Slight Correlation Research Articles

Assessing Wetland Health Through Decomposition in Degraded and Semi-Intact Wetlands in Uganda

The assessment of ecological functions of wetland areas offers a more dependable measure of the health of these ecosystems. The study examined the decomposition process within two urban wetlands with different degree of disturbance as a means of evaluating their ecological health and functionality. The study also inspected the influence of various physicochemical parameters on rates of decomposition. 20g of Pennisetum purpureum, an increasingly common invasive species in natural ecosystems due to human activities, was harvested, air dried to a constant weight and utilised in litter bag decomposition experiments within the two wetlands. Invasive species such as Pennisetum purpureum often have similar impacts across different ecosystems, making them useful models for generalizing results. Changes in leaf mass over time and leaf breakdown rates using a single exponential decay model were determined. Wetland physicochemical characteristics (pH, temperature, TDS, dissolved oxygen & conductivity) were also measured and recorded for the two wetlands within the duration of the experiment. Pearson’s correlation test was conducted to validate the relationship between the physico-chemical parameters and decomposition rates of the two different wetlands. Results revealed a significant difference in mean decomposition rates, (p < 0.001) with the degraded wetland exhibiting a higher value (0.20 kd-1) compared to the semi-intact wetland (0.015 kd-1). The rates of decomposition were also found to positively correlate with temperature (r = 0.54), conductivity and pH, while showing a slight negative correlation with TDS and dissolved oxygen. The study concluded that rapid decomposition in degraded wetlands is primarily due to human disturbances that alter their physical characteristics indicating deteriorating ecological health inform of eutrophication, altered native plant growth, subsidence, decreased carbon storage, oxygen depletion and so forth. Additionally, the alternating periods of inundation within the wetlands, caused by the wet-dry cycles is a primary influencer of decomposition rates in wetlands especially within the tropical region

Impact of anesthesiologist experience on neuraxial anesthesia outcomes in cesarean sections.

Despite the requirement for meticulous management of cesarean anesthesia, no study has explored the impact of novice trainee anesthesiologists in this field. This study assessed challenges in neuraxial anesthesia for cesarean sections and compared outcomes between novice and senior anesthesiologists. We retrospectively analyzed 446 cesarean sections with neuraxial anesthesia. The primary objective was to evaluate the impact of anesthesiologists' experience on the time required to administer neuraxial anesthesia and whether maternal body mass index (BMI) influenced this relationship. Secondary objectives included examining maternal hemodynamic variability, operative details, and newborn outcomes relative to the anesthesiologist's experience. Novice anesthesiologists required a significantly longer time to perform neuraxial anesthesia (24.9 [7.1] min vs. 18.2 [7.0] min, P<0.001) than their senior counterparts. A significant interaction was observed between anesthesiologist experience and maternal BMI on the time to administer neuraxial anesthesia (P=0.017), with a moderate correlation between BMI and administration time for novices (r=0.50, P<0.001) and only a slight correlation for seniors (r=0.17, P=0.001). Experience level did not significantly affect intraoperative hemodynamics, Apgar scores, or umbilical cord blood gas analyses. The effect of maternal BMI on the difficulty of performing neuraxial anesthesia in parturients can be more pronounced for novice anesthesiologists than for experienced ones. Despite requiring more time to perform neuraxial anesthesia, novice anesthesiologists do not significantly affect maternal hemodynamics or newborn distress during obstetric anesthesia, provided that they are under the supervision of experienced anesthesiologists.

Exploring Role of SMAD3 in Serum of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Background: Being an autoimmune and inflammatory illness, rheumatoid arthritis results from the body's immune system attacking healthy cells by mistake, creating inflammation in the affected areas. Aim of study: The purpose of this study was to use ELISA to assess the serum concentration level of SMAD3 in RA patients and control groups.. Methodology: The research was conducted between October 15, 2023, and January 15, 2024.The study, conducted at the Medical City Hospital under the Baghdad Government, involved male and female participants ranging in age from 18 to over 75. All participants in the trial provided a total of 90 clinical specimens (5 ml of blood): 45 patients and 45 controls. To use ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immune Sorbent Assay) to examine the immunological parameter Smad3, blood was taken from the patients. Results: There were statistically significant variations in the means of the concentration levels of the parameter Smad3 in RA patients (12.11±4.91) and controls 1.89 (0.98_4). Expression of Smad3 (ng/ml): For RA patients, the male median was 11.21±5.09 (range: 7.33–15.83), whereas the female median was 12.61±4.83 (range: 8.32–16.29). In Stage 1, Smad3 achieved 7.26±2.75, in Stage 2, 10.25±1.46, in Stage 3, 12.3±4.04, and in Stage 4, 18.97±1.72. Conclusion: There were statistically significant variations between the means of the concentration levels of the parameter Smad3 in RA patients and controls. There may be a slight correlation between RA stages and biomarker levels (Smad3), however this relationship is not statistically significant, and the effects are small.

Epidemiological survey of two morphotypes of Demodex folliculorum (Prostigmata: Demodicidade) in young people from southern Spain

Different morphotypes of Demodex from humans have been described. Among them, molecular studies have made it possible to discern between the Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis. Further studies showed two morphotypes of D. folliculorum harboured two different habits (human skin and human eyelashes), both of them with finger-shaped terminal opisthosoma difficult to differentiate and that can be assigned to D. folliculorum,Thus, a complete morphometric study of the species, which in this study are referred to as Demodex folliculorum species complex, was carried out. From this morphometric and meristic study two distinct morphological forms (short and long) could be identified within the Demodex folliculorum species complex. These forms differ significantly in four out of the six biometric parameters we analysed: gnathosomal length and width, podosomal width, and opisthosomal length. Moreover, a comprehensive survey of the two morphotypes from different habitats (skin and eyelashes), was carried out in young people of Southern Spain. Therefore, an analysis of 104 asymptomatic students, which were contact lens wearers, and the presence of D. folliculorum was carried out. A statistical analysis based on Bayesian zero inflated Poisson GLM has been applied to our sample data. For the age group considered (18–24 years old), the overall D. folliculorum prevalence for skin face or eye infections (at least one of them) was 19.31 % (51 people), with a statistically significant higher prevalence in males men. Furthermore, there is a slight statistical correlation between the presence of Demodex in silicone hydrogel soft contact lens wearers. This study confirms: i) the existence of two morphotypes of D. folliculorum that appear segregated due to the parasitization microhabitats,ii) a higher prevalence of mites in men than in women, iii) the existence of a high number of statistically supported double infections (skin-eyelashes). It also provides epidemiological data on the prevalence of long and short forms of D. folliculorum in a healthy young population.

Numerical Simulation Study on Rotary Air Preheater Considering the Influences of Steam Soot Blowing

The ash deposition is a general problem that needs to be solved effectively for the rotary air preheater of the coal-fired boiler. Taking the rotary air preheater of a 600 MW power station as the object, the mesh model of the flue gas side of the air preheater, considering the influences of steam soot blowing, is established using the Gambit 2.4.6 software. Based on the SIMPLE algorithm, the velocity field and the temperature field in the air preheater under varied working conditions are simulated using the software of Ansys Fluent 2021R1, and the influences of the boiler load, the operation parameters of the steam soot blower, and the running and outage of the soot blower on the flue gas velocity distribution in the depth direction of the corrugated plates, the soot-blowing coverage area, the inlet flue gas velocity, and the inlet flue gas temperature of the corrugated plates are analyzed. Under the base working condition, the flue gas velocity on the axis of the steam nozzle first decreases rapidly with increasing the corrugated plate depth (Z &lt; 1.0 m), and then it decreases slowly with an almost equal slope. The longitudinal flue gas velocity has a positive correlation with the boiler load. The longitudinal flue gas velocity obviously decreases when the boiler load is decreased, and its reduction increases as the corrugated plate depth increases. It is one reason that the ash deposition is prone to occur on the cold end surface of corrugated plates under the condition of low boiler load. The longitudinal flue gas velocity increases with the soot-blowing steam velocity increasing when the corrugated plate depth is less than 1.5 m, but after that, it is almost not affected by the change in soot-blowing steam velocity. The soot-blowing coverage area has a negative correlation with the boiler load but a slight positive correlation with the steam velocity of the soot blower on the whole. The inlet flue gas velocity of the corrugated plates has a positive correlation with the boiler load and the inlet steam velocity of the soot blower. The average inlet flue gas velocity decreases by 21.7% when the boiler load is reduced by 50%. For every 5 m/s variation in the inlet steam velocity, the inlet flue gas velocity changes by about 10–14% whether the steam soot blower is put into operation or not, which has an obvious effect on the inlet gas velocity of the corrugated plates. The inlet flue gas temperature of the corrugated plates is, respectively, positively correlated with the boiler load and the inlet steam temperature of the soot blower. When the boiler load is reduced from 100% BMCR to 50% BMCR, the average inlet flue gas temperature of the corrugated plates is reduced by 44.2 K; however, when the soot-blowing steam temperature varies by 20 K, the average inlet flue gas temperature of the corrugated plates varies by only about 1.8 K. It means that it is difficult to enhance the cold end flue gas temperature of the corrugated plates only by raising the soot-blowing steam temperature at low boiler load. Adding a soot blower using high-temperature steam or hot air at the outlet of the corrugated plates may be an option to solve the ash deposition of the corrugated plates.

The Influence of Weather Conditions on the Immortelle Volatile Constituents from Essential oil and Hydrosol with a Focus on Italidiones and Its Molecular Docking Anti-Inflammatory Potential

Objectives Immortelle has garnered global attention for its cosmetic, medicinal, and culinary applications worldwide. Apart from neryl acetate, α-pinene and γ-curcumene as the most important components for the estimation of the essential oil quality, in recent years a group of β-diketones, known as italidiones, appear as significant quality parameters. However, it is unknown how weather conditions (temperature and precipitation) influence their accumulation in essential oil and hydrosol, nor their anti-inflammatory potential. Methods This study investigates the chemical composition of immortelle essential oil and hydrosol over three successive years (2019/20, 2020/21, and 2021/22), by GC-FID and GC-MS analysis. In silico molecular docking model with Vascular Adhesion Protein-1 (VAP-1) was used for the simulation of the anti-inflammatory potential of italidiones, as well as other β-diketones present in immortelle essential oil and hydrosol. Results During the three-year trial, it was established that essential oil compounds such as α-pinene, neryl acetate, and italicene were positively correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with precipitation, as well as β-diketones and total italidiones. Moreover, trans-caryophyllene, γ-curcumene, and ar-curcumene were in negative correlation with temperature, and a slight positive correlation with precipitation. On the other side, in the hydrosol the content of both total β-diketones and total italidiones was strongly negatively correlated with temperatures, and positively correlated with precipitation, which was the opposite of essential oil. Additionally, findings indicated that italidiones could bind the human VAP-1 protein in the vicinity of the topiquinone and block its function. Conclusion Weather conditions affect variations in the accumulation of volatile compounds in essential oil and hydrosol, which in some cases can affect changes in olfactory characteristics, as well as criteria prescribed by standards, and even changes in biological activities. These results indicate that italidiones, as well as other β-diketones present in immortelle, may be responsible for its anti-inflammatory activity.

Normal Facial Function in the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System: Is the 100% Score too Restrictive?

The primary objective of this study was to describe the distribution of the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System scores in the general population. Secondary objectives included analyzing the effects of age, gender and facial side on these scores. Two speech therapists specializing in facial motor skill assessment evaluated the healthy participants using the Sunnybrook Facial Grading System, first with the right hemiface as a reference and then with the left hemiface as a reference. The study was conducted in our ENT department from September 2022 to June 2023. One hundred eleven healthy participants were included (57 women and 54 men), aged 18 to 79 years. SFGS composite scores (SFGS-Total) and sub-scores at rest (SFGS-Rest) and in movement (SFGS-Movement) were studied according to three age categories (18-39 years) (40-59 years) and (60-79 years) and gender. Inter-rater reliability was collected between the two evaluators with Cronbach's alpha. Taking the right hemiface as a reference, SFGS-Total scores ranged from 65% to 100% (median = 96, IQR [91-100]). When the left hemiface was considered as the reference, scores ranged from 78% to 100% (median = 95; IQR [90-100]). Right and left SFGS-Total scores showed high inter-rater reliability (respectively α = 0.953 and α = 0.926). There was a slight negative correlation between age and SFGS-Total scores. By embracing a more realistic approach that acknowledges natural variations and asymmetry in facial movements, we can enhance patient care and promote a more holistic understanding of facial rehabilitation outcomes.

Comfort distance between patients and pharmacists during medication instruction: A prospective observational study at a cancer chemotherapy center.

The distance from the patient is a crucial factor in the communication with patients. The distance between patients and pharmacists varies depending on several factors. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between comfort distance and patients' physical condition and mood by measuring this distance at a chemotherapy center. A total of 114 patients were surveyed regarding their physical condition and mood. The distance at which the patients were best able to talk to the pharmacists was measured. For comfort distance measurement, the pharmacists were instructed to approach or move away from the patients. The correlation between physical condition, mood, and comfort distance was examined in both male and female patients, and no significant correlation was found; however, there was a strong correlation between physical condition and mood in female patients. We looked at correlations by further dividing patients into those over and under 65 years of age and found a slight correlation with comfort distance in women under 65. They tended to shorten the distance when they felt well and lengthen the distance when they felt not well. No correlation was found between physical condition or mood and comfort distance in male or female. A slight correlation was observed when age was included; however, the results were not satisfactory. By directly measuring the distance in actual patients, we obtained an actual measurement of the comfort distance that synthesized the patient's condition and various backgrounds during chemotherapy, providing a foothold for future studies.

Plasma volume is associated with micronutrient mass but not concentration in healthy US women of reproductive age

BackgroundPlasma transports nutrients and composes more than half of the volume of blood. A few prior studies suggest that plasma volume fluctuations may impact certain micronutrient concentrations. We hypothesized a slight negative correlation between plasma volume and micronutrient biomarkers throughout the menstrual cycle in healthy women of reproductive age (n = 45). MethodsThe study involved three visits during one menstrual cycle where fasting blood samples were taken to measure biomarker concentrations for zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese, iron, ferritin, retinol, and hemoglobin. A bolus dose of indocyanine green (ICG; equivalent to 0.25 mg.kg-1 of body weight) was injected to measure plasma volume. The total circulating micronutrient biomarker mass was calculated using the plasma volume and biomarker concentration. We used Spearman's correlation and fractional polynomial regression techniques to assess the relationship between plasma volume and biomarker concentration and mass. ResultsPlasma volume ranged from 1210 to 3520 mL. During all three visits, the correlation between micronutrient biomarker concentrations and plasma volume ranged from -0.05 to 0.10 (all P > 0.05); However, there was a strong positive correlation between biomarker mass and plasma volume, ranging from 0.26 to 0.95 (all P < 0.05). Five of the eight biomarkers examined (zinc, copper, magnesium, retinol, and hemoglobin) showed a correlation coefficient > 0.70 (P < 0.001) between mass and plasma volume. ConclusionOur findings indicate that biomarker concentrations are maintained across a range of plasma volume, suggesting that plasma volume may not be necessary to interpret micronutrient status in healthy non-pregnant women of reproductive age.

Exploring the genetic causal relationship between physical activity and migraine in European population based on Mendelian randomization analysis.

Previous studies have shown a connection between physical activity and migraines, but they don't prove a cause-and-effect relationship due to potential biases in observational methods. Utilizing accelerometer-measured physical activity data from a cohort of 377,234 participants in the UK Biobank and information from 599,356 European migraine patients (including 48,975 cases and 550,381 controls) obtained from 24 cohorts, we performed a bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis to investigate the genetic bidirectional causal relationship between accelerometer-measured physical activity and migraines. Research findings indicated a slight negative genetic correlation between "average acceleration" physical activity (rg = -0.091, p = 0.011), overall physical activity (rg = -0.081, p = 0.017), and migraine. Nevertheless, no shared genetic components were observed between migraine and "fraction of accelerations > 425 mg" of physical activity (rg = -0.124, p = 0.076). The study results also demonstrated a lack of genetic bidirectional causality between accelerometer-measured physical activity and migraine ("average acceleration", OR = 1.002, 95% CI 0.975-1.031, p = 0.855, "fraction of accelerations > 425 mg", OR = 1.127, 95% CI 0.802-1.583, p = 0.488, overall physical activity, OR = 0.961, 95% CI 0.713-1.296, p = 0.799), and vice versa. Additionally, this lack of causal association persists even after adjusting for obesity (OR = 1.005, p = 0.578), education (OR = 1.019, p = 0.143), and depression (OR = 1.005, p = 0.847), either separately or simultaneously. The Mendelian randomization results based on genetic data do not provide support for a causal association between physical activity and migraine.

Examining the glacier-glacial lake interactions of potentially dangerous glacial lakes (PDGLs) under changing climate in Shyok catchment of the Upper Indus Basin

With the ongoing glacier recession, the Himalayan region is witnessing the development of glacial lakes fed by the glacial meltwater. Besides threatening the hydrological regime in the area, the rapid expansion of these lakes at the expense of their feeding glaciers poses a serious risk to the downstream communities in the form of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, as many of these high-altitude water bodies are vulnerable to this cryospheric disaster under the changing climatic regime. Studying these potentially dangerous glacial lakes (PDGLs) and their feeding glaciers in the context of the changing climate has become crucial in understanding this phenomenon and managing the risk associated with these lakes. The present study focuses on understanding the glacier-lake interactions between the PDGLs and their feeding glaciers under the changing climatic regime. We analyzed the spatio-temporal dynamics of 16 PDGLs, identified in our previous study, and their feeding glaciers for the past three decades (1992–2022), and tried to unravel the relationships between glacier area, glacial lake area, and climatic variables such as temperature and precipitation. The results reveal a rapid expansion of 49.6% in the glacial lake area accompanied by a corresponding glacier recession of 3.27 % and an average terminus retreat of 171 m. The average glacier mass balance was found to be ⁓ −0.22 m w.e. y−1 during this period. The minimum temperature (Tmin) revealed statistically significant increasing trend, whereas the annual precipitation (Pcp) in the area revealed a slightly declining trend in this region. The glacial lake area was found to be in a significant positive correlation with the Tmin and a slight negative correlation with the annual precipitation (Pcp). The glacier area revealed a strong negative correlation with the glacial lake area, Tmax, and the Tmin and a positive correlation with the annual precipitation. The results indicate that the glacial lakes in the region are expanding at the expense of their feeding glaciers under warming climate.

Claudin and transmembrane receptor protein gene expressions are reversely correlated in peritumoral brain edema.

Peritumoral brain edema (PTBE) has been widely reported with many brain tumors, especially with glioma. Since the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is essential for maintaining minimal permeability, any alteration in the interaction of BBB components, specifically in astrocytes and tight junctions (TJ), can result in disrupting the homeostasis of the BBB and making it severely leaky, which subsequently generates edema. This study aimed to evaluate the functional gliovascular unit of the BBB by examining changes in the expression of claudin (CLDN) genes and the expression of transient receptor potential (TRP) membrane channels, additionally to define the correlation between their expressions. The evaluation was conducted using invitro spheroid swelling models and tumor samples from glioma patients with PTBE. The results of the spheroid model showed that the genes TRPC3, TRPC4, TRPC5, and TRPV1 were upregulated in glioma cells either wild-type isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) or the IDH1 R132H mutant, with or without NaCl treatment. Furthermore, TRP genes appeared to adversely correlate with the up regulation of CLDN1, CLDN3, and CLDN5 genes. Besides, the upregulation of TRPC1 and TRPC4 in IDH1mt-R132H glioma cells. On the other hand, the correlation analysis revealed different correlations between different proteins in PTBE. CLDN1 exhibits a slight positive correlation with CLDN3. Similarly, TRPV1 displays a slight positive correlation with TRPC1. In contrast, TRPC4 shows a slight negative correlation with TRPC5. On the other hand, TRPC3 demonstrates a slight positive correlation with TRPC5, while the non-PTBE analysis highlights a moderate positive correlation between CLDN1 and TRPM4 while CLDN3 exhibits a moderate negative correlation with TRPC4. Additionally, CLDN5 demonstrates a slight negative correlation with TRPC4 but a moderate positive correlation with TRPC3. Furthermore, TRPC1 have a slight negative correlation with TRPV1, TRPC3 exhibiting a slight positive correlation with TRPC4, and TRPV1 showing a slight negative correlation with TRPC5. As a conclusion, the current study provided evidence of a slight negative correlation between TRPs and CLDN gene expression in PTBE patients and confirmatory results with some of the genes in cell model of edema.

Factors Contributing to Patient Satisfaction Among VA Medical Center and Non-VA Medical Center Hospitals

IntroductionVeteran satisfaction of care within the Veterans Affairs is typically very high. Yet recommendation ratings of VA medical center (VA) hospitals as measured by Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems are generally lower than non-VA hospitals.Therefore, it was our objective to assess Veteran satisfaction and recommendation scores and then examine whether satisfaction correlates to recommendation. MethodsWe identified all acute care VAs as our primary analytic cohort. As a comparator group, we also included all acute care academic hospitals (non-VAs), as designated by the Centers for Medicare Services. Using data from Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems and Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning (SAIL) Value Model, we collated patient satisfaction scores, as well as markers of surgical safety from Hospital Compare. We then analyzed the correlation within VAs and non-VAs, primarily focusing the relationship between the “would you recommend Hospital Rating” and subdomains of the “Overall Hospital Rating,” as well as a composite score of patient safety. ResultsA total of 133 VAs and 1116 non-VAs were identified. Among VAs, the “Would you Recommend” hospital rating was significantly and positively correlated with markers of patient satisfaction including care transitions (Pearson's r = 0.59, P = 0.03), Nursing communication (Pearson's R 0.79, P = 0.001), and percent of primary care provider wait times less than 30 min (Pearson's r = 0.25, P = 0.01). VA-recommended scores were negatively correlated with factors such as time to emergency department discharge, and the “leaving the emergency department before being evaluated.” When looking at non-VAs, correlation directions were similar, albeit with stronger associations at almost every metric. While recommended scores correlated strongly to overall hospital ratings for both groups, VAs had no significant correlation between “would you recommend” and patient safety. However, there was a slight negative correlation between patient safety and “recommend” among non-VAs. ConclusionsAlthough satisfiers and dissatisfiers of care appear similar between VAs and non-VAs, “would you recommend” is a far weaker marker of patient perceptions of safety and quality. These seemingly empathetic markers such as “would you recommend” should be used with caution as they may not address the fundamental question being asked.

Development and validation of the Environmental Health Literacy Index: a new tool to assess the environmental health literacy among university students.

Environmental health literacy (EHL) is a rather recent concept that applies health literacy skills to environmental issues. Research in this field is still at the beginning, and there is currently no existing tool in the literature designed to comprehensively assess individual general EHL among university students. The aim of our study is to fill this gap through the validation of the Environmental Health Literacy Index (EHLI) in such a target group. We adapted a previously administered survey, originally completed by 4778 university students from various Italian universities. Starting from the original questionnaire, our methodology involved a three-round item selection process, followed by a comprehensive evaluation of the instrument's psychometric properties. The EHLI consists of 13 Likert-type items, covering three primary domains of health literacy: functional (six items), interactive (three items), and critical (four items). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient is 0.808 for the global scale, while it stands at 0.888 for the functional, 0.795 for the critical, and 0.471 for the interactive components. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve reached a value of 0.643. Spearman correlation analysis revealed a significant yet slight correlation between EHLI and both functional health literacy score and the extent of pro-environmental behaviors adoption. Our study serves as an important initial step in developing a tool able to evaluate the EHL of university-aged individuals. Further research efforts may improve the questionnaire's validity and completeness, as well as to explore its applicability to different age groups.

Research on Stock Selection Strategies Based on the Basic Value of Stocks Based on Buffett's Theory

The paper presented is highly significant as it explores the applicability and effectiveness of Warren Buffett's stock value investing theory in China's A-share market. By employing five key indicatorsdividend yield, debt-to-asset ratio, ROE, net profit growth rate, and the 200-day moving average (MA200), the paper attempts to adjust the values of these indicators to construct a model. This model is tested on the Chinese A-share market to verify its universality and effectiveness. Ultimately, the author concludes that the stock value investing theory is practical in the Chinese market, although the numerical values differ significantly from those recommended in traditional Western literature. Specifically, the return on equity (ROE) within a specific parameter range yields better returns, which are a quarter lower than the values mentioned by Buffett; the forecasted net profit growth rate for the coming year shows a slight negative correlation with excess returns within a certain range; and the latest balance sheet debt-to-asset ratio and dividend yield are positively correlated with excess returns within a specific range.

Maternal Weight Gain in Early Pregnancy with Healthy Live Offspring: Based on the China Birth Cohort Study.

Research on maternal weight gain in early pregnancy with healthy live offspring is lacking for Chinese women. Based on the China birth cohort study (CBCS), we aimed to explore maternal weight gain in different groups. Singleton pregnancies of 6 + 0~13 + 6 weeks of gestation from the CBCS were considered, not including missing data or outliers, those lost at follow-up, or those with non-typical conditions of the offspring. Maternal first-trimester weight and body mass index (BMI) gain was considered as the early pregnancy weight minus the pre-pregnancy weight. Using Pearson's or Spearman's correlation and linear regression models to explore the relationship between maternal weight and BMI gain and gestational age (GA), stratified and sensitivity analyses were carried out to identify the study's robustness. There were 25,292 singleton pregnancies with healthy live offspring who were ultimately enrolled, and there was a linear correlation between GA and maternal weight gain (=0.55 + 0.05 × GA (weeks), p < 0.001, r2 = 0.002) and BMI change (=0.21 + 0.02 × GA (weeks), p < 0.001, r2 = 0.002). The association remained robust in the stratified and sensitivity analyses of the subgroups. Although the association between GA and maternal pre-pregnancy weight and BMI gain is weak, a slight correlation was shown, especially in pregnant women with a typical or low pre-pregnancy BMI, Han ethnicity, moderate levels of physical activity, natural conception, and folic acid (FA) and/or multivitamin supplementation.

Assessing Stress Levels and Coping Strategies in the New Normal among Students of Magsaysay College

The primary objective of this study was to assess stress levels and analyze coping strategies among Magsaysay College students. Utilizing a descriptive correlational research design, the study explored the relationship between students' demographic profiles, including age, gender, marital status, year level, family income, and reported stress levels. It also examined the correlation between stress levels and the use of coping strategies. The research concluded that demographic factors do not have a significant impact on stress levels among students and that stress is a ubiquitous challenge for students across different backgrounds. Interestingly, there is a slight negative correlation between family income and stress levels among students; this relationship is not statistically significant. This suggests that students show resilience and do not let the challenges of lower family income escalate their stress levels appreciably. A positive correlation was identified between stress levels and the employment of coping strategies, indicating that students tend to rely more on coping mechanisms as stress levels increase. It was recommended that Magsaysay College’s Guidance Center enhance its mental health support services by providing more resources, educational programs, and online counseling on effective coping strategies. Local Government Unit (LGU) of Magsaysay and other stakeholders are advised to collaborate on community-based support programs and invest in mental health initiatives to bolster the well-being of the students. Such collaborative efforts could significantly contribute to a more supportive learning environment, fostering students' academic success and personal growth.

Student self-regulated learning in teacher professional vision: Results from combining student self-reports, teacher ratings, and mobile eye tracking in the high school classroom

Teacher professional vision as a concept is gaining importance in research on teaching, and recently models for studying teacher professional vision and student self-regulated learning (SRL) have been proposed. There are interview and video intervention studies investigating teacher professional vision for SRL, but no real-life classroom research so far. This study investigated the role of student SRL behaviour, as it was reported by students themselves and teachers, in teacher attention distribution as part of teacher professional vision. Ten teachers and their 158 students at high school level in Lithuania took part in the research. The first step of the study resulted in identifying four student SRL-profiles, which differed based on student level of SRL and the extent to which teacher and student assessments coincided: mixed lower-regulated, mixed higher-regulated, systematic lower-regulated, systematic higher-regulated. The profiles demonstrated only a partial overlap in teacher and student judgement of student SRL. The second step of the study explored whether scores of students’ SRL from student and teacher reports were related to teachers’ distribution of visual attention in one lesson. The results showed that only one teacher rating scale of student information-seeking behaviour had a slight correlation with teacher attention. The results imply rather bottom-up trends in teacher attention to students in the classroom when it comes to SRL. Besides, the study results highlight the not directly observable nature of SRL processes and imply a difficulty for teachers to assess student SRL.

Association of systemic immune-inflammation index with asthma and asthma-related events: a cross-sectional NHANES-based study.

Asthma is associated with persistent airway inflammation, and numerous studies have investigated inflammatory markers causing asthma. However, the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is a novel inflammatory marker, with scarce research reporting on the correlation between SII and asthma and asthma-related events. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between SII and asthma and asthma-related events (including whether asthma is still present, asthma flare-ups in the past year, and asthma duration) using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The study utilized data from NHANES 2009-2018 with asthma and asthma-related events as dependent variables and SII as an independent variable. Multifactor logistic regression was employed to assess the correlation between the independent and dependent variables. Smoothed curve-fitting and threshold effect analyses were also carried out to determine the presence of non-linear relationships. Subgroup analyses were then performed to identify sensitive populations. In this study, we analyzed data from 40,664 participants to elucidate the association between SII and asthma and its related events. The study findings indicated a positive correlation between SII and asthma, with a relative risk increase of 0.03% for asthma incidence per one percentage point increase in SII (OR = 1.0003, 95% CI: 1.0002, 1.0004). For individuals still suffering from asthma, higher SII also indicated a positive correlation with ongoing asthma (OR = 1.0004, 95% CI: 1.0001, 1.0006). However, no statistically significant association was observed between SII and asthma exacerbations within the following year (OR = 1.0001, p > 0.05). When considering the duration of asthma, we observed a slight positive correlation with SII (β = 0.0017, 95% CI: 0.0005, 0.0029). Additionally, a significant non-linear relationship between SII and asthma duration emerged at the threshold of 504.3 (β = 0.0031, 95% CI: 0.0014-0.0048, p = 0.0003). Subgroup analysis revealed a stronger correlation between SII and asthma in male patients (OR = 1.0004, 95% CI: 1.0002-1.0006) and individuals aged 60 and above (OR = 1.0005, 95% CI: 1.0003-1.0007). No gender differences were observed for individuals still suffering from asthma. However, the positive correlation between SII and asthma was more pronounced in participants under 20 years old (OR = 1.0004 in Model 3, 95% CI: 1.0002-1.0006). Specific sensitive subgroups for asthma exacerbation recurrence within the past year were not identified. When considering asthma duration, we observed this association to be significant in male individuals (β = 0.0031 in Model 3, 95% CI: 0.0014-0.0049) as well as individuals aged 20 to 39 (β = 0.0023 in Model 3, 95% CI: 0.0005-0.0040). Our study concludes that SII is positively correlated with the persistence of asthma yet has limited predictive power for asthma recurrence. This highlights SII's potential as a tool for assessing asthma risk and formulating targeted management strategies.

Lambda motion and cluster states of [formula omitted] predicted via neural networks guided microscopic calculation

We investigate the Λ particle motion and cluster states of BeΛ9−11 using a novel multiple cooling approach guided by the Control Neural Networks method (Ctrl.NN). The numerical results are well reproduced, and the Ctrl.NN method shows rapid convergence concerning the set of the basis states in comparison to traditional generator coordinate method (GCM) calculations. Taking advantage of this merit, we calculate ground state energies and rotational bands of BeΛ9−11 which agree well with experimental observations. By analyzing the density distributions of the main basis, a slight short-range repulsive correlation between Λ particle and α clusters in directions perpendicular to the axis of the Be8 core is revealed. The Λ particle presents a significant broad distribution as a consequence of this correlation, which we call an “analog π-orbit” structure. Furthermore, we prove that this correlation originates from the competition between kinetic energy and Λ-N interaction, as indicated by the energy curves for different configurations of BeΛ9. In the ground states of BeΛ10 and BeΛ11, the Λ particle is confined in a cage-like structure of core nuclei formed by two α clusters and valence neutrons. These structures lead to the development of more compact Λ particle configurations, and the shrinkage of α-α relative distance is also well reproduced.