Significance Level Research Articles

Development of a Multi-grade Flour Sieving Machine: It’s Performance and Financial Feasibility

This study was conducted at the Engineering Shop of Southern Cagayan Research Center (SCRC) located at Minanga Norte, Iguig, Cagayan from March to April 2024. The design and fabrication of the flour sieving machine prototype were undertaken using local technology. The study generally aimed to develop and evaluate the performance of the multi-grade flour sieving machine using glutinous rice flour in terms of electrical energy consumption, sieving capacity, sieving efficiency, and weight of the sieved flour. A simple cost analysis was also done to determine the economic viability of the machine. The result of the study was analyzed using Analysis of Variance for a Completely Randomized Design for two factorial experiments with three replications. The treatments used were the different oscillating speeds (Factor A) and the inclination angle of the sieve (Factor B). Least Significant Differences (LSD) were used to determine differences between treatment means. The overall mean of the machine in terms of sieving capacity was 71.22 kg/h, sieving efficiency of 95.80 %, and electrical energy consumption of 0.046 kW-hr/kg. From a mean weight of 5.75kg, the composition of flour contains 2.51% coarse, 66.27% medium, 22.18% fine and 9.05% extra fine. All parameters used in the study were significantly influenced by Factor A. However, the result of LSD at 1% level of significance shows no difference to each other when considering Factor B alone. Likewise, the interaction of Factor A x B for both electrical energy consumption and sieving capacity was not significantly different. The equipment’s cost was Php 37,000.00, the break-even point was 6,437.42 kg /yr and the break-even usage was 11.30 days/yr. Keywords: Technology development, Locally fabricated sieving machine, Performance Testing, Flour grading, Philippines

Enhancing Agricultural Practices: Exploring the Benefits of Paddy Straw Management Technologies Adopted by Potato Growers in Jalandhar District, Punjab, India

This study was conducted in the Jalandhar district of Punjab in 2020-21, chosen purposefully due to its status as the region with the highest potato cultivation area. The list of potato growers was obtained from the District Horticulture Department in Jalandhar. Five blocks—Nakodar, Adampur, Bhogpur, Jalandhar East, and Jalandhar West—with the maximum potato cultivation area were selected from this list. A sample of 200 potato growers was then chosen using a proportionate cum random sampling method. Following the adoption of paddy straw management technologies, 52.5 % of potato growers reported a decrease in fertilization costs whereas 85 % of potato growers observed that increased in the cost of preparation of land during used of paddy straw management technologies by Rs.3035 because of high rate of diesel consumption. Additionally, 37 % observed an improvement in soil health, while 40.5% noted an increase in potato yield. The majority of potato growers incorporated paddy straw into their potato fields. However, an equal percentage of growers (17%) either used paddy straw to make bales or burned it. Notably, the adoption of paddy straw chopper, mulcher, and Mould board plough by potato growers led to a significant increase in potato yield. The results also indicated that for yield, the t - values for two tailed significance level of the difference between sample means for the response was 0.000 cost of production due to adoption of all the technologies by the potato growers. Therefore, statistically significant differences at level of 0.05 were observed in all five technologies used for paddy straw management in potato cultivation.

Journalist\'s information needs and information seeking - behaviors in the digital age

This study delves into the evolving information-seeking practices of newspaper journalists in Karnataka, highlighting how digitalization has impacted their approach to gathering, verifying, and delivering news. With a sample of 610 journalists from 39 newspapers across national, state, and regional levels, the research identifies key patterns and challenges journalists face in the digital age, including the need for diverse information sources and the persistent obstacles within newsroom libraries. The information-seeking behavior of journalists in Karnataka has significantly evolved to accommodate the fast-paced, digital-driven demands of modern journalism. Young journalists, with over 60% of respondents under the age of 35, heavily rely on digital tools like news apps, social networks, and digital newspaper archives to access and cross-verify information quickly. However, despite advancements, challenges remain—particularly around access to adequately organized information and the necessary skills for effective digital information retrieval. More than half of the journalists reported needing information at a moderately significant level across various topics, indicating a broad requirement rather than specialized information needs. The study also highlights key barriers: limited availability of necessary information, insufficient search skills, language barriers, and a lack of qualified library staff. Addressing these issues through continuous digital literacy and library resource improvements will be essential for supporting journalists in this rapidly evolving landscape.

Advantages of using touch-controlled, minimally invasive implantation technique on soft tissue in the aesthetic zone of maxillary anterior teeth.

Endosseous implant is an ideal treatment option for the treatment of denture defects and omissions. However, how to maintain the perfect gum contour of patients has been an important research topic for stomatologists and has attracted much attention. The objective of this study was to explore the advantages of minimally invasive touch-controlled implantation in maintaining soft tissue morphology in the aesthetic area of maxillary anterior teeth. Forty patients underwent preoperative cone-beam computed tomography and were randomly divided into 2 groups: experimental group (touch-controlled, minimally invasive implantation approach, n = 20) and control group (traditional flap implantation approach, n = 20). The operative time, postoperative pain, gingival recession, and patient satisfaction were compared between the 2 groups. The independent sample t test was employed to compare the results, with a significance level of α = 0.05. Statistical significance was determined at P < .05. The operative time was 4.50 and 9.21 minutes, respectively, for 2 groups, P < .001. The mean pain scores of 2 groups were 1.09 and 2.14, respectively, at 24 hours after surgery, P < .001. The H values (the distance from the labial edge of the implant healing cap to the lowest gingival margin), 6 weeks after surgery, of 2 groups were 2.69 and 3.05, respectively, P = .023. There was a significant difference in patient satisfaction between 2 groups 24 hours after surgery (P < .001). Touch-controlled minimally invasive implantation has shorter operative time and lesser bleeding, postoperative pain, and gingival recession than traditional flap implantation, which is conducive to the preservation of gingival shape.

Perceived Psychological and Physical Health as Predictors of Mortality and Quality of Life in Patients with Lymphedema: A Prospective Study Spanning Almost Two Decades.

How does living with a chronic disease of the lymphatic system affect quality of life and mortality? Lymphedema is a chronic disease mostly affecting women and research is sparse. To this date, longitudinal studies evaluating biopsychosocial predictors for mortality and quality of life in lymphedema are largely missing. This study aims to identify possible predictors and could open innovative ways for treatment options. Two hundred ninety-two patients with lymphedema partaking in a rehabilitation program in a lymphedema clinic were longitudinally assessed. The sample consisted of 86.2% women, aged between 18 and 83years (M = 53.42, SD = 12.54), with a mean BMI (kg/m2) of 31.64 (SD = 8.26). Beginning with baseline assessment in 2002-2006, follow-up was evaluated 15-19years later (N = 91). We assessed a variety of potential biopsychosocial predictors of mortality and quality of life (i.e., depression, anxiety, cancer). At follow-up, 19.5% of participants were deceased. Age, gender, and cancer significantly predicted mortality (R2 = .27) and quality of life (R2 = .29). Anxiety and depression significantly predicted both quality of life and mortality when entered simultaneously. However, further analyses indicated suppressor effects and when entered separately, effects solely for depression or anxiety did not reach significance level. Age, gender, and cancer were the main predictors of mortality and quality of life in patients with lymphedema. Psychological predictors of mortality and quality of life were mainly due to suppressor effects, thus calling for caution when analyzing the contribution of mental health indicators for clinical outcomes. This study was preregistered with the German Clinical Trials Register (Identifier DRKS00024450) and Open Science Framework ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/RHXQJ ).

Granite Dust and Silica Fume as a Combined Filler of Reactive Powder Concrete

By volume, cement concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials in the world. This requires a significant amount of Portland cement, and the cement industry, in turn, causes a significant amount of CO2 emissions. Therefore, the development of concrete with a reduced cement content is becoming an urgent problem for countries with a significant level of production and consumption of concrete. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to critically investigate the possibility of using inert granite dust in combination with highly active silica fume in reactive powder concrete. The main physical and mechanical properties, such as the compressive strength at different curing ages and the water absorption, were studied using mathematical planning of experiments. The consistency and microstructure of the reactive powder concrete modified with granite dust in combination with silica fume were also analyzed. Mathematical models of the main properties of this concrete are presented and analyzed, and the graphical dependencies of the influence of composition factors are constructed. A more significant factor that affects the compressive strength at all curing ages is the silica fume content, increases in which to 50 kg/m3 lead to a 25–40% increase in strength at 1 day of age, depending on the granite dust content. In turn, an increase in the amount of granite dust from 0 kg/m3 to 100 kg/m3 in the absence of silica is followed by an increase in strength of 8–10%. After 3 days of curing, the effect of granite dust becomes more significant. Increases in the 28-day strength of 25%, 46% and 56% were obtained at a content of 50 kg/m3 of silica fume and 0 kg/m3, 100 kg/m3 and 200 kg/m3 of granite dust in concrete, respectively. It is shown that the effect of inert granite dust is more significant in combination with silica fume at its maximum content in the range of variation. The pozzolanic reaction between highly active silica and Ca(OH)2 stimulates the formation of hydrate phases in the space between the grains and causes the microstructure of the cement matrix to compact. In this case, the granite dust particles act as crystallization centers.

What predicts complete immunisation among 18-month to 24-month-old children in the urban slum area of Hlaingthayar Township, Yangon Region, Myanmar? A cross-sectional study

IntroductionIn Myanmar, there are significant disparities in the delivery of immunisation services and barriers to service accessibility, particularly in border regions, conflict-affected areas, physically and geographically hard-to-reach areas, urban slums...

Macroeconomic determinants of housing demand in Saudi Arabia: an autoregressive distributed lag approach

Purpose This study aims to investigate the macroeconomic factors influencing housing demand in Saudi Arabia using quarterly data for the period 2010 Q1–2024 Q2. Design/methodology/approach The autoregressive distributed lag bounds test and vector error correction model are used to determine the dynamic relationship between the macroeconomic factors. Findings The results reveal that the F-statistic value of 4.2043 is higher than the upper bound of the critical values at 5% level of significance, indicating long-run association among the series. While there is a negative and significant influence of interest and inflation rates on housing demand, income per capita and population have a positive and significant influence on housing demand. Similar result is found for the short run analysis except income per capita which has positive but insignificant impact. Moreso, the population seems to be very crucial to housing demand in both short-run and long-run periods. Social implications The outcome of the study has important policy implications by enjoining the policymakers in Saudi Arabia to consider a decisive management of monetary and fiscal policies to ensure that inflation and interest rates for housing are kept at a low level to encourage housing demand. Also, adequate policies should be put in place to ensure housing/property affordability that matches the increasing population due to tourism, urbanisation and growing birth rate. Originality/value Studies on the macroeconomic determinants of housing demand are less explored as most studies dwell more on social and demographic factors despite the importance of macroeconomic factors towards house ownerships. There is a dearth of related studies in Saudi Arabia.

Study of Relationship between Heparin and Platelets in Hemodialysis Patients

Platelets are considered one of the most important components of blood that contribute to the coagulation process, and they also play an important role in the blood clotting process. Platelets may be exposed to some types of anticoagulant drugs, such as heparin, which increases the risk of thrombocytopenia, especially in dialysis patients who receive heparin periodically in the extracorporeal circuit in the dialysis unit; thrombocytopenia may develop due to receiving heparin in every dialysis session, which has been confirmed for patients in previous research. This research, aims to find the relationship between heparin and platelets among dialysis patients. Some parameters were carried on for hemodialysis patients of (Al-Jamil - Raqdalin - Zuwara) hemodialysis centers to support the study of the relationship between them, (CBC, PT, PTT, CT, and BT), also a questionnaire has been collected from the patients for further information. The results showed that there is an inverse relationship between the dose of heparin and platelets at α (0.5), meaning that the higher the dose of heparin, the greater the thrombocytopenia. We also found that there is an inverse relationship between the duration of dialysis and platelets, meaning that the longer the duration of dialysis, the lower the platelet count. The results showed also the presence of clots in the dialysis machine in varying proportions. We can conclude that there are no effects on the types of treatment doses on the platelets. Also, heparin dose and Platelets count have an inverse significant relationship. We can conclude also that there are no significant differences between the average platelets due to the types of heparin at the level of significance.

أثر استخدام استراتيجية دمج الأقران في تنمية المهارات الاجتماعية لدى الأطفال التوحديين: دراسة تجريبية على عينة من طلاب صف التوحد بمدرسة الحد الابتدائية للبنين

This study aimed to investigate the effect of using the peer integration strategy in developing social skills in autistic children, by answering the following main question: What is the effect of using the peer integration strategy in developing social skills in autistic children? To answer the main study question included in the context of this study, the researcher in this study followed the quasi-experimental approach that relies on studying the phenomenon as it exists in reality, and is based in its original construction on experimental application; to obtain data from its primary sources through a questionnaire that was designed according to the scientific steps approved in this regard, as it was applied to the study community consisting of all autism students registered in government schools in the Kingdom of Bahrain in the academic year 2022/2023 AD, numbering (106) male and female students according to official statistics issued by the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom of Bahrain. By selecting (5) autism students registered at Al-Hadd Elementary School for Boys in the academic year 2022/2023, with mild and moderate autism, and selecting (5) normal students to play the role of peers, as they were chosen by classroom teachers and subject teachers based on their personal qualities that qualify them to play the role of peers, their high academic level, their activity in school committees and teams, in addition to their personal desire to support the autism class as a deliberate sample for the study. This school was chosen because the researcher works as an assistant director in it, which made it easy for her to implement the experiment easily and smoothly, as well as bypassing many of the administrative matters required by this type of field applications. After ensuring that the study tools met their psychometric characteristics, they were applied to the target sample, and statistical analysis was conducted to extract the results. The results of the study concluded that the performance of the study individuals on the post-measurement items was better than their performance on the pre-measurement items, as the arithmetic mean of their scores on the post-measurement items was (2.72) with a standard deviation of (0.09), while the mean scores of the study individuals after applying the experiment to them on the pre-measurement items was (2.48) with a standard deviation of (0.06). The results of the study also showed that the calculated value of (z) indicates the presence of statistically significant differences at a significance level (@=0.05) in the average scores of the study members related to the effectiveness of the training program in developing social skills in children on the pre- and post-measurement items, meaning that the applied training program affected the performance of the study members.In light of the results reached by the study, it recommends working on training families of autistic children through workshops and training courses and involving them in the design and implementation of educational programs. As well as training autistic children on social skills at an early age to help them rely on themselves in their daily lives.

A dual-decoder banded convolutional attention network for bone segmentation in ultrasound images.

Ultrasound (US) has great potential for application in computer-assisted orthopedic surgery (CAOS) due to its non-radiative, cost-effective, and portable traits. However, bone segmentation from low-quality US images has been challenging. Traditional segmentation methods cannot achieve satisfactory results due to their high customization and dependence on bone morphology. Existing deep learning-based methods make it difficult to ensure efficient and accurate segmentation due to the ignorance of prior knowledge of bone features during feature learning. This paper aims to systematically investigate feature extraction and segmentation methodologies of bone US images and then proposes an innovative convolutional neural network to address the need for precise and efficient bone structure extraction in CAOS. This paper has proposed a dual-decoder banded convolutional attention network (BCA-Net), which takes the raw US image as input and simplified U-Net as the baseline network. Multiscale banded convolution kernels are employed internally in the BCA-Net model, leveraging the prior knowledge that bone surfaces in US images are exhibited as bright bands of a few millimeters in width. Additionally, a shared encoder to extract input features and two independent decoders to generate outputs for the bone surface and bone shadow mask are integrated into the BCA-Net model, leveraging the prior knowledge that US bone surfaces manifest low-intensity hollow shadows below. Then, a new task consistency loss is introduced that can utilize inter-task dependency fully and enhance the performance of our model. In the network construction process, a dataset containing 1623 sets of US images was adopted, and a five-fold cross-validation strategy was divided into the training and validation sets for the model's training and validation. Many vital metrics were introduced to comprehensively evaluate the model performance, including overlap, edge distance, area under curve, and model efficiency. Finally, the model performance was subjected to a confidence interval, Tukey's honest significant difference, and Cohen's d statistics at a significance level (5%) to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the obtained findings. The experimental results show that the BCA-Net model performs well in the bone surface segmentation task. Its average Dice coefficient reaches 87.51%, 4.04% higher than U-Net's, proving its superior bone surface segmentation accuracy. Meanwhile, the average distance error is 0.2mm, 0.33mm lower than U-Net's, highlighting its accuracy in detail capture and boundary recognition. Using a confidence distance threshold of 1.02mm, the Dice coefficient of the BCA-Net model exceeds 98%, an improvement of 1.87% over U-Net's, which is highly consistent with manual labeling. The BCA-Net model achieves a statistical significance of p-values<0.05 in the above accuracy comparisons. In addition, the BCA-Net model has a small parameter count (5.58M) and high computational efficiency (35.85 frames per second), further validating its excellent potential in bone surface segmentation tasks. The proposed method achieves excellent performance with high accuracy and efficiency, aligning well with clinical requirements and holding excellent potential for advancing the utilization of US images in CAOS.

Effect of Bio-slurry Fertiliser on the Nutritional Quality of Shade Net Grown Swiss Chard

This study aimed to evaluate the type of bio-slurry fertiliser produced from various feedstock sources that could improve the nutritional properties of shade net-grown Swiss chard. The experiment was conducted in a randomised complete block design in a factorial arrangement with three replications at Pwani University’s integrated biogas Unit. The factors studied were; a) Covers (shade net and open) and the second factor was bio-slurry fertiliser treatments (T1 = No fertiliser, T2 = 100% DAP+100% CAN, T3 =100% Kitchen bio-slurry fertiliser, T4 = 100% Cow dung bio-slurry fertiliser, T5 = 50% DAP -18:46:0 + 50% CAN + 50% kitchen bio-slurry fertiliser, T6 = 50% DAP- -18:46:0- + 50% CAN + 50% cow dung bio-slurry fertiliser, T7 = 50% kitchen bio-slurry fertiliser + 50% cow dung bio-slurry fertiliser). Data were analysed using ANOVA at a 5% significance level. The results indicated that bio-slurry treatments significantly influenced moisture, protein, fat, ash, carbohydrates, flavonoids, tannin, oxalates, carotenoids, chlorophyll and phytates compared with the control where no fertiliser was applied. It was also noted that bio-slurry treatment significantly influenced phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and sodium compared with the control. The study concluded that a combination of 50% kitchen waste bio-slurry and 50% cow dung bio-slurry improves the nutritional quality of Swiss chard.

Functioning and depression in the subacute and delayed postpartum periods: a longitudinal study

Introduction: The postpartum is a complex moment in the women's life that comes with several body modifications and complaints. Besides, it is important to know how these changes are associated with the functioning of women. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate functioning and depression in women in the subacute and delayed postpartum periods, and to know the variables associated with negative outcomes. Methods: A longitudinal prospective study was carried out with puerperal women, assessed in the subacute and delayed postpartum. Socio-demographic and obstetric data were obtained. The WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) and the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) assess the disability and depression, respectively. Linear regressions were used to assess the association of variables. The significance level was set at p&lt;0.05. Results: The occurrence of depression and mild disability was 25% and &gt;89% at both times evaluated, respectively. The disability score was correlated with the number of pregnancies (β = -3.56; CI 95%: -6.49 to -0.63) and number of previous births (β = -1.49; CI 95%: -2.71 to -0.28) in the delayed postpartum period and was only correlated with the depression in the delayed postpartum period (β = 5.14; CI 95%: 1.37 to 8.91). Conclusion: There is a considerable occurrence of disability and depression in the sample, and it is suggested that the evaluation of these outcomes be included in physiotherapeutic protocols for puerperal women.

Comparison Of Surgical Techniques Used In Post-Traumatic And Non-Traumatic Rhinoseptoplasty

Introduction: The main goals of septorhinoplasty are to correct cosmetic and functional defects, which may occur in a patient with no history of previous trauma. As the most prominent facial feature, the nose has an increased risk of injury. Nasal fracture may eventually result in significant defects; posing challenges to the surgeon.Aim: The aim of the study is to compare the technique used in post-traumatic and non -traumatic cases of rhinoplasties.Materials and methods: The study group consisted of 227 patients, mean age 37.511.4 years, median 36 years, age range from 18 to 79 years. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistica 13.3 package StatSoft, Dell Statistica. Categorical variables are presented as frequencies and percentages. The Chi2 or Fisher’s exact test - when the number in cells were less than 5, was respectively used to check whether there was a correlation between nasal injuries and surgical technique. The level of statistical significance was assumed to be equal to α=0.05.Results: Statistically significant differences were found in the use of five techniques. Septal filtration to the spine (44.1% vs 10.7%), septal extension graft (5.9% vs 1.3%), spreader graft (41.1% vs 21.1%) and osteotomy (85.3% vs 61.0%) were all performed more in patients with nasal trauma. On the other hand, LC steal was performed significantly more often in patients without nasal trauma (36.5% vs 22.1%).Conclusions: Nose injuries lead to cosmetic and functional complications pose a challenge to the rhinoplasty surgeon. Optimal management in the case of posttraumatic nose requires surgeon's experience and precise surgical planning.

Nonspecific cervical spine pain/neck pain/in medical personnel of north-eastern Poland—A cross-sectional study

Both mechanical and psychological overload are inherent to the work of nurses and paramedics, resulting spondylogenic pain.Aim of the studyTo identify potential risk factors influencing the prevalence of non-specific cervical spine pain in professionally active nurses and paramedics.Material and methods324 nurses (53.2% of the total) and 285 paramedics (46.8%) were included in the study−609 people in total. The study was carried out using an auditorium survey technique supervised by the researchers. The methods used were: Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, a spinal pain questionnaire validated according to IEA guidelines, a short version of the IPAQ and the author's survey questionnaire, concerning sociodemographic data, chronic diseases including metabolic syndrome (MetS). A univariate logistic regression model was used in the statistical analysis. The level of statistical significance was taken as p &amp;lt; 0.05.ResultsRecurrent NP was significantly more common in paramedics compared to nurses (29.5 % vs. 9.3 %; p &amp;lt; 0.0001). In a univariate logistic regression model, the risk of NP was significantly increased by: length of service &amp;gt; 15 years (p &amp;lt; 0.024), presence of: low back pain (p &amp;lt; 0.0001), type 2 diabetes (p = 0.013), hypertension (p &amp;lt; 0.001), depression (p &amp;lt; 0.01). Of the modifiable factors, the risk of NP was significantly increased by high physical activity and short sleep &amp;lt;7 h (p &amp;lt; 0.001).

The Impact of Tumor Stage and Histopathology on Survival Outcomes in Esophageal Cancer Patients over the Past Decade

Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, continuing to be a significant public health concern. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of staging and histopathology of EC on associated mortality. The study also aims to further investigate clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and survival outcomes in patients diagnosed with EC between 2010 and 2017. Furthermore, we analyzed the interaction between tumor histology and staging and the risk of mortality. Methods: A total of 24,011 patients diagnosed with EC between 2010 and 2017 in the United States were enrolled from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Demographic parameters, tumor stage, and histologic subtypes were analyzed and associated overall mortality (OM) and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) were measured across all subgroups. Covariates reaching the level of statistical significance, demonstrable by a p-value equal to or less than 0.01, were incorporated into a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. A hazard ratio greater than 1 was indicative of an increased risk of mortality in the presence of the variable under discussion. Additionally, the study explores the interaction between histology and tumor stage on outcomes. Results: The majority of patients were male (80.13%) and non-Hispanic white (77.87%), with a predominant age at diagnosis of between 60 and 79 years (59.86%). Adenocarcinoma was the most common tumor subtype (68.17%), and most patients were diagnosed at a distant stage (41.29%). Multivariate analysis revealed higher mortality risks for males, older patients, unmarried individuals, and those with advanced-stage tumors. Higher income, receiving radiation or chemotherapy, and undergoing surgery were associated with lower mortality. Tumor subtype significantly influenced mortality, with squamous cell carcinoma and neuroendocrine tumors showing higher hazard ratios compared to adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma is linked to a poorer prognosis at advanced stages, whereas the opposite trend is observed for SCC. Conclusions: The study identifies significant demographic and clinicopathologic factors influencing mortality in esophageal cancer patients, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and treatment intervention. Future research should focus on tailored treatment strategies to improve survival outcomes in high-risk groups and to understand the interaction between tumor histology and tumor stage.

Uncovering Key Predictive Channels and Clinical Variables in the Gamma Band Auditory Steady-State Response in Early Stage Psychosis - a Longitudinal Study.

Psychotic disorders are characterized by abnormalities in the synchronization of neuronal responses. A 40 Hz gamma band deficit during auditory steady-state response (ASSR) measured by electroencephalogram (EEG) is a robust observation in psychosis and is associated with symptoms and functional deficits. However, the majority of ASSR studies focus on specific electrode sites, while whole scalp analysis using all channels, and the association with clinical symptoms, are rare. In this study, we use whole-scalp 40 Hz ASSR EEG measurements-power and phase locking factor-to establish deficits in early-stage psychosis (ESP) subjects, classify ESP status using an ensemble of machine learning techniques, identify correlates with principal components obtained from clinical/demographic/functioning variables, and correlate functional outcome after a short-term follow-up. We identified significant spatially-distributed group level differences for power and phase locking. The performance of different machine learning techniques and interpretation of the extracted feature importance indicate that phase locking has a more predictive and parsimonious pattern than power. Phase locking is also associated with principal components composed of measures of cognitive processes. Short-term functional outcome is associated with baseline 40 Hz ASSR signals from the FCz and other channels in both phase locking and power. This whole scalp EEG study provides additional evidence to link deficits in 40 Hz ASSRs with cognition and functioning in ESP, and corroborates with prior studies of phase locking from a subset of EEG channels. Confirming 40 Hz ASSR deficits serves as a candidate phenotype to identify circuit dysfunctions and a biomarker for clinical outcomes in psychosis.

Presenting a Qualitative Model for the Implementation of Transformational Leadership in the Form of an Interactive Leadership Framework (Case Study: Hospitals in Zanjan Province)

Background: The method of choosing the leadership style of an organization is very important in the success of the organization in gaining a competitive advantage in society, and on the other hand, the method of managing and creating change and innovation is also considered necessary for the success of the organization as these factors dynamically affect each other. Some create obstacles on the way and some strengthen each other. Methods: The statistical population considered for this research in the qualitative part included participants, some of whom were academic professors, and some were managers of high managerial and organizational levels who were proficient in management topics in medical sciences hospitals. In terms of method, this research had a mixed approach. In other words, a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was used. In data collection, in general, documentary studies and field method using MAXQDA software were used. Results: The results of the evaluation showed that the observed correlation between the examined components and the transformative leadership variable was completely significant. Therefore, it was concluded that the model examined in this research had a sufficient level of significance to be used as a guide to increase the transformation of the organization by relying on the role of interactive leadership in the hospitals of Zanjan province. Conclusion: One of the important and influential factors of an organization's success is how to apply management and effective leadership styles of managers of that organization. There are managers who can choose different styles in directing human resources. Their appropriate behavior patterns in any organization cause strong morale and motivation among employees, -and subsequently, increase the motivation of employees, their level of satisfaction and the level of productivity.

Effects of the Change in Respiratory Kinematics on the Singing Voice: Re-Visiting the Benefits of Diaphragmatic-Abdominal Breathing in Professional Singers with Problems in Pitch.

Objectives: To assess the effect of voice therapy on pitch in professional singers with faulty respiratory kinematics. Methodology: In this prospective interventional study, professional singers with easy voice fatigability and inability to reach higher pitches, following appropriate selection criteria, were subjected to a 1-month structured voice therapy that transformed their predominant breathing pattern from thoracic to diaphragmatic-abdominal. Acoustic parameters (pitch range and its extreme values before/after therapy, and difference in pitch range) were analyzed using Praat software and compared using standard statistical methods (paired t-test). The singers' age and career duration were also correlated with the pitch parameters (Pearson's correlation coefficient). Results: The singers (n = 60; 55% men, 45% women; respective mean age: 34.24, 35.92 years; average singing career: 12.56 years) had thoracic breathing before treatment [average pitch-range: 92.8 Hz; 85.84 Hz (men), 101.29 Hz (women)] that turned to abdominal type post-therapy [average pitch-range: 189.21 Hz; 178.54 Hz (men), 202.25 Hz (women)]. The decrease in the mean lowest pitch was significant by paired t-test in both men and women (t = 7.96 and 7.87, respectively; .0001 significant level of test), as also the increase in mean highest pitch (t = 23.85 and 17.45, respectively; .0001 significant level of test) and change in pitch range (t = 19.45 and 17.37, respectively; .0001 significant level of test). Correlations between age/career duration with pitch range before and after therapy and its difference varied from very poor to fair [respectively, for men and women, age with pitch range: r = -.54, r = .03 (pre-therapy); r = .045, r = -.39 (post-therapy); age with difference in pitch range: r = .21, r = -.30; singing career with pitch-range: r = -.36, r = .25 (pre-therapy); r = .3, r = -.5 (post-therapy); singing career with difference in pitch range: r = .29, r = -.51]. Conclusions: Voice therapy directed to change respiratory kinematics from thoracic to diaphragmatic-abdominal was significant in the restoration of acoustic voice parameters in professional singers. Their age and duration of singing career had limited roles as adjuncts to voice therapy in the process.

Cranial Nerve Deficits Predict Pharyngeal Phase Swallowing Impairment in Patients with Neurogenic Dysphagia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The examination of the cranial nerves (CN) provides an accurate analysis of facial-oral integrity, motility and sensitivity that is fundamental to understanding swallowing efficiency. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to verify whether the assessment of CN can provide information on the amount and location of pharyngeal residue and risk of aspiration in patients with neurogenic dysphagia. A total of 96 dysphagic patients have been enrolled. Pharyngeal residue was assessed by the Italian version of the Yale Pharyngeal Residue Severity Rating Scale (IT-YPRSRS) and presence of penetration/aspiration using the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) during Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES), while CNs were evaluated using the I&I test. Logistic regression models were used to investigate causal associations; for each of the CN found to be significant, the optimal cut-off to best discriminate healthy patients from those with pathology was calculated. All statistical analyses were performed using R software with the significance level set at P < 0.05. Significant correlations were found between total scores on the I&I test and the PAS and IT-YPRSRS results. Impairment of CN VII was a sensitive and specific predictor of vallecular residue. Deficits of V CN and X CN were predictors of pyriform sinus residue. PAS scores were just below the statistical significance. Assessing CN can provide specific pathophysiological information about pharyngeal residue and risk of penetration/aspiration. These findings could help clinicians understand swallowing issues and early plan targeted interventions.