Rank Order Correlation Research Articles

A Digital Camera-Based Eye Movement Assessment Method for NeuroEye Examination

The ability to perform quantitative and automated neurological assessment could enhance diagnosis and treatment in the pre-hospital setting, such as during telemedicine or emergency medical services (EMS) encounters. Such a tool could be developed by adapting clinically significant information such as symmetry of eye movement or conjugate eye movement. Here we describe a digital camera-based eye tracking method “NeuroGaze” to capture the symmetry of eye movement while performing neurological eye examination. The proposed method was developed based on detecting the center of the pupil for both eyes from a given video and measuring eye conjugacy by transforming the pupil center coordinates to relative gaze. The method was tested on healthy volunteers while performing three neurological eye examinations <xref ref-type="fn" rid="fn1" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">¹</xref> <fn id="fn1" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><label>¹</label> The NeuroEye dataset is made available at <uri>https://www.kaggle.com/datasets/mahassan8/neuroeye</uri> </fn> . We also compared our proposed approach to state-of-the-art digital camera-based eye-tracking methods and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) eye trackers. NeuroGaze outperformed digital camera-based eye tracking methods by reporting a mean Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient of 0.86 for the H-test, 0.87 for the Dot-test, and 0.56 for the OKN-Test, and shows similarity in trends for the relative gaze trajectories with a noticeable offset in the scale of the relative gaze angle compared to COTS eye tracker (see Fig. 1). The study demonstrates that by using a pupil-center-based eye-tracking method, a digital camera can measure clinically relevant information regarding eye movement.

Abstract TP77: Stroke Rank Order Correlation but Moderate Absolute Value Drift Between Early Day 2/4 and Day 90 Stroke Outcome Scales: mRS, BI, and NIHSS

Background: In acute stroke trials, the three most commonly used outcome scales are the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) to assess global disability, the Barthel Index (BI) to assess instrumental activities of daily living, and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) to assess neurologic deficit severity. The value of early scale assessments to forecast 3-month disability outcomes has not been formally investigated. Methods: In this cohort study of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in the NIH Field Administration of Stroke Therapy- Magnesium (FAST-MAG) Phase 3 trial, we assessed the performance of day 2, 4, and 30, BI, and NIHSS to forecast their day 90 counterparts using correlation coefficients and absolute differences. Results: Among 1041 with AIS, mRS on d2 (r=0.67) and d4 (r=0.72) showed strong correlation and mRS on d30 (r=0.89) very strong correlation with d90 mRS. However, value shifts were common. For example, d4 mRS exactly matched d90 mRS in only 35.8%, while 40.2 % had better and 24 % had worse outcomes. D4 BI exactly matched d90 BI in only 41.2%, while 48.5% had better and 11.2% had worse outcomes. For NIHSS, d4 exactly matched d90 value in only 20.5%, while 57.9% had better and 22.6% had worse outcomes. (Figure) Conclusions: mRS, BI, and NIHSS outcomes as early as days 2 and 4 post-stroke correlate strongly with their longterm, 3m outcome rank ordering but only moderately with their absolute values. Delineation of this outcome trajectory provides a foundation for imputing final patient disability, ADL, and deficit outcomes in clinical trials and quality improvement programs.

ChatGPT in Organic Chemistry Classrooms: Analyzing the Impacts of Social Environment on Students’ Interest, Critical Thinking and Academic Achievement

This study aims to analyze the Impacts of Social Environment on Interest, Critical Thinking and Academic Achievement of Students Taught Organic Chemistry Using Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT. Correlational research design was engaged for the study. 50-students in SS3 with an average age of 17years, who have access to android phones and the ChatGPT application from two senior secondary schools in Gwale Local Government area of Kano State, Nigeria formed the study sample. The instruments used for data collection include; the students’ social environment, interest and critical thinking questionnaire (r=0.96) and Organic Chemistry Achievement Test (r=0.92). The data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and Spearman Rank Order Correlation. The study revealed a high positive correlation between the social environment and student’s interest; Social environment and critical thinking; as well as social environment and students’ achievement in the ChatGPT’s Organic Chemistry Classroom. The study further found a strong positive correlation between the students’ interest and critical thinking, critical thinking and students’ achievement in Organic Chemistry among students in the ChatGPT condition. It was concluded that social environment has a strong positive impact on students’ interest, critical thinking and academic achievement in organic chemistry among students in the ChatGPT classrooms. The study recommends that, as the artificial intelligence (AI) ChatGPT is migrating into the chemistry classrooms, government needs to re-train chemistry teachers, school librarians and lab-technologists through refreshers courses to improve their performance in the concepts

Innovation Strategies and Sales Performance of Food and Beverages Firms in Rivers State

The study examined the relationship between Innovation Strategies and Sales Performance of food and beverage firms in Rivers State. The study adopted descriptive survey design using a quantitative approach; the population consisted of 25 Food and Beverages Firms in Rivers State. Sequel to the population of the study, which is 25 food and beverages firms, the study adopted a census study with a focus on the managerial staff (production manager, quality control manager, marketing manager and procurement manager). The questionnaire was distributed in the frame of four (4) copies per firm. A total of one hundred (100) copies of the questionnaire were distributed. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach's alpha test. The data collected for this study were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. The Spearman Rank Order Correlation Technique was employed to test the various hypotheses formulated. It was confirmed that innovation strategies via its dimensions showed a significant relationship with sales performance of food and beverage firms in Rivers State. The study concluded that innovation strategies are significant predictors of sales performance of food and beverage firms in Rivers State. The study recommends amongst others that food and beverage firms in Rivers State that are experiencing low sales performance should embark on incremental innovation as this would increase their level of performance and that they should adopt radical innovation strategy by making some major adjustments to their existing products as this would attract more customers to the firm and increase their sales.

Job Security and Employee Engagement in Teaching Hospitals in South-South Nigeria

This research investigated the relationship between job security and employee engagement in teaching hospitals in South-South Nigeria, assessing the extent to which measures such as dedication, vigour and absorption are influenced or impacted by job security. The correlational design was adopted as the research design for the research, and data was obtained using the structured questionnaire from 124 staff in 7 teaching hospitals in South-south Nigeria. The Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient was utilized in the test for the hypotheses of the study, with all relationships observed to be significant and positive in nature. The findings showed that job security significantly contributes toward improving employee engagement, enhancing the extent to which workers are dedicated, vigorous and also absorbed in their roles and the organization. Going by the findings, it was concluded that the perceptions and assurance of job security positively drive the engagement of the employees. It was in this vein recommended that work arrangements and the structuring of such emphasize on the workers’ significance and relevance to the organization.

Delegation and Employee Prosocial Behaviour in the Hospitality Sector in Port Harcourt

This study primarily examined the relationship between delegation and employee prosocial behaviour in the hospitality sector in Port Harcourt. The study adopted the cross-sectional research survey design. Primary data was generated through structured questionnaire. The population of the study was 1674 employees of 11 selected hotels in Port Harcourt. The sample size was also drawn using the Krejcie and Morgan (1980) sample size determination table. The reliability of the instrument was achieved by the use of the Cronbach Alpha coefficient with all the items scoring above 0.70. The hypotheses were tested using the Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation Coefficient. The tests were carried out at a 0.05 significance level. The findings revealed that there is a significant relationship between delegation and employee prosocial behaviour in the hospitality sector in Port Harcourt. Hence, the study concludes that delegation positively enhances employee prosocial behaviour in the hospitality sector in Port Harcourt. Implying that when organizations in hospitality sector actively engage in joint consultation practices, such as open communication, collaboration, and employee involvement in decision-making, there is a notable improvement in prosocial behaviors among employees. Therefore, the study recommends that there is a need to strengthen delegation platforms which involves creating structured forums where both management and employees can engage in meaningful discussions. This could include regular town hall meetings, feedback sessions, and collaborative workshops. By fostering an environment of open communication, these platforms can serve as a foundation for building a positive relationship between stakeholders.

The association between interest of nutritional supplements and COVID-19 pandemic - evidence from Google Trends

BackgroundDue to the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020, the interest of nutritional supplements has emerged. Limited data are available on how the COVID-19 pandemic affects the search interest in nutritional supplements in Taiwan and worldwide. The study aims to investigate changes in public search interest of nutritional supplements pre- and during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsOur World in Data dataset was used to collect both global and local (Taiwan) number of COVID-19 newly confirmed cases and deaths. Google Trends search query was being used to obtain relative search volumes (RSVs) covering a timeframe between 2019 to 2022. Spearman’s rank-order correlation coefficients were used to measure relationships between confirmed new cases and deaths and RSVs of nutritional supplements. Multivariate analysis was conducted to examine the effect of domestic and global new cases and deaths on the RSVs of nutritional supplements.ResultsThe mean RSVs for nutritional supplements were higher during the COVID-19 pandemic period (between 2020 to 2022) compared to the pre-pandemic period (year of 2019) for both Taiwan and worldwide. In terms of seasonal variations, except for vitamin D, the mean RSVs of probiotics, vitamin B complex, and vitamin C in winter were significantly lower compared to other seasons in Taiwan. The RSVs of nutritional supplements were not only affected by domestic cases and deaths but also by global new cases and deaths.ConclusionsThe interests in nutritional supplements had substantially increased in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The RSVs of nutritional supplements in Taiwan were not only influenced by global and domestic pandemic severity but also by seasons.

The effects of sustained, low- and high-intensity isometric tasks on performance fatigability and the perceived responses that contributed to task termination.

The present study examined the effects of sustained, isometric low- versus high-intensity tasks on time to task failure (TTF), performance fatigability (PF), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and the perceived causes of task termination from a post-test questionnaire (PTQ). Ten men (mean ± SD: age = 21.1 ± 2.3 years; height = 180.2 ± 5.7 cm; body mass = 79.5 ± 8.8 kg) performed maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) before and after fatiguing, isometric forearm flexion tasks anchored to the torque corresponding to RPE values of 2 (TRQ2FT = 23.8 ± 7.1 N·m) and 8 (TRQ8FT = 60.9 ± 11.4 N·m). In addition, the subjects completed a PTQ which surveyed whether the perceived sensations of fatigue or pain, and/or the psychological factors of loss of focus and motivation contributed to the decision to terminate the task. Repeated measures ANOVAs, Wilcoxon-Signed Rank tests, and Spearman's Rank-Order Correlations were used to analyze the data. Across the fatiguing tasks, there were similar decreases in MVIC torque (95.2 ± 20.3 vs. 68.9 ± 15.6 N·m; p < 0.001) and RPE values (p = 0.122) at task failure for TRQ2FT (7.4 ± 2.7) and TRQ8FT (8.9 ± 1.0), but a longer (p = 0.005) TTF for the TRQ2FT (245.0 ± 177.0 s) than TRQ8FT (36.8 ± 11.1 s). Despite reaching task failure, the subjects were able to perform MVICs that were 100-300% greater than the target torque values within seconds of terminating the tasks. Thus, we hypothesized that task failure was not caused by an inability to produce sufficient torque to sustain the tasks, but rather an unwillingness to continue the task.

Iterative transfer learning with large unlabeled datasets for no-reference image quality assessment

&lt;p&gt;No-reference image quality assessment is crucial for evaluating perceptual quality across diverse image-processing applications. Given the challenge of accruing mean opinion scores for images, utilizing data augmentation and transfer learning is vital for training predictive networks. This paper presents a new iterative transfer learning technique, which helps to transfer knowledge between heterogeneous network architectures, and overcomes the problem of overlearning when training on small datasets. The proposed method used a large amount of unlabeled data during training, improving its ability to handle different image quality conditions. We also presented a two-branch convolutional neural network architecture, which merges multi-scale and multi-level attributes efficiently. This architecture emphasizes both local detail extraction and high-level comprehension, and the result was fast execution time and minimal memory overhead. Empirical results showed that applying iterative transfer learning to train a two-branch convolutional neural network achieved superior real-time performance and at the same time exhibited good performance in spearman's rank order correlation coefficient. Furthermore, the model manifested robustness for the noisy mean opinion score, which is prevalent in available datasets, and during data augmentation processes.&lt;/p&gt;

Effects of the Single-Entry Approach Program on Labor Disputes as Implemented by the Department of Labor and Employment

The study aimed to determine the effects of the Single-Entry Approach program on labor disputes as implemented by the Department of Labor and Employment in Negros Oriental Field Office. The researcher employed a descriptive-correlational design. The 120 respondents (60 requesting parties and 60 responding parties) were randomly selected clients who were involved in the SEnA program of the DOLE Negros Oriental Field Office. The researcher used a validated questionnaire to gather data and applied statistical methods such as percentage, weighted mean, mean, and Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient. The findings revealed high awareness and satisfaction for both the requesting and responding parties, indicating a correlation between clients’ awareness of the SEnA program and their satisfaction levels. However, the fact that RFAs are still being referred to other agencies only shows that certain aspects of the program require more enhancement. Specifically, the client's awareness of the SENA program, communication effectiveness, and conciliation-mediation skills could lead to increased settlement rates and reduced referrals to the NLRC.

Effect of submucosal cryotherapy compared with steroids and NSAIDs injections on Substance P and Interleukin 6 pulpal release in experimentally induced pulpal inflammation in rabbits.

To compare the effect of submucosal cryotherapy using cold saline to dexamethasone sodium phosphate and diclofenac sodium injections on substance P and interleukin 6 release in experimentally induced pulpal inflammation in rabbits' molar teeth. Fifteen rabbits were randomly classified into 3 groups according to the submucosal injection given: cold saline, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, and diclofenac sodium. A split-mouth design was adopted, the right mandibular molars were experimental, and the left molars served as the control without injections. Intentional pulp exposures were created and left for 6 hours to induce pulpitis. Pulpal tissue was extracted and examined for SP and IL-6 levels using ELISA. Within each group, the level of cytokines released was measured for both control and experimental groups for intragroup comparison to determine the effect of injection. The percentage reduction of each mediator was calculated compared with the control side for intergroup comparison then the correlation between SP and IL-6 levels was analyzed using Spearman's rank order correlation coefficient. Statistical analysis was performed, and the significance level was set at p<0.05. Submucosal cryotherapy, dexamethasone sodium phosphate, and diclofenac sodium significantly reduced SP and IL-6 pulpal release. Submucosal cryotherapy significantly reduced SP more than and IL-6 more than dexamethasone sodium phosphate and diclofenac sodium. Pulpal reduction of SP and IL-6 showed a strong positive significant correlation. Submucosal cryotherapy reduces the pulpal release of SP and IL-6 and could be tested as an alternative to premedication to potentiate the effect of anesthesia and control postoperative endodontic pain.

Behind the Scenes: Evaluating the Performance of University Support Personnel for Institutional Progress

To remain competitive in the higher education market, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have to provide quality services to their clientele (Legcevic, 2014; Guaimalon et al., 2022). These services must be aligned with the mission, vision, and long-term goals of the university, which include employee productivity and service sustainability. This study sought to assess the university support personnel’s performance for institutional progress and students’ satisfaction. It also determined the relationship between the support personnel’s profile, in terms of sex and length of service, and their performance. The descriptive-correlational design was applied in this inquiry wherein all 97 regular support personnel were the respondents and were evaluated by their supervisor and two randomly selected senior co-workers. A standardized questionnaire was utilized to gather data on the performance of the support personnel. Weighted Mean, Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation Coefficients, and Chi-Square Test were used as statistical tools. The data revealed that the performance of the support personnel “exceeds expectations” in the following areas: work quantity, work quality, work relationships, work skills, job knowledge, and time record. The results further indicated that the work performance in terms of extension work is classified as “meeting the expectations.” Moreover, the study found that the support personnel’s length of service is inversely related to their work performance and that female personnel performed better at work than their male counterparts.

Dysphagia is a risk factor of malnutrition in X-linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism

IntroductionMalnutrition is a leading cause of death for persons living with X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP), a degenerative disease endemic to the Philippines. Difficulty swallowing has been linked to malnutrition in other populations; however, knowledge of this relationship is limited in XDP. As such, the purpose of this study was to determine the association between dysphagia and malnutrition in this population. Method(s)21 individuals with XDP, 26 controls, and 18 genetic carriers were included in the final data analysis. Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient was used to determine an association between baseline EAT-10 total scores and 12-month malnutrition status, and multiple linear regression to evaluate the predictive ability of the EAT-10. A baseline EAT-10 score cut-off point predicting 12-month malnutrition status was estimated. ResultsFor the XDP group, the baseline EAT-10 total scores had a significant negative correlation (r = -0.68, p < 0.001) with and was a significant predictor (p = 0.001) of 12-month BMI. A baseline EAT-10 total score of ≥ 4 predicted malnutrition twelve months after administration (sensitivity = 0.93; specificity = 1; AUC = 0.95). DiscussionDysphagia, as measured using the EAT-10, was associated with BMI in the XDP population. Additionally, an EAT-10 total score ≥ 4 could predict malnutrition in twelve months after test administration. With these findings, healthcare providers could identify patients with XDP at high risk for malnutrition earlier and provide intervention sooner.

Support Vector Regression-based Reduced-Reference Perceptual Quality Model for Compressed Point Clouds.

Video-based point cloud compression (V-PCC) is a state-of-the-art moving picture experts group (MPEG) standard for point cloud compression. V-PCC can be used to compress both static and dynamic point clouds in a lossless, near lossless, or lossy way. Many objective quality metrics have been proposed for distorted point clouds. Most of these metrics are full-reference metrics that require both the original point cloud and the distorted one. However, in some real-time applications, the original point cloud is not available, and no-reference or reduced-reference quality metrics are needed. Three main challenges in the design of a reduced-reference quality metric are how to build a set of features that characterize the visual quality of the distorted point cloud, how to select the most effective features from this set, and how to map the selected features to a perceptual quality score. We address the first challenge by proposing a comprehensive set of features consisting of compression, geometry, normal, curvature, and luminance features. To deal with the second challenge, we use the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method, which is a variable selection method for regression problems. Finally, we map the selected features to the mean opinion score in a nonlinear space. Although we have used only 19 features in our current implementation, our metric is flexible enough to allow any number of features, including future more effective ones. Experimental results on the Waterloo point cloud dataset version 2 (WPC2.0) and the MPEG point cloud compression dataset (M-PCCD) show that our method, namely PCQAML, outperforms state-of-the-art full-reference and reduced-reference quality metrics in terms of Pearson linear correlation coefficient, Spearman rank order correlation coefficient, Kendall's rank-order correlation coefficient, and root mean squared error.

Exploring the Correlation Between Sexual Function, Mental Health, and Quality of Life among Stroke Survivors in South-East Nigeria

Stroke’s multifaceted impact necessitates understanding its effects on survivors’ psychological well-being, daily functioning, and sexual health. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between sexual function, mental health, and quality of life (QoL) among stroke survivors. This cross-sectional survey involved 82 stroke survivors recruited from selected healthcare centers in Nnewi. The stroke-specific QoL scale and Mental health inventory-38 were used to evaluate the QoL and mental health status of the participants, respectively. Male and female sexual functions were assessed using the International Index for Erectile Function and Female sexual index, respectively. Mann–Whitney U test and Spearman’s rank order correlation were used to analyze data. The participants’ mean total QoL score was 112.57±37.67, representing 46% of the maximum possible score, with the highest and lowest scores in vision (68.94%) and social role (24.39%) domains. The participants scored &lt;50% in seven quality-of-life domains. The mean total mental health score was 141.76±13.70, with the highest and lowest scores in anxiety (70.75%) and emotional tie (50.71%) domains, respectively. Males had a mean total sexual function score of 30.80%, with none reaching the 50th percentile, except overall satisfaction (50.61%), while females scored 16.41%, with none reaching the 50th percentile and 0.0% in the pain domain. This study highlights the significant challenges stroke survivors face in QoL, mental health, and sexual function. The findings underscore the need for holistic and tailored interventions addressing these multidimensional aspects of post-stroke care, focusing on improving sexual well-being to enhance overall life satisfaction in male survivors.

INVESTIGATING THE INFLUENCE OF TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP STYLE ON EMPLOYEES JOB SATISFACTION AND TURNOVER INTENTION IN THE SOUTH AFRICA PUBLIC SECTOR

This study sought to investigate the influence of transformational leadership style on employees’ job satisfaction and turnover intention in the South Africa Public Sector. Surprisingly, only fewer studies have been conducted in South Africa to find the reasons behind public sector employees job satisfaction and turnover intention. This study employed a quantitative research approach, and a self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 250 participants around the North West province of South Africa. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse data. The statistical tests used including descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, and Spearman’s rank-order correlation. The results revealed that the positive correlation between transformational leadership and employees' job satisfaction leans towards a small effect size or no practically significant correlation (r = .228), while a negative correlation between transformational leadership and turnover intention leans towards a small effect or no practically significant correlation (r = -.091). Leaders in public sector departments should pay more attention to their followers’ job satisfaction and turnover intention to help them feel connected to the organisation. Recommendations for future research were also provided. The research results strengthen the significance of attributes of transformational leadership in leading officers in the public sector organisations in South Africa that wish to promote positive attitudes in employees and their work climate.

Психологическое благополучие работников сферы образования в связи с различными психологическими аспектами их профессиональной деятельности

Background. Modern rhythm of life determines the need to accelerate the overall personal productivity and forces us to face systematic strain and stress. In this regard, individual resources and subjective well-being are of particular importance as factors that can prevent burnout and social maladjustment. The problem of psychological health in educational staff is especially significant, since they affect the academic process and the well-being of students. Objective. The research aims to study psychological well-being of university staff in connection with their professional motivation, the levels of job satisfaction, and professional burnout. Study Participants. The empirical study involved 140 people aged 20 to 80, university staff, of both sexes and with different social status. Methods. The study was carried out using the Method for diagnosing the subjective well-being of a person (R.M. Shamionov, T.V. Beskova), Motivation Sources Inventory (version of E.V. Sidorenko), Professional maladaptation questionnaire (O.N. Rodina), Job Satisfaction Survey (P. Spektor), Maslach Burnout Inventory (version by N.E. Vodopyanova). Statistical methods included Shapiro — Wilk test, Spearman's rank-order correlation. Statistical analysis was carried out using the JASP 0.16 software. Results. It has been established that an increase in the levels of professional burnout components correlates with a decrease in the levels of psychological well-being, professional motivation and job satisfaction (р &lt; 0.05). It is also shown that the correlations between professional burnout with the components of professional motivation are different in groups with different work experience in education. Conclusions. The results obtained made it possible to identify the most significant factors in professional motivation and job satisfaction that affect psychological well-being and the development of professional burnout among educators.

Association between depressive symptoms and dynamic balance among young adults in the community

BackgroundDetecting and addressing depression symptoms at their outset can reduce the burden on individuals and society; however, it has a limitation in that such evaluations mainly rely on self-reports. Several studies have demonstrated a strong association between motor symptoms and early depression. We aimed to associate body balance measured by the Lower Quarter Y Balance Test (YBT-LQ) with depressive symptoms among young adults in the community, to confirm the current evidence that depression negatively influences body balance. Research questionIs the YBT-LQ an objective tool for measuring and evaluating young adults’ depression risks, as well as assessing whether depression negatively influences body balance? MethodsOur participants comprised 36 young adults. We assessed their depressive symptoms using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) via a Google survey, measured their body balance with the YBT-LQ, and analyzed data with Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficient test, using SPSS version 27.0. ResultsWe found that the right leg's anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral scores— Z = −2.129, p = .033; Z = −2.181, p = .029; and Z = −2.250, p = .024, respectively—and composite scores—Z = 73.00, p = .027 —were significantly lower in the group with risk for clinical depression compared to the normal group. The CES-D total score had a negative association with all YBT-LQ scores, except for the anterior score of the left leg. Among the CES-D sub-factors, somatic and retarded activity showed negative correlations with all the YBT-LQ scores. SignificanceOur findings revealed that depressive symptoms have a negative association with balance, and that the YBT-LQ can be a reliable tool for measuring motor symptoms of depression, specifically among young adults.

Attitudes, Motivations and Academic Performance in English among the Junior High School Students in Sulangon National High School

This study aimed to assess the attitudes, motivations and their relationship to academic performance in English among the Junior High School Students in Sulangon National High School during the school year 2022-2023.The data were obtained from 352 Grade 8, 9 and 10 students respectively in Sulangon National High School. A quantitative descriptive-correlational research design was employed in this study. Using frequency counting and percent, weighted mean, standard deviation, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Spearman Rank-Order Correlation Coefficient were the statistical tools used in the study. The study found out that the respondents' perceived level of positive attitude toward English was high. The respondents' perceived level of negative attitude toward English was low. Standard deviations less than 3.0 supported a high degree of homogeneity in their responses. In addition, the respondents’ perceived level of intrinsic motivation was highly motivated and the respondents’ perceived level of extrinsic motivation was also highly motivated. Additionally, the study found out that the respondents' level of academic performance was very satisfactory, which indicated that the students of Sulangon National High School experienced moderate learning in English. Standard deviations less than 3.0 supported a high degree of homogeneity in their responses. Moreover, the study found out that the respondents’ perceived level of attitude was affected by their sex. However, the respondents’ perceived level of attitude was unaffected by their age and grade level. It was also found out that perceived level of motivation was affected by their sex, age and grade level. Furthermore, data analysis revealed a significant relationship between attitudes, motivation and students' academic performance. This indicated that attitudes and motivations were significantly related to the Junior High School students' academic performance in Sulangon National High School. Hence, it is recommended that the top officials of the Department of Education in the Schools Division of Dapitan City would provide some techniques of communicative language to enhance students’ English learning and encourage them to be optimistic about the English skills practices.

Semi-Supervised Adversarial Learning for Attribute-Aware Photo Aesthetic Assessment

Aesthetic attributes are crucial for aesthetics because they explicitly present some photo quality cues that a human expert might use to evaluate a photo's aesthetic quality. However, annotating aesthetic attributes is a time-consuming, costly, and error-prone task, which leads to the issue that photos available are partially annotated with attributes. To alleviate this issue, we propose a novel semi-supervised adversarial learning method for photo aesthetic assessment from partially attribute-annotated photos, which can greatly reduce the reliance on manual attribute annotation. Specifically, the proposed method consists of a score-attributes generator R, a photo generator G, and a discriminator D. The score-attributes generator learns the aesthetic score and attributes simultaneously to capture their dependencies and construct better feature representations. The photo generator reconstructs the photo by feeding aesthetic attributes, score, and informative feature representation. A discriminator is used to force the convergence of the features-attributes-score tuples generated from the score-attributes generator, the photo generator, and the ground-truth distribution in labeled data for training data. The proposed method significantly outperforms the state of the art, increasing the Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient (SRCC) from the existing best reported of 0.726 to 0.761 on Aesthetic and attributes database and 0.756 to 0.774 on Aesthetic visual analysis database, respectively.