SOX5) is involved in regulating T cell differentiation, but its role in T2 asthma was unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the role of METTL3 and SOX5 in T2 asthma and whether there is an interaction between the two. Materials and methodsAdults diagnosed with T2 asthma (n = 14) underwent clinical information collection and pulmonary function tests. In vivo and in vitro T2 asthma models were established using female C57BL/6 mice and human bronchial epithelial cells (HBE). The expressions of METTL3 and SOX5 were detected by Western blot and qRT-PCR and Western blot. Th2 cell differentiation was determined by flow cytometry and IL-4 level was detected by ELISA. m6A methylation level was determined by m6A quantitative assay. The relationship between METTL3 expression and clinical parameters was determined by Spearman rank correlation analysis. The function of METTL3 and SOX5 genes in asthma was investigated in vitro and in vivo. The RNA immunoprecipitation assay detected the specific interaction between METTL3 and SOX5. ResultsPatients with T2 asthma displayed lower METTL3 levels compared to healthy controls. Within this group, a negative correlation was observed between METTL3 and Th2 cells, while a positive correlation was noted between METTL3 and clinical parameters as well as Th1 cells. In both in vitro and in vivo models representing T2 asthma, METTL3 levels decreased significantly, while SOX5 levels showed the opposite trend. Overexpression of METTL3 gene in HBE cells significantly inhibited Th2 cell differentiation and increased m6A methylation activity. From a mechanism perspective, low METTL3 negatively regulates SOX5 expression through m6A modification dependence, while high SOX5 expression is positively associated with T2 asthma severity. Cell transfection experiments confirmed that METTL3 regulates Th2 cell differentiation and IL-4 release through SOX5. ConclusionsOverall, our results indicate that METTL3 alleviates Th2 cell differentiation in T2 asthma by modulating the m6A methylation activity of SOX5 in bronchial epithelial cells. This mechanism could potentially serve as a target for the prevention and management of T2 asthma.

Assessment of various dimensions of impulsivity and their expression in unipolar and bipolar affective disorder

IntroductionImpulsivity is the tendency to take quick and rash actions without the ability to assess their consequences, resulting in an increased frequency of risky behaviors. In recent years, it has been indicated that impulsivity is a multidimensional construct with different ways of expression in various mental illnesses. Moreover, personality traits might predispose do different psychiatric diagnoses and impact its course.ObjectivesBecause differences in the manifestation of impulsivity can be observed at several levels (e.g., behavioral/motor, cognitive, attention, or emotionally related), we applied several tools to check whether they would allow for the differentiation of unipolar (UD) and bipolar (BD) affective disorders.MethodsThe study used data from 282 patients with affective disorders and 95 healthy controls of both sexes. Among the patients, we distinguished a subgroup diagnosed with UD and BD. We included a homogeneous group of patients in euthymia state at the end of hospitalization due to the last depressive episode. The following tools were used: subdimension novelty seeking (NS) of The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 (BIS-11) to assess various dimensions of impulsivity. The Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) was used to assess the strategy of coping with stress. Statistical analyses were performed in Statistica 13.3 StatSoft, Krakow, Poland.Results We observed significant differences in BIS-11 dimensions such as motor (MI) (p=0.0006), nonplanning (NP) (p=0.0249), and the sum of impulsivity (p= 0.0095) between UD and BD patients. We found no significant differences in the intensity of impulsivity measured by the NS subdimension, regardless of the type of affective disorder. In the Spearman rank correlation analysis, the following correlations of novelty seeking were revealed (p&gt;0.05):NS with BIS-11 MI (rs=0.3877, p=0001), BIS-11 NP (rs=-0.2926, p=0042) and COPE-planning (rs=-0.2552, p=0191) dimensions. Moreover, a unique and strong correlation of NS with COPE - focus on and venting of emotions was revealed in BD patients (rs=0.5402, p=0.0461).ConclusionsThe obtained correlation results confirm the multidimensional nature of impulsivity. The relationship between NS and the motor and nonplanning dimensions comes to the fore. Among the tests used, BIS-11 best differentiated unipolar and bipolar patients.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

BASIC INDICATORS OF PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN AGED 5-6 YEARS WITH RECURRENT RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

Background. Recently, scientific publications on various aspects of the problem of recurrent respiratory infections in preschool children have paid increasing attention to identifying influential factors contributing to frequent episodes of acute respiratory infections (ARI). In particular, these factors include significant deviations in children's physical development from standard values.&#x0D; Aim: to find out the relationship between the frequency of ARI episodes in children aged 60-83 months and their basic anthropometric indicators.&#x0D; Materials and methods. A total of 71 children (44 boys and 27 girls) aged 60-83 months, undergoing inpatient treatment on ARI, were involved in the clinical study.&#x0D; The number of ARI episodes during the previous year of their life was taken into account. Additionally, two integral indices of ARI recurrence, specifically the infection index (InI) and resistance index (RI), were calculated. The basic indicators of physical development were assessed in the children, including: 1) body weight; 2) body length; 3) body surface area; 4) body mass index; 5) chest circumference (CC); 6) integral index of dolichostenomelia. For the comparative analysis of the results obtained, the current standards of physical development indicators for children from the World Health Organization were used. The statistical processing of the digital data was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics 28 licensed software.&#x0D; Results. Rank correlation analysis and cross-tabulation did not demonstrate any interdependence between InI and RI, on the one hand, and the anthropometric indicators considered, on the other hand. Meanwhile, there was a very strong direct correlation between InI and RI (ρ=0.983; p&lt;0.001; 95% CI: 0.972-0.989) in the examined children. Linear regression analysis revealed the dependence of InI and RI on CC size (p&lt;0.001). At that, the degree of the impact of CC size on these clinical indices was almost the same, constituting 7.7% and 7.5%, respectively.&#x0D; Conclusion. Thus, according to the data obtained, the contribution of СС size to the susceptibility of children aged 60-83 months to recurrent respiratory infections among other potential risk factors is insignificant. However, given the widely recognized diversity of mentioned factors, the result deserves due attention. This should be accounted while developing the final integrated model for predicting the frequency of ARI episodes in preschool children.

Investigation of Anisakis infections in coastal marine fishes and awareness of anisakiasis control knowledge among residents in Yantai City in 2021

To investigate the prevalence of Anisakis infections in coastal marine fishes and awareness of anisakiasis control knowledge among local residents in Yantai City, Shandong Province in 2021, so as to provide insights into formulation of anisakiasis control interventions. Marine fishes were purchased from Shunxin Port, Yantai City, Shandong Province in November 2021, and the presence of Anisakis was detected in different species of fishes and different fish sites. The correlations between body length and weight of marine fish and intensity of Anisakis infections were examined using Spearman's rank correlation analysis, and the dietary habits and anisakiasis control knowledge were investigated using questionnaire surveys among local residents. A total of 201 marine fishes belonging to 20 species were dissected, and Anisakis was detected in 77 marine fishes (38.31%) belonging to 11 species (55.00%), with a mean infection intensity of 45.04 parasites per fish (3 468/77). Spearman's rank correlation analysis revealed that the body length (rs = 0.74, P < 0.05) and weight (rs = 0.79, P < 0.01) of the monkfish correlated positively with the intensity of Anisakis infections, and the body length (rs = 0.68, P < 0.05) of the flatfish correlated positively with the intensity of Anisakis infections, while no correlations were examined between the body length or weight of other marine fishes and the intensity of Anisakis infections. Of all respondents, 53.38% men and 56.67% women did not know anisakiasis control knowledge at all, and there was a significant difference in the proportion of respondents using separate chopping boards for raw and cooked food from different villages (χ2 = 17.89, P < 0.01), while there was an age-specific proportion of respondents with habitats of eating raw or semi-raw seafood (χ2 = 28.27, P < 0.01). The prevalence and intensity of Anisakis infections were high in coastal marine fishes in Yantai City in 2021, and the awareness of anisakiasis control knowledge was low among local residents. Intensified health education pertaining to anisakiasis control knowledge is recommended to reduce the risk of Anisakis infections.

Effect of dual fluorescence imaging in identifying central lymph nodes and parathyroid glands during thyroid cancer surgery

Objective: To investigate the effect of dual fluorescence imaging in identifying central lymph nodes and parathyroid glands during thyroid cancer surgery. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study. Patients who underwent surgery for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University between January 2022 and September 2023 were included. All patients underwent thyroid lobectomy or total resection, and central lymph node dissection was performed at the same time. During the operation, tracing injection of mitoxantrone hydrochloride and 785 nm and 660 nm dual fluorescence imaging technique were used to measure the fluorescence intensity (FI) of parathyroid glands, central lymph nodes and background. After correcting to obtain the standardized FI, the paired t-test was used to compare the standardized FI of the parathyroid glands and central lymph nodes, and the Spearman's rank correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between the standardized FI and various clinical indicators. Results: The study included 30 patients (8 males and 22 females), with a mean age of (41.8±10.4) years. A total of 76 parathyroid glands and 234 central lymph nodes were identified under dual fluorescence imaging, and the standardized FI of parathyroid glands was less than that of central lymph nodes (44.7±16.8 vs 99.5±28.4, P<0.001). The visualization rate, false rate and miscut rate of parathyroid glands under 785 nm wavelength excitation light were 98.7% (76/77), 0 (0/77) and 1.3% (1/77), respectively (one case with no visualization and miscutting parathyroid gland was the encapsulated type). The visualization rate of central lymph nodes under 660 nm wavelength excitation light was 98.7% (234/237). There was no significant correlation between FI and clinical indicators such as gender, age, height, weight, body mass index, preoperative thyroid stimulating hormone, thyroglobulin antibody, thyroid microsomal antibody, serum calcium, parathyroid hormone level and surgical procedure (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Dual fluorescence imaging of central lymph nodes and parathyroid glands can improve the ability to identify parathyroid gland while assisting central lymph node dissection.

CT perfusion based rCBF

Collateral status (CS) is an important biomarker of functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke secondary to large vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO). Pretreatment CT perfusion (CTP) parameters serve as reliable surrogates of collateral status (CS). In this study, we aim to assess the relationship between the relative cerebral blood flow less than 38% (rCBF <38%), with the reference standard American Society of Interventional and Therapeutic Neuroradiology (ASITN) collateral score (CS) on DSA. In this prospectively collected, retrospectively reviewed analysis, inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) CT angiography (CTA) confirmed anterior circulation large vessel occlusion from 9/1/2017 to 10/01/2023; (b) diagnostic CT perfusion; and (c) underwent mechanical thrombectomy with documented ASITN CS. The ratios of the CTP-derived CBF values were calculated by dividing the values of the ischemic lesion by the corresponding values of the contralateral normal region (which were defined as rCBF). Spearman's rank correlation and logistic regression analysis were performed to determine the relationship of rCBF <38% lesion volume with DSA ASITN CS. p ≤ .05 was considered significant. In total, 223 patients [mean age: 67.77 ± 15.76 years, 56.1% (n = 125) female] met our inclusion criteria. Significant negative correlation was noted between rCBF <38% volume and DSA CS (ρ = -0.37, p < .001). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, rCBF <38% volume was found to be independently associated with worse ASITN CS (unadjusted OR: 3.03, 95% CI: 1.60-5.69, p < .001, and adjusted OR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.34-5.50, p < .01). Greater volume of tissue with rCBF <38% is independently associated with better DSA CS. rCBF <38% is a useful adjunct tool in collateralization-based prognostication. Future studies are needed to expand our understanding of the role of rCBF <38% within the decision-making in patients with AIS-LVO.

Lymphatic vessels in patients withcrescentic glomerulonephritis: association with renal pathology and prognosis.

Various immune cells, including T cells, B cells, macrophages, and neutrophilscontribute to the development of crescentic glomerulonephritis. Previous animal studies have suggested that lymphangiogenesis is involved in the migration of inflammatory cells and the activation of adaptive immunity. However, the extent of the association between lymphatic vessels and crescentic glomerulonephritis severity and prognosis remains unknown. In this study, we assessed lymphatic vessel density in 71 patients withcrescentic glomerulonephritis who underwent renal biopsies between June 2017 and June 2022. By immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, we identified increased lymphatic vessel density in thekidneys of patients with crescenticglomerulonephritiscompared to controls. Lymphatic vessels were categorized as total, periglomerular, and interstitial. Spearman's rank correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between total and periglomerular lymphatic vessel density and glomerular crescent proportion. High lymphatic vessel density (total and periglomerular) correlated with declining kidney function, increased proteinuria, and severe glomerular and interstitial pathology. Interstitial lymphatic vessel density had minimal relationship with renal lesions. After a median duration of 13 months of follow-up, higher total and periglomerular lymphatic vessel density was associated with poorer prognosis. Transcriptomic analysis revealed increased immune cell activation and migration in crescentic glomerulonephritis patients compared to healthy controls. Periglomerular lymphatic vessels might play a significant role in immune cell infiltration and renal injury. Elevated lymphatic vessel density in patients withcrescentic glomerulonephritis is associated with poor prognosisand may serve as a predictive factor for adverse outcomes in these patients.

Hubungan Kinerja Karyawan Terhadap Kepuasan Konsumen Pada PT. Bess Finance Kota Metro

Customer satisfaction is a crucial element in the financial industry that affects customer loyalty. This study aims to examine the relationship between employee performance and customer satisfaction at PT Bess Finance Metro City. Involving qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques, this field research examined the independent variable (employee performance) and the dependent variable (customer satisfaction). Through an explanatory survey of 62 customers, data was processed to evaluate employee performance and customer satisfaction. Results showed a significant relationship between employee performance and customer satisfaction. Data collected from consumer respondents showed that there was a male dominance in the respondents, with the majority of BPKB motorcycle collateral users in the age range of 30 to 39 years. The frequency distribution of employee performance indicated the highest score in the 38 to 41 score range, while the lowest score was in the 50 to 53 range. Through Spearman Rank correlation analysis, a significant relationship was found between employee performance and customer satisfaction. The conclusion of this study confirms the positive relationship between employee performance and customer satisfaction. The higher the employee performance, the higher the level of customer satisfaction. The implication of this study shows the need for training and guidance for employees of PT Bess Finance Metro City to improve their performance in serving customers. This study provides limited insight into the population and sample at PT. Bess Finance Metro City, with the hope that it can be a source of development for further research.

Utilizing Machine Learning to Identify Biomarkers of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Analyze Immune Cell Infiltration in Parkinson's Disease.

The neurodegenerative disorder known as Parkinson's disease (PD) affects many people. The objective of this investigation was to examine the relationship between immune system infiltration, ATP-binding cassette transporter subfamily A member 7 (ABCA7) and TBL2 as well as potential therapeutic targets for the identification of PD associated to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. First, we obtained PD data through GEO and divided it into two sets: a training set (GSE8397) plus a set for validation (GSE7621). Functional enrichment analysis was performed on a set of DEGs that overlapped with genes involved in endoplasmic reticulum stress. To identify genes of PD linked with endoplasmic reticulum stress, we employed random forest (RF) along with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression. Spearman's rank correlation analysis was then used to find associations among diagnostic markers with immune cell penetration. A grand total of 2 stress-related endoplasmic reticulum signature transcripts were identified. ABCA7 and TBL2 were shown to have diagnostic potential for PD and immune infiltrating cells have a role in the etiology of the disease. Additionally, resting CD4 memory, plasma cells, and NK cells overall exhibited positive associations with ABCA7, whereas triggered macrophages, T cells with active CD4 memory, activating NK cells, T cells with activated CD4 naive, engaged NK cells, and neutrophils all had adverse interactions with ABCA7. Overall, ABCA7 together with TBL2 have diagnostic utility for PD, and several types of immune cells, especially macrophages, may be involved in the development and progression of the disease.

Preparation, antibacterial activity, and structure-activity relationship of low molecular weight κ-carrageenan

κ-Carrageenan (KC) is a polysaccharide widely used in food industry. It has been widely studied for its excellent physicochemical and beneficial properties. However, the high molecular weight and high viscosity of KC make it difficult to be absorbed and to exert its' biological activities, thus limit its extensive industrial application. In order to solve this problem, five low molecular weight κ-carrageenans (DCPs) were prepared by the degradation of KC using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ascorbic acid (AH2). The chemical compositions and structure characteristics of the DCPs were then determined. The results showed that H2O2 and AH2 could effectively degrade KC to DCPs, and DCPs remained the basic skeletal structure of KC. DCPs showed good antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of DCPs with the highest antibacterial effects were 5.25, 4.5, 5.25, and 4.5 mg/mL, respectively. This is due to the underlying mechanism of DCPs that bind to the bacterial membrane proteins and change the membrane permeability, thus exerting antibacterial activity. In addition, Spearman's rank correlation and Ridge regression analysis revealed that the molecular weight and the contents of 3,6-anhydro-D-galactose, aldehyde group, carboxyl, and sulfate were the main structural characteristics affecting the antibacterial activity. Our findings reveal that the H2O2-AH2 degradation treatment could significantly improve the antibacterial activity of KC and provide insights into the quantitative structure-activity relationships of the antibacterial activity of DCPs.

Estimating groundwater geogenic arsenic contamination and the affected population of river basins underlain mostly with crystalline rocks in Ghana

Arsenic is a human carcinogen and contributes to the incidences of cancer, diabetes, and skin diseases in the exposed populations. Therefore, its occurrence in drinking water is of public health concern worldwide, especially in the Tano, Pra, and Ankobra River Basins in Ghana. The metasediments and metavolcanic formations which underlie these basins (42,092.5 km2) host arsenic sulphide minerals that are a source of arsenic contamination of the weathered and fractured aquifers that serve as drinking water supply to most of the population (∼9.8 million), especially in the rural areas. A random forest machine learning method and partial dependence plots were applied to maps of spatially continuous environmental factors (fault density, surface bulk density, coarse fragment and soil pH; and sub-surface silt and soil pH) and hydrochemical variables, respectively, and arsenic measurements from wells (n = 229) which included 57 new datasets of which 7.86 % exceeded the 10 µg/L to develop arsenic prediction models for the basins at thresholds of 1 µg/L, 5 µg/L, and 10 µg/L. Fault density and coarse fragments were more reliable contributors to the models. A partial dependence plot and Spearman's rank correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation (p < 0.01) between arsenic enrichment and HCO3−, pH, Fe, and Mn, except NO3− in groundwater. Arsenic hotspots occurred in urban districts in the Ashanti Region and known gold-mining areas in Nzema, Obuasi, Prestea, and Tarkwa. Spatially, arsenic contamination in groundwater covered 49.44 % of the land area of the basins. By cross-referencing population density estimates and the arsenic hazard map,15.8 % of the population is exposed to arsenic-contaminated groundwater in the basins. The hazard model will facilitate efforts to reduce rural poverty and protect public health by delivering potable water in Ghana. The hazard models apply to crystalline terrain in other sub-Saharan African countries.

The comparative study of chronically ill and healthy children and adolescents in the light of their general mental health

Children's hospitalisation is difficult for the family and the immediate environment. In these cases, the provision of psychological support is particularly important. Chronically ill children who are regularly hospitalised are in a particularly difficult situation, often feeling vulnerable. Our research aims to explore and analyse in detail the psychological state, attitudes and mental health of chronically ill children and to compare patient groups (children receiving care in pulmonology, gastroenterology, onco-haematology and rehabilitation) to understand the interacting factors, which may be of great importance for quality patient care and for measures to improve patient care in the future. We studied chronically ill children (N = 107) aged 10 to 18 years (M = 14.3; SD = 2.0), cared for by the Department of Paediatric Rehabilitation, Paediatric Psychiatry and Psychosomatics of the University of Debrecen Clinical Centre, the second largest paediatric institution in Hungary. In our survey, sociodemographic questions, the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, the Satisfaction With Life Scale, the Cantril Ladder, the Non-Productive Thoughts Questionnaire, the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire, the Drawing version of Pictorial Representation of Illness Self-Measure (PRISM-D), the Beck Depression Inventory—Shortened Scale, the Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale, the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Questionnaire—Child Version and the Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire were applied. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine differences between groups, and Pearson rank correlation analysis was used to measure the relationships between individual variables. The results show significant differences between patient groups in terms of resilience, depression, nonproductive thoughts, problematic internet use, anxiety and coping, but no consistent pattern in the development of scores. In addition, for some psychological correlates, the role of sociodemographic background also showed significant results. The practical utility of our study is that using questionnaire methods to map patient satisfaction, compliance, and patient attitudes will provide regarding the factors that influence the mental health status of children living with chronic illnesses. In the light of this, additional methods and tools can be included to improve the quality of healthcare and to develop a set of procedures that will serve the intended purpose.

Diagnostic values of different musculoskeletal ultrasound signs, serum uric acid, and their combined detection for gouty arthritis.

The study aimed to investigate the diagnostic values of different musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) signs, serum uric acid (SUA), and their combined detection for gouty arthritis (GA). In this retrospective study, 70 patients (62 males, 8 females; mean age: 46.1±14.1 years; range, 25 to 86 years) diagnosed with GA (the GA group) between August 2022 and March 2023 and 70 patients (54 females, 16 males; mean age: 49.0±14.1 years; range, 21 to 75 years) diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis during the same period (the non-GA group) were included. The positive rate of MSUS signs and SUA in both groups was recorded to compare the differences. The correlations of MSUS signs and SUA with GA were analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation analysis. The diagnostic values of different MSUS signs, SUA, and their combined detection for GA were analyzed using a receiver operating characteristic, the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and the Youden index. The positive rate of the double contour (DC) sign (chi-squared [χ2 ]=102.935, p<0.001), hyperechoic spots (χ2=56.395, p<0.001), bone erosions (χ2 =10.080, p<0.001), and SUA (χ2 =41.117, p <0.001) were higher in the GA group than in the non-GA group. The positive rate of the DC sign (rs=0.829, p=0.001), hyperechoic spots (rs=0.631, p<0.001), bone erosion (rs=0.268, p=0.001), and SUA (rs=0.542, p<0.001) were positively correlated with GA. Among the single-indicator measures, the DC sign exhibited the highest diagnostic value (AUC=0.907, sensitivity=81.4%, specificity=100%, p<0.001). Among the combined-indicator measures, the DC sign combined with SUA exhibited the highest diagnostic value (AUC=0.929, sensitivity=91.4%, specificity=94.3%, p<0.001), higher than DC sign detection alone. The DC sign combined with SUA yielded a high diagnostic value and can thus provide a reliable basis for effectively and efficiently diagnosing GA.

Predictors of student preparedness for advanced pharmacy practice experiences

BackgroundA capstone course often serves as the final checkpoint of student readiness before the commencement of experiential training. The purpose of this study was to determine if the assessment components from the capstone course can serve as predictors of student performance during their Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs).MethodsStudent data was analyzed to observe the correlation between performance in the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA), student performance in the capstone course, and the overall grade point average (GPA) earned during APPEs. Spearman rank correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis.ResultsA statistically significant positive correlation was observed between the overall APPE GPA and students’ capstone course grade, top drug competency exam score, pharmacy calculation competency exam score, and PCOA exam score. A significant regression equation was obtained during the analysis: (F(5, 97) = 5.62, p < 0.001), with an R2 = 0.225 (adjusted R2 = 0.185). In the linear regression model, capstone GPA emerged as a significant predictor (β = 0.155; p = 0.019) of APPE GPA amongst the tested variables. Additionally, students scoring < 73% on the top drug competency exam in the capstone course or less than the reference group in the PCOA exam were found to have significantly lower GPA during their APPEs compared to other students.ConclusionPerformance on the top drug competency exam and the PCOA exam can serve as potential predictors of success during APPEs.