Smirnov Test Research Articles

Development and validation of the Women’s Self-care Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire (WSKAQ)

BackgroundMenopausal women should learn self-care practices to enjoy a healthy lifestyle, positive health behaviors, and health status. In addition, the lack of self-care knowledge can lead to unhealthy attitudes and lifestyles, resulting in many complications. Improved self-care knowledge can foster positive attitudes, leading to healthier lifestyles as a beneficial cycle. However, menopausal women have limited knowledge about self-care and evaluation tools. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and investigate the validity and reliability of the Women’s Self-care Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire (WSKAQ) in Iranian menopausal women.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 249 menopausal women, aged between 45 and 65 years and at least one year post-menopause, with a minimum literacy level of elementary education. Validation properties included construct validity, exploratory (EFA), and discriminant validity. Reliability was further established through Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s Omega. PASS 15 and SPSS 27 software were used to select centers, calculate sample size and analyze the data, respectively.ResultsThe initial stage of construct validity involved the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test and EFA, resulting in a 6-item self-care knowledge subscale, 47.29% of the total data variance, and 7-item self-care attitude subscale, 55.50% of the total data variance. Independent t-test indicated that menopausal women with education level equal to or higher than diploma have significantly higher self-care attitude scores than those with lower than diploma (p = 0.007). Additionally, significant correlations were observed between self-care knowledge and attitude (r:0.30). Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s Omega coefficients of the 13-item WSKAQ were 0.77 and 0.78, respectively.ConclusionsBased on the results, the WSKAQ, consisting of 13 items, was validated and reliable for assessing the self-care knowledge and attitude of Iranian menopausal women.

Association Between Maternal Co-morbidities and Cesarean Delivery Outcomes: A Retrospective Study

Background: The rate of cesarean delivery is increasing worldwide despite alarming potential risks. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between maternal co-morbidities and adverse outcomes of cesarean sections. Methods: This study was conducted at Alzahra Hospital in Rasht, Iran, during 2023. Demographic data of pregnant women, their co-morbidities, and cesarean outcomes, defined as mortality or complications including postoperative ICU admission and the first-minute neonate’s Apgar score, were recorded. The relationship between maternal co-morbidities, the number of co-morbidities, cesarean section outcomes, and the first-minute neonate’s Apgar score were analyzed. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, chi-squared test, and two independent t-tests were used. Results: The data from 246 women were analyzed. Gestational diabetes mellitus (36.2%) was the most common co-morbidity. More than 90% of babies had an Apgar score of 7 - 10. Regarding the relationship between maternal co-morbidities and unwanted outcomes, no statistically significant association was found except for hypertensive disorders (P = 0.003). Apgar scores were not affected by maternal co-morbidities (P = 0.183). No cases of mortality were reported. Conclusions: Despite a notable number of maternal co-morbidities, limited adverse outcomes with no mortality were documented, emphasizing the role of cohesive teamwork in improving outcomes.

HEALTH ASSESSMENT SKILLS OF NURSING STUDENTS: DESCRIPTIVES STUDIES

The integrated clinical practicum equips prospective nursing students with the essential skills required to operate effectively as healthcare professionals who will transition into physicians following licensure. The population of nursing students at STIKes Budi Luhur Cimahi is 632 students. The sample was 244 students with cluster random sampling techniques, 36 nurses, 148 nursing S1 students, and 60 nursing D3 students. Data analysis used chi square and kolmogorov Smirnov tests. Based on the results of P-Value 1.00 with the age of 18-20 years with a total frequency of 18 with skilled skills of eight twenty-two points two percent (22.2%), ages 21-23 years with a total frequency of 30 with skilled skills of twenty point four percent (20.4%) and ages 24-26 years with a total frequency of 5 with skilled skills of twenty-one point seven percent (21.7%). Regarding gender, based on the results of P-Value 0.244 with male gender with a total frequency of 73, sixteen point four percent (16.4) were obtained. And the female gender with a total of twenty-one point seven percent (27.1%) is skilled. In acquiring health assessment skills while in the undergraduate program, nurse educators must consider the variables of age profile, gender, and type of student. Hence, it is imperative for nurse educators to cultivate diverse pedagogical approaches in order to cater to the varying requirements of diverse student populations. Keywords: Age, Gender, Skills, Nursing

Examination of the Effects of Pilates Exercises on Sleep Quality and Physical Activity.

In this study, it was aimed to examine the effects of pilates exercises applied to university students for 8 weeks on physical activity and sleep quality scores. Forty students (20 female, 20 male) studying at Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University voluntarily participated in the study. Individuals participating in the study were administered the International Physical Activity Assessment Questionnaire (IPAQ); short form and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) as well as personal information forms including demographic variables. Then, the experimental group practiced Pilates exercises for 8 weeks, 2 days a week, 60 minutes a day, and the training and measurement process was completed by retaking the information obtained as pre-tests through the forms. In the analysis of the data, the normality test was evaluated with Kolmogorov Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilks tests, and Pearson correlation analysis was used for the relationships between variables with normal distribution. Independent Sample T Test was used to compare variables. Confidence interval was 95% and values below p<0.05 were considered significant. According to the analysis results of the participants, it was determined that there were significant differences in favor of the experimental group in the Sleep Quality score (p=,041), Physical Activity total (p=,000) score and physical activity sub-dimensions (High, Medium, Walking) scores of 8-week pilates practices applied to university students. In addition, there was a moderate (r=637) positive correlation between total physical activity score and physical activity sub-dimensions. As a result, regular pilates exercises provided statistically significant differences in sleep quality, physical activity total score and physical activity sub-dimensions and increased the daily physical activity level in participants with a sports background. In the light of these results, we can recommend pilates exercises to increase physical activity level and sleep quality.

Self-care behaviors, medication adherence status, and associated factors among elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes

Elderly individuals face an increased likelihood of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes. Self-care practices and medication adherence play crucial roles in preventing complications and adverse effects of this condition. Therefore, this study aimed to determine self-care behaviors, medication adherence status, and related factors among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 374 elderly patients with type 2 diabetes who visited educational healthcare centers in Qazvin, Iran, during 2023 (March–September). Sampling was performed using the convenience method. Data collection instruments included a demographic characteristics checklist, the summary of diabetes self-care activities questionnaire, and the Morisky medication adherence scale. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-22 software, employing the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, mean, standard deviation, univariate and multivariate regression analyses. The significance level was set at p ≤ 0.05. The mean age of participants was 67.56 ± 5.93 years. In the self-care questionnaire, the highest score pertained to adherence to the diet recommended by the treating physician (3.16 ± 1.87). In contrast, the lowest scores were related to the frequency of checking inside shoes (0.17 ± 0.93) and foot examination (0.31 ± 1.07), respectively. Furthermore, results in self-care behaviors indicated that with increasing education levels, self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) significantly decreased (P = 0.048). This variable was considerably higher in rural residents than in urban dwellers (P = 0.016). Additionally, the frequency of blood glucose measurements was significantly higher in urban residents than in rural inhabitants (p = 0.006). Based on the results, the mean score for medication adherence among patients was 5.53 ± 1.65. Based on our findings, the level of self-care in physical activity, SMBG, and foot care among the elderly is below average. Furthermore, medication adherence in these patients is poor. We expect that managers and policymakers take steps to reduce complications and improve these two variables by developing educational programs on self-care and emphasizing the importance of treatment adherence for these patients.

The Effects of Integrated Proprioception Development Strategies in Increasing the Psycho-Neuro-Motor Level of Children

This research aims to evaluate the improvement of proprioception capacity in 24 male subjects, aged 10 years, by applying an intervention strategy and proposing a specific competence within the physical education school program for the 4th grade in Romania. An experimental group (EG, n=12) underwent an ameliorative intervention for 14 weeks, having two lessons per week, while a control group (CG, n=12) followed the usual football training program at the club sport. Both EG and CG subjects were evaluated, under similar conditions, using four tests: Body Sway, Flamingo, March in place – MIP and Circle, using scientific equipment OptoJump Next and GYko Microgate. The statistical analysis compared the results of the two groups, using the Kolmogorov Smirnov test to verify the normality of the distributions, and to verify the significance of the statistical differences, the Independent T-test and the Mann Whitney U-test were used. The results revealed statistically significant differences in three of the four applied tests, confirming the general efficiency of the experimental program. These findings support the possibility of optimizing the contents of the school physical education program to support the development of proprioception and body awareness in primary school children. The use of high-tech equipment, such as GyKo Microgate and OptoJump Next, can provide standardized data on neural processing of sensory information, thus contributing to a more accurate and efficient approach to school physical education.

Efficacy of topical tranexamic acid soaked absorbable gelfoam in relieving post-extraction pain in warfarin patients: a randomized, triple-blinded, split-mouth, active-controlled clinical trial

BackgroundWarfarin patients who need dental extraction face the problem of bleeding and no sufficient hemostasis results in dry socket and postoperative pain. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of the topical application of tranexamic acid-soaked absorbable Gelfoam (TXA-Gel) and saline-soaked absorbable Gelfoam (saline-Gel) in relieving postoperative pain following bilateral simple extraction of permanent mandibular molars in warfarin patients.MethodsThis was a randomized, triple-blinded, split-mouth, active-controlled clinical trial. It was performed at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Damascus University, between November 2021 and October 2023. 60 bilateral permanent mandibular molars, which were indicated for simple extraction in 30 warfarin patients randomly assigned into two groups according to the topical hemostatic agents after extraction used: Group 1: control group, saline-Gel (n = 30). Group 2: TXA-Gel (n = 30). A simple randomization method was performed by flipping a coin. The primary outcome measure was the visual analogue scale (VAS). The intensity of pain was evaluated at the baseline (t0), and on the 1st (t1), 2nd (t2), 3rd (t3), 4th (t4), 5th (t5), 6th (t6), and 7th (t7) days following extraction. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov test and the Mann-Whitney U test were performed. The level of significance was set at 0.05 (p < 0.05).ResultsThe mean vas scores was 4.17 ± 1.76 at t1 and decreased to 0.73 ± 0.78 at t7 in the TXA-Gel group. However, in the Gelfoam group, the mean vas scores was 4.83 ± 2.18 at t1 and decreased to 1.80 ± 1.00 at t7. The results of the Mann-Whitney U test showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups at t1 (p = 0.236) and t2 (p = 0.155). However, there was a statistically significance difference at the rest time points (p < 0.05).ConclusionsTXA-Gel played a prominent role in alleviating post-extraction pain in warfarin patients.Trial registrationThe trail was retrospectively registered at the ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN71901901).

The Relationship Between Body Image and Meaning of Life Among Women with Breast Cancer in Kerman, Iran

We aimed to examine the relationship between body image and the meaning of life among women with breast cancer. The analytic sample included 142 women with breast cancer, and data were collected using a standardized questionnaire through face-to-face interviews. We used Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Pearson test, Spearman and Mann–Whitney U test to determine the relationship between the research variables. We found an association between the mean score of body image and the mean score of the meaning of life. As the average score of body image increases, the score of the meaning of life increases (p < 0.05). Findings indicated that the body image score increases by increasing the score of the meaning of life and its dimensions, especially existential vacuum and acceptance of death. Future research and targeted treatments should consider the role of body image in shaping the meaning of life among women with breast cancer.

A retrospective cohort study on 3D printed temporary crowns

In this retrospective cohort study the survival rate, clinical parameters, patient satisfaction with aesthetics and oral health-related quality of life of 3D printed temporary crowns were evaluated. Temporary crowns were 3D printed with a Form3B out of Permanent Crown Resin (Formlabs GmbH). Anonymized data for the restorations’ survival (in-situ) was evaluated retrospectively for 98 temporary crowns of 63 patients fabricated within 19 months. Among these restorations, further analysis was conducted for 42 temporary crowns of 24 patients regarding clinical parameters (modified USPHS criteria), patient satisfaction with aesthetics and impact on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) (OHIP 14). Descriptive statistical analysis (significance level of α = 0.05) included a Kaplan–Meier curve for survival analysis, a Kolmogorov–Smirnov test for USPHS, aesthetics and OHIP data, followed by a Wilcoxon test for USPHS and OHIP data and Chi-squared test for aesthetics data. Cronbach’s alpha was calculated for OHIP data. The average observation period for survival analysis was 256 days. The survival rate was satisfactory at 98% and n = 2 catastrophic failures (i.e. fracture) occurred. Total OHIP scores, with good reliabilities, improved from 6.63 to 2.21 significantly (p = 0.005) and patient satisfaction with aesthetics (p < 0.001) as well. Clinical analysis with modified USPHS criteria revealed encouraging results.

Variations in the Radius Distribution of Single- and Compact Multiple-transiting Planets

Previous work has established the enhanced occurrence of compact systems of multiple small exoplanets around metal-poor stars. Understanding the origin of this effect in the planet formation process is a topic of ongoing research. Here we consider the radii of planets residing in systems of multiple transiting planets, compared to those residing in single-transiting systems, with a particular focus on late-type host stars. We investigate whether the two radius distributions are consistent with being drawn from the same underlying planetary population. We construct a planetary sample of 290 planets around late K and M dwarfs containing 149 planets from single-transiting planetary systems and 141 planets from multi-transiting compact multiple planetary systems (54 compact multiples). We performed a two-sample Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Mann–Whitney U test, and Anderson–Darling k-sampling test on the radius distributions of our two samples. We find statistical evidence (p < 0.0026) that planets in compact multiple systems are larger, on average, than their single-transiting counterparts for planets with R p < 6 R ⊕. We determine that the offset cannot be explained by detection bias. We investigate whether this effect could be explained via more efficient outgassing of a secondary atmosphere in compact multiple systems due to the stress and strain forces of interplanetary tides on planetary interiors. We find that this effect is insufficient to explain our observations without significant enrichment in H2O compared to Earth-like bulk composition.

Low-mass Stellar and Substellar Content of the Young Cluster Berkeley 59

We present a multiwavelength analysis of the young star cluster Berkeley 59, based on Gaia data and deep IR observations with the 3.58 m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo and Spitzer space telescope. The mean proper motion of the cluster is found to be μ α cosδ ∼ −0.63 mas yr−1 and μ δ ∼ −1.83 mas yr−1, and the kinematic distance of the cluster, ∼1 kpc, is in agreement with previous photometric studies. The present data are the deepest available near-IR observations for the cluster so far and reach below 0.03 M ⊙. The mass function of the cluster region is calculated using the statistically cleaned color–magnitude diagram and is similar to the Salpeter value for the member stars above 0.4 M ⊙. In contrast, the slope becomes shallower (Γ ∼ 0.01 ± 0.18) in the mass range 0.04–0.4 M ⊙, comparable to other nearby clusters. The spatial distribution of young brown dwarfs (BDs) and stellar candidates shows a nonhomogeneous distribution. This suggests that the radiation feedback from massive stars may be a prominent factor contributing to the BD population in the cluster Berkeley 59. We also estimated the star-to-BD ratio for the cluster, which is found to be ∼3.6. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov test shows that the stellar and BD populations significantly differ, and stellar candidates are nearer the cluster center compared to the BDs, suggesting mass segregation in the cluster toward the substellar mass regime.

Comparison of Affine and Rational Quadratic Spline Coupling and Autoregressive Flows through Robust Statistical Tests

Normalizing flows have emerged as a powerful brand of generative models, as they not only allow for efficient sampling of complicated target distributions but also deliver density estimation by construction. We propose here an in-depth comparison of coupling and autoregressive flows, both based on symmetric (affine) and non-symmetric (rational quadratic spline) bijectors, considering four different architectures: real-valued non-Volume preserving (RealNVP), masked autoregressive flow (MAF), coupling rational quadratic spline (C-RQS), and autoregressive rational quadratic spline (A-RQS). We focus on a set of multimodal target distributions of increasing dimensionality ranging from 4 to 400. The performances were compared by means of different test statistics for two-sample tests, built from known distance measures: the sliced Wasserstein distance, the dimension-averaged one-dimensional Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, and the Frobenius norm of the difference between correlation matrices. Furthermore, we included estimations of the variance of both the metrics and the trained models. Our results indicate that the A-RQS algorithm stands out both in terms of accuracy and training speed. Nonetheless, all the algorithms are generally able, without too much fine-tuning, to learn complicated distributions with limited training data and in a reasonable time of the order of hours on a Tesla A40 GPU. The only exception is the C-RQS, which takes significantly longer to train, does not always provide good accuracy, and becomes unstable for large dimensionalities. All algorithms were implemented using TensorFlow2 and TensorFlow Probability and have been made available on GitHub.

Unveiling Malicious Network Flows Using Benford’s Law

The increasing proliferation of cyber-attacks threatening the security of computer networks has driven the development of more effective methods for identifying malicious network flows. The inclusion of statistical laws, such as Benford’s Law, and distance functions, applied to the first digits of network flow metadata, such as IP addresses or packet sizes, facilitates the detection of abnormal patterns in the digits. These techniques also allow for quantifying discrepancies between expected and suspicious flows, significantly enhancing the accuracy and speed of threat detection. This paper introduces a novel method for identifying and analyzing anomalies within computer networks. It integrates Benford’s Law into the analysis process and incorporates a range of distance functions, namely the Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD), the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test (KS), and the Kullback–Leibler divergence (KL), which serve as dispersion measures for quantifying the extent of anomalies detected in network flows. Benford’s Law is recognized for its effectiveness in identifying anomalous patterns, especially in detecting irregularities in the first digit of the data. In addition, Bayes’ Theorem was implemented in conjunction with the distance functions to enhance the detection of malicious traffic flows. Bayes’ Theorem provides a probabilistic perspective on whether a traffic flow is malicious or benign. This approach is characterized by its flexibility in incorporating new evidence, allowing the model to adapt to emerging malicious behavior patterns as they arise. Meanwhile, the distance functions offer a quantitative assessment, measuring specific differences between traffic flows, such as frequency, packet size, time between packets, and other relevant metadata. Integrating these techniques has increased the model’s sensitivity in detecting malicious flows, reducing the number of false positives and negatives, and enhancing the resolution and effectiveness of traffic analysis. Furthermore, these techniques expedite decisions regarding the nature of traffic flows based on a solid statistical foundation and provide a better understanding of the characteristics that define these flows, contributing to the comprehension of attack vectors and aiding in preventing future intrusions. The effectiveness and applicability of this joint method have been demonstrated through experiments with the CICIDS2017 public dataset, which was explicitly designed to simulate real scenarios and provide valuable information to security professionals when analyzing computer networks. The proposed methodology opens up new perspectives in investigating and detecting anomalies and intrusions in computer networks, which are often attributed to cyber-attacks. This development culminates in creating a promising model that stands out for its effectiveness and speed, accurately identifying possible intrusions with an F1 of nearly 80%, a recall of 99.42%, and an accuracy of 65.84%.

Three-Dimensional Analysis of Age and Eichner Index-Related Volumetric Changes in Mandibular Condyles

Objective: The impact of condyle volume is influenced by the presence of posterior occlusal support and age. This study aimed to retrospectively explore how age, Eichner index, and gender influence condyle volume in three dimensions, through the classification of occlusal support using the Eichner index. Material and Methods: Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of 232 patients (107 males and 125 females) aged 18-76 years were retrospectively analysed. ITK-SNAP open-source software was utilized to measure volume of condyles with semi-automated segmentation. CBCT images were analyzed based on age, gender, and the status of posterior occlusal support. Posterior occlusal support status was assessed by categorizing it into three groups according to the Eichner index: A) indicating no loss of posterior occlusal support; B) representing one to three units of occlusal support loss; and C) denoting four units of posterior occlusal support loss. For normality, Kolmogorov Smirnov test was performed and Pearson test was used to determine the correlations of continuous variables. Student's t test was used to investigate the difference between age and gender, and paired t test was used to evaluate the difference between left and right volume. P &lt; 0.05 was considered significant. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the mean right and left condyle volume (p &gt; 0.05). The mean condyle volume was higher in males than females, but this difference was not statistically significant (p &gt; 0.05). A statistically significant negative correlation was detected between age and condyle volume (p &lt; 0.05). Age and Eichner index were statistically significantly positively correlated (p &lt; 0.05). A statistically significant negative correlation was determined between condyle volume and Eichner index (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Volumetric measurement of the condyles using CBCT and comparison with Eichner index is crucial to assess abnormalities and bony changes affecting the TMJ in association with occlusal support and to examine and prevent complications. Although it was found that the condyle volume decreased significantly with increasing age and decreasing occlusal support, no significant difference was revealed between genders in the present study.

Women, income use and nutrition quality: effects of women’s decision-making in rural households in Cameroon

BackgroundWomen remain central to household food and nutrition security. However, they continue to face several constraints with respect to access, control and use of credit and income. There is theoretical assertion that increasing women's decision-making authority over family income increases spending and leads to gains in nutrition. However, empirical evidence on the links between rural women's income control and household food and nutrition security is inadequate, especially for a developing country, such as Cameroon.MethodologyWe employ the food consumption score nutrition quality analysis, the income domain of the Abbreviated Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index and the Partial Least Square Structural Equations Modelling to examine data collected from 600 rural households in the West region of Cameroon to establish the effects of women’s control over income use on household nutrition quality. To ensure the reliability of our findings, additional tests such as the Confirmatory Tetrad Analysis, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test with Lilliefors correction, and the Finite Mixture PLS approach are employed.ResultsFrom the analyses, we observed that a significant percentage of households have poor nutritional quality, particularly in terms of iron-rich food consumption. Women's control over income use remains low and varies based on the source of income. The analyses show that women's decision-making concerning income use and women's perception of their decision-making ability regarding income use and expenditure are positively associated with higher nutritional quality for the household. In addition, we establish that women's perceptions of their ability to make decisions about income use have a positive direct and total effect on nutrition quality, but a negative indirect effect on the latter, with the direct positive effect outweighing the indirect effect.ConclusionsInadequate consumption of iron-rich foods is pervasive for most households and there is limited control over income used for the majority of women in the study area. Enhancing women’s control over income use has significant implications for household nutrition quality. Hence, women should be empowered to fully exploit their potential at the household level to enhance food security at the community, regional and national levels.

Trend and Variability Analysis of Annual Maximum Rainfall Using Observed and Remotely Sensed Data in the Tropical Climate Zones of Uganda

Understanding rainfall variability and trends is crucial for effective water resource management and disaster preparedness, particularly in tropical regions like Uganda. This study analyzes the trends and variability of the Annual Maximum Series (AMS) and seasonal rainfall data across four rainfall stations in Uganda, comparing observed data with various Remotely Sensed Rainfall (RSR) products. The key methods used in this study include the Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator for trend analysis, AMS rainfall variability analysis using statistical performance metrics such as the Nash–Sutcliffe Coefficient of Efficiency (NSE) and Percent Bias (PBIAS), and data distribution comparisons based on goodness-of-fit evaluation using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov (KS) test. The results indicate that most trends in the seasonal rainfall and AMS data are statistically insignificant. However, the September to November (SON) observed rainfall at the Gulu station shows a statistically significant increasing trend of 7.68 mm/year (p-value = 0.03). Based on the PBIAS metric, GPCC and NOAA_CPC products outperform other RSR data products. At the Jinja station, NOAA_CPC has a PBIAS value of −12.93% and GPCC, −14.64%; at Soroti, GPCC has −9.66% and NOAA_CPC, −14.79%; at Mbarara, GPCC has −5.93% and NOAA_CPC, −11.63%; and at Gulu, GPCC has −3.05% and NOAA_CPC, −19.23%. The KS test results show significant differences in the distribution of RSR data and observed rainfall data, though GPCC shows significant agreement at the Gulu (p-value = 0.60) and Mbarara (p-value = 0.14) stations. Additionally, NOAA_CPC outperforms other RSR data products at the Mbarara station, with a KS p-value of 0.24. This study highlights the limitations of current RSR datasets in replicating observed AMS rainfall data. Based on KS test results, GPCC is identified as a better product for hydrological applications at the Gulu, Jinja, and Soroti station areas compared to other RSR products. For the Mbarara station, NOAA_CPC outperforms other RSR products.

The Influence of the Probing Prompting Model on Students’ Mathematics Learning Outcomes at SDN 2 Kayangan

This research aims to describe whether there is an influence of the Probing Prompting Model on the Mathematics Learning Outcomes of Grade 4 Students at SDN 2 Kayangan. This research was carried out at SDN 2 Kayangan on class 4 students in the second semester of the 2023/2024 academic year. The method used in this research is quantitative with a quasi-experimental method in the form of Pretest-Posttest Group Design. The population in this study were 4th grade students at SDN 2 Kayangan. The sample for this research consisted of 26 students. Data collection techniques use tests and documentation and data collection instruments use pre-test and post-test. The validity of this research uses validity tests and reliability tests. The data analysis technique uses descriptive analysis, the normality test uses (Klomogrov Smirnov Test) and the homogeneity test uses (Lavene Test). Meanwhile, hypothesis testing uses the T-test or T-Test which produces tcount 13,832 &gt; ttable 0.388 which proves that there is an influence of the probing prompting model on mathematics learning outcomes.

Comparative Evaluation of Activated and Nonactivated Microbubbles on the Efficacy of Bleaching Agents.

Intracoronal bleaching serves as a conservative option for nonvital teeth that exhibit discoloration.Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is frequently utilized in bleaching processes owing to its capability to produce free radicals.The main drawbacks of the currently available bleaching agents are the occurrence of cervical resorption and the multiple dental visits to achieve the desired result. Therefore, in our study, to address the limitations associated with cervical resorption and extended treatment duration for badly stained teeth, an attempt was made to incorporate a whitening agent (35% H2O2) with microbubbles. This study aimed tocompareandevaluatetheeffect ofactivated and nonactivated microbubbles on the efficacy of bleaching agents. Forty-five human central incisors were collected and divided into three groups:Group I (HP), H2O2 plain(n= 15) (Control); Group II (HPM), H2O2-infused microbubbles without ultrasonic activation (n= 15) (experimental group); and Group III (HPMU), H2O2-infused microbubbles with ultrasonic activation (n= 15) (experimental group).The crowns were artificially stained. Microbubbles containing 35% H2O2were generated using the probe sonication method.The bleaching agent H2O2 plain (0.04 mL) was syringed into the pulp chamber in group I, while H2O2-infused microbubbles (0.04 mL) were syringed into group II and group III. Group III was further activated ultrasonically. The evaluation of color shade differences was conducted using the Vita Lumin shade guide at three time points: baseline, day 7, and day 14. Data regarding color change using Vita shade were investigated for normality using theKolmogorov Smirnov test and assessed a non-normal distribution.Intergroup comparisons at each particular time interval (baseline, day 7, and day 14) were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis H test followed by multiple pairwise comparisons using the Adjusted Bonferroni post hoc test. Intragroup comparisons between different time intervals were analyzed using related samples from Friedman's test followed by multiple pairwise comparisons using the post hoc Dunn test. The level of statistical significance was determined at P< 0.05. There was no statistical difference in the baseline values of all three groups. Group I (HP) exhibited an average increase of three Vita Lumin shade tabs on day 7 and day 14, respectively, whereasGroup II (HPM)exhibited an average increase of six and four Vita Lumin shade tabs on day 7 and day 14, respectively, and Group III (HPMU)exhibited an average increase of 10 and 3 Vita Lumin shade tabs on day 7 and day 14, respectively. Microbubbles containing H2O2 were more efficient and faster than plain H2O2 for bleaching, and the efficacy of bleaching was enhanced when activated using ultrasonic technology.

Reliability of the Croatian Version of Motivation Scale for Free Time

Aim: The Motivation scale for free time was developed to measure motivation for activity of population in their free time. The aim of this study was to determine test-retest reliability of Croatian version of Motivation scale for free time on students. Subjects and Methods: The sample was consisted of 97 students of Karlovac University of Applied Sciences 64 men and 33 women). Study was conducted on two occasions and there were 137 students in first measurement and 97 students in second. The response rate to the second measurement was 70,8 %. Statistical data analysis was performed with the software package SPSS 23.0. The normality of the distribution was checked by the Kolmogorov - Smirnov test to justify the use of parametric procedures. The asymmetry coefficient ranged from +/- 3, and the flattening coefficient from +/- 10, and the distribution is considered normal, so the use of parametric procedures is allowed. The validity was checked in the form of correlations of individual particles with the total result in both measurements. Results: The validity in both measurements proved to be statistically significant. In the first measurement, the correlation range of each particle with the total score on the scale ranged between 0.4 to 0.74, which was statistically significant at a risk level of less than 1 %. In the second measurement, the correlation range of each particle with the total score on the scale ranged between 0.31 to 0.73, which was statistically significant at a risk level of less than 1 %. Conclusion: The results showed satisfactory reliability of Croatian version of motivation scale for free time on students.

Empirical and modified hemostatic resuscitation for liver blast injury combined with seawater immersion: A preliminary study

PurposeTo compare the effects of empirical and modified hemostatic resuscitation for liver blast injury combined with seawater immersion. MethodsThirty rabbits were subjected to liver blast injury combined with seawater immersion, and were then divided into 3 groups randomly (n = 10 each): group A (no treatment after immersion), group B (empirical resuscitation with 20 mL hydroxyethyl starch, 50 mg tranexamic acid, 25 IU prothrombin complex concentrate and 50 mg/kg body weight fibrinogen concentrate), and group C (modified resuscitation with additional 10 IU prothrombin complex concentrate and 20 mg/kg body weight fibrinogen concentrate based on group B). Blood samples were gathered at specified moments for assessment of thromboelastography, routine coagulation test, and biochemistry. Mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and survival rate were also documented at each time point. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to examine the normality of data distribution. Multigroup comparisons were conducted with one-way ANOVA. ResultsLiver blast injury combined with seawater immersion resulted in severe coagulo-fibrinolytic derangement as indicated by prolonged prothrombin time (s) (11.53 ± 0.98 vs. 7.61 ± 0.28, p＜0.001), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) (s) (33.48 ± 6.66 vs. 18.23 ± 0.89, p＜0.001), reaction time (R) (min) (5.85 ± 0.96 vs. 2.47 ± 0.53, p＜0.001), decreased maximum amplitude (MA) (mm) (53.20 ± 5.99 vs. 74.92 ± 5.76, p＜0.001) and fibrinogen concentration (g/L) (1.188 ± 0.29 vs. 1.890 ± 0.32, p = 0.003), and increased D-dimer concentration (mg/L) (0.379 ± 0.32 vs. 0.051 ± 0.03, p = 0.005). Both empirical and modified hemostatic resuscitation could improve the coagulo-fibrinolytic states and organ function, as indicated by shortened APTT and R values, decreased D-dimer concentration, increased fibrinogen concentration and MA values, lower concentration of blood urea nitrogen and creatine kinase-MB in group B and group C rabbits in comparison to that observed in group A. Further analysis found that the R values (min) (4.67 ± 0.84 vs. 3.66 ± 0.98, p = 0.038), APTT (s) (23.16 ± 2.75 vs. 18.94 ± 1.05, p = 0.001), MA (mm) (60.10 ± 4.74 vs. 70.21 ± 3.01, p < 0.001), and fibrinogen concentration (g/L) (1.675 ± 0.21 vs. 1.937 ± 0.16, p = 0.013) were remarkably improved in group C than in group B at 2 h and 4 h after injury. In addition, the concentration of blood urea nitrogen (mmol/L) (24.11 ± 1.96 vs. 21.00 ± 3.78, p = 0.047) and creatine kinase-MB (U/L) (85.50 ± 13.60 vs. 69.74 ± 8.56, p = 0.013) were lower in group C than in group B at 6 h after injury. The survival rates in group B and group C were significantly higher than those in group A at 4 h and 6 h after injury (p < 0.001), however, there were no statistical differences in survival rates between group B and group C at each time point. ConclusionsModified hemostatic resuscitation could improve the coagulation parameters and organ function better than empirical hemostatic resuscitation.