Spearman's Test Research Articles

Readiness Society to Enter the Era of Halal Drug Certification Mandatory in Terms of Knowledge, Perceptions, and Attitudes

The halal lifestyle trend is currently developing in various regions of the world, not only in areas where the majority of the population is Muslim but also where the population is Muslim minority. This study aims to determine the level and correlation of public knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward halal medicine and correlation with demographic data. This cross-sectional study was conducted online using a validated questionnaire, conducted in January-February 2023 on 600 respondents in six provinces of Java Island, using a purposive sampling method with inclusion criteria over 17 years old and exclusion criteria not being a doctor or pharmacist. The Spearman test was used to correlate knowledge-perception-attitude, and the Chi-square test was used to correlate demographic data with knowledge, attitude, and perception. The results showed that the level of public knowledge was sufficient (mean score 33.74 ± 2.37), the perception was sufficient (mean score 35.91 ± 3.47) and the attitude was sufficient (mean score 31.17 ± 4.25) towards halal medicine. Age, education, and place of work affect knowledge; and place of work affects perception. It is concluded that the community has sufficient knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes, knowledge-perception is significantly correlated, knowledge-attitude is weak and perception-attitude is strongly correlated

Relationship between MRI findings and renal histopathology in IgG4-related tubulointerstitial nephritis.

MRI is expected to be a valuable tool for evaluating disease activity in immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related tubulointerstitial nephritis (IgG4-TIN). However, the correlation between MRI findings and renal histopathological findings remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to clarify the correlation between MRI findings and renal histopathological findings in IgG4-TIN. This retrospective cross-sectional study investigated 26 patients with biopsy-proven IgG4-TIN who underwent simultaneous percutaneous kidney biopsies and abdominal MRI examinations at Toranomon Hospital or Toranomon Hospital Kajigaya between December 2007 and November 2022. We reviewed kidney biopsy specimens and scored the degree of inflammatory cell infiltration and interstitial fibrosis. We assessed abdominal MRI, specifically examining T1WI, T2WI, and DWI, for the presence of abnormal signals in the inferior pole of the kidney on the side where the kidney biopsy was performed. Spearman's correlation coefficient test was conducted to examine the relationship between the images and histological findings. For T1WI, eight cases showed a positive low-intensity signal, and 18 cases were negative. For T2WI, 19 cases were positive for a low-intensity signal, and seven cases were negative. In DWI, 23 cases were positive for a high-intensity signal, and one was negative. T1WI low-intensity signal and T2WI low-intensity signal were significantly correlated with interstitial fibrosis score (correlation coefficient 0.52 and 0.64). DWI revealed IgG4-TIN detected IgG4-TIN lesions with the highest sensitivity; however, the correlation with inflammatory cell infiltration score was not significant. Low-intensity signal on T2WI is useful for predicting the degree of fibrosis in IgG4-TIN.

Comparison of Glucose and Immunoglobulin a Levels in Serum and Saliva of Patients with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction: The monitoring and management of blood glucose levels are of significant importance in individuals diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to examine the potential of a non-invasive approach for the diagnosis and management of diabetes, through the measurement of glucose concentration and salivary IgA, and a comparison with fasting glucose and serum IgA levels in individuals with type 1 and 2 diabetes, in relation to a control group of healthy individuals. Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 76 individuals with diabetes (31 with type 1 diabetes and 45 with type 2 diabetes) and 24 healthy individuals. After obtaining the code of ethics and informed consent, serum and salivary IgA levels as well as fasting glucose, were measured for each participant. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 statistical software and the Spearman, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney tests. Results: The results showed a significant difference among the three groups (type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and healthy group) based on Fasting Blood Glucose, Hemoglobin A1c, Immunoglobulin A, salivary sugar, and salivary IgA (p<0.001). Additionally, in the case group, parameters such as FBS, HbA1c, and salivary IgA showed a significant correlation with salivary sugar. Conversely, in the control group, only the salivary sugar level demonstrated a significant relationship with serum glucose level. The study's findings indicated that serum and salivary IgA levels were lower and higher, respectively, in the control subjects compared to the diabetic group (p<0.001). Conclusion: In healthy individuals, salivary sugar can serve as an indicator to determine fasting blood sugar levels. In diabetic patients, salivary sugar can predict of FBS, HbA1c, and salivary IgA levels.

Motor self-efficacy and physical education in school bullying.

In recent years, there has been a notable increase in bullying rates in school. Bullying is characterized as a repeated set of malicious actions by an individual or group toward another individual in an imbalanced power dynamic, resulting in physical, psychological, social, or material harm to the victim, with the intention of causing social exclusion. The scientific literature has investigated the factors that influence this type of behavior, environmental factors, such as school location and student age, as well as other factors, such as gender and level of physical fitness, also play an important role. This study examined the correlation between motor self-efficacy and bullying, considering that physical activity acts as a regulator in these cases. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was employed to assess the normality of the data distribution, and Spearman's Rho test was used to analyze the relationship between each dimension of the EBIPQ and E-AEM scores. The Cronbach's alpha was used to evaluate the reliability of each instrument. The results indicated a significant inverse correlation between the EBIP-Q and E-AEM in the variables of sex, educational stage and school environment. In conclusion, an inverse correlation was observed between motor self-efficacy and bullying, indicating that higher levels of motor self-efficacy are related to lower levels of bullying victimization. Motor self-efficacy could be used as a tool to reduce bullying situations at school. It would be important for government policies to encourage the practice of physical activity in all areas of life in order to improve motor self-efficacy and end bullying.

Hubungan Rotasi dengan Kinerja Perawat di RS Martha Friska Multatuli

Job rotation is a move from one room to another but still within the same scope of work. Rotation is carried out as a way to improve the quality of nursing services, to refresh and prevent boredom, to meet the needs of nursing staff in the room, and to improve nursing skills. At Martha Friska Multatuli Hospital, rotation has been implemented since 2020. This research aims to determine the relationship between rotation and the performance of nurses at Martha Friska Multatuli Hospital. This research method uses descriptive correlation with a cross sectional design. The sample size in this study was 71 respondents with a sampling technique using total sampling. Data analysis in this study used the Spearman's Rank correlation coefficient test. The research results showed that the majority of nurses stated that the rotation at Martha Friska Multatuli Hospital was a fairly good rotation, 42 respondents (59.2%) and it was also known that the majority of nurses' performance was in the good category, 58 respondents (81.7%). The results of statistical tests using the Spearman rank test obtained an r-value of 0.255 with a ρ-value of 0.032. This shows that there is a correlation or positive relationship between rotation and the performance of nurses at Martha Friska Multatuli Hospital with a low level of relationship. Keywords: Peformance, Rotation

Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate and Sleep Quality in Stage 3-5 Non-Dialysis Chronic Kidney Disease Patients: Is There a Correlation?

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing health issue that significantly affects patients' quality of life. CKD patients are prone to sleep disturbances, which can lead to chronic fatigue and a decrease in their quality of life. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is a parameter that can be used to assess the sleep quality of CKD patients. Objective: This study aims to determine the relationship between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and sleep quality in non-dialysis CKD patients. Methods: The research design is an observational analytic study with a cross-sectional approach. The research subjects were stage 3-5 non-dialysis CKD patients aged 18 to 60 years at Prof. Dr. R. D. Kandou Hospital Manado from March to May 2022. The sleep quality of CKD patients was assessed using the PSQI score. Data analysis was performed with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: A total of 30 patients with stage 3-5 non-dialysis CKD were found. They consisted of 20 males and 10 females, aged 38-59 years, with an average of 59.80 ± 9.86 years. In the normality test using Shapiro-Wilk, the patient samples were not normally distributed (p = .000). For statistical analysis using the Spearman test, a negative correlation was found between eGFR and PSQI scores (r = -0.554), which was statistically significant (p = 0.002). Conclusion: This study found a significant relationship between eGFR and PSQI scores, which shows that a decrease in eGFR worsens the sleep quality of non-dialysis CKD patients.

Diversity and structure of pelagic microbial community in Kuroshio Extension

Kuroshio Extension (KE) is the most active region of oceanic change in the North Pacific Ocean, which provides an essential place for the survival of marine microorganisms. However, Vertical changes in microbial communities in the Kuroshio Extension and the mechanisms by which environmental factors drive vertical changes in community structure remain unclear. In this work, microbial diversity, abundance, and community structure of 12 water layers (from surface to bottom) at five stations were uncovered by 16S rRNA gene high–throughput sequencing. Microbial diversity and richness decreased with increasing seawater depth. Microorganisms in the euphotic zone can be well separated from other zones based on NMDS analysis. Proteobacteria (65.20%), Bacteroidota (8.48%), Actinobacteriota (5.76%), and Crenarchaeota (4.49%) accounted for a relatively large proportion and their distribution is similar in four zones. Most of microorganisms were significantly (Spearman test, p < 0.05) correlated with salinity, density, pressure, and temperature. This work enhances our understanding of vertical microbial diversity and provides insights into the pelagic microbial community structure.

Analisis Faktor Psikososial pada Tenaga Kesehatan di KecamatanSungai Raya Kabupaten Kubu Raya

Introduction: Psychosocial risks can lead to stress and depression in the workplace, causing potential negligence and errors in performing work resulting in workplace accidents. Objective: To analyze the psychosocial risk factors of health workers in health centers that lead to the risk of workplace stress. Methods: Deskriptif analysis research using the Spearman test with a sample 65 people selected by purposive sampling from 186 health workers who served at the Sungai Durian, Sungai Raya Dalam, and Korpri health centers in Kubu Raya Regency. Research variables: Role Confusion, Role Conflict, Quantitative Overload, Qualitative Overload. Career Development, Responsibility for Others and job stress. Data were obtained from the IFRC and SDS. Results: Spearman test the most influential is qualitative overload mean value (x̄=11.28) moderate stress (39.24%). severe stress (1.54%), second quantitative overload (x̄=10.25) moderate stress 49.24%, third responsibility to others (x̄=10.26) moderate stress (41.34%). severe stress (3.0). The significance of the relationship between the variables of psychosocial risk factors and work stress very strong correlation level, the direction of the relationship is positive and unidirectional between psychosocial risk factors and work stress in health workers. Conclusion: Psychosocial risk factors experienced by health workers quantitative overload and responsibility for others need to be of concern to management there is a decrease in motivation and weakening of activities. Suggestions for management leader and health workers to increasing motivation and managing effective working hours.

Hubungan Protein Urine dengan Berat Jenis Urine Pada Pasien Gangguan Ginjal

Kidney impairment is a condition where there is a decrease in kidney function. The kidneys filter the blood and excrete metabolic waste through urine. When the kidneys are damaged, the ability of the kidneys to filter blood and excrete waste may decrease. Supporting examination parameters for examining kidney disorders are urinalysis examinations such as Urine Protein and Urine Specific gravity. This study aims to determine the relationship between urine protein and urine specific gravity in patients with kidney disorders. This study was conducted with an analytical observational design with a cross-sectional approach with a sample of 34 samples. The results were tested using the Spearman test. The results showed the highest urine protein level was +4 and the highest urine specific gravity level was 1.005. Spearman test results showed a value of 0.004 (&lt;0.05). There is a relationship between urine protein and urine specific gravity in patients with kidney disorders. Keywords: urine specific gravity, kidney disorders, urine protein

Hubungan Antara Stres Kerja dan Keluhan Nyeri Punggung Bawah Pekerja Las Industri Pembuatan Kapal

Low Back Pain (LBP) is a widespread health issue that profoundly impacts workers' productivity and quality of life. In addition to non-specific health effects, LBP can result in long-term disability and considerable economic losses. Globally, LBP affects 619 million individuals, with projections suggesting an increase to 843 million by 2050, particularly Low Middle Income Countries (LMICs) in Asia and Africa. The shipbuilding industry, known for its physically strenuous tasks and stringent deadlines, presents unique ergonomic challenges that can exacerbate job-related stress and precipitate the onset of LBP. This study examines Project X PT Y, a pivotal entity in Indonesia's shipbuilding sector. Utilizing a quantitative methodology and a cross-sectional research design, the study encompasses all 26 workers from the welding workshop at Project X PT Y. The analysis, conducted using the Spearman test, reveals a robust monotonic relationship between work-related stress and LBP complaints, indicating that the incidence of LBP increases concomitantly with elevated work stress.

Nontechnical Skills Assessment in Acute Care Trauma Simulations: A Mixed Methods Approach Using Eye Tracking and Behavioral Marker Systems.

The condition of trauma patients and the urgent need for timely resuscitation present unique challenges to trauma teams. These difficulties are exacerbated for military trauma teams in combat environments. Consequently, there is a need for continued improvement of nontechnical skills (NTS) training for trauma teams. However, current approaches to NTS assessment rely on subjective ratings, which can introduce bias. Accordingly, objective methods of NTS evaluation are needed. Eye-tracking (ET) methods have been applied to studying communication, situation awareness, and leadership in many health care settings, and could be applied to studying physicians' NTS during trauma situations. In this study, we aimed to assess the relationship between trauma team leaders' objective gaze patterns and subjective expert NTS ratings during patient care simulations. After Institutional Review Board approval, 9 trauma teams from first-year post-graduate general surgery and emergency medicine residents were recruited to participate in 1 of 2 trauma simulations (a difficult airway case and a multi-patient trauma). Each scenario lasted approximately 15 minutes. All team leaders wore a mobile ET system to evaluate gaze metrics-time to first fixation (TTFF), average fixation duration (AFD), and total percentage of the scenario (TPS) focused on Areas of Interest (AOI), which included patient, care team, diagnostic equipment, and patient care equipment. Trained faculty raters completed the Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS) assessment tool and the Trauma Non-Technical Skills (T-NOTECHS) scale. One-way analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis, and appropriate post-hoc pairwise comparison tests were run to assess differences between ET metrics across AOI groups. Spearman's Rho tests were used to assess correlations between ET and subjective NTS ratings. Compared to other NTS domains, trauma teams scored relatively poorly on communication across both T-NOTECHS (3.29$ \pm $0.61, maximum = 5) and NOTSS (2.87$ \pm $0.66, maximum = 4). We found significant differences in trauma team leaders' TTFF between teammates and the patient (Team: 1.56 vs Patient: 29.82 seconds, P < .001). TTFF on the diagnostic equipment was negatively correlated (P < .05) to multiple measures of subjective NTS assessments. There were no significant differences in AFD between AOIs, and AFD on teammates was positively correlated (P < .05) to communication and teamwork. There were significant differences in TPS across most AOI pairs (P < .05), and the average TPS fixated was highest on the patient (32%). Finally, there were several significant correlations between additional ET and NTS metrics. This study utilized a mixed methods approach to assess trauma team leaders' NTS in simulated acute care trauma simulations. Our results provide several objective insights into trauma team leaders' NTS behaviors during patient care simulations. Such objective insights provide a more comprehensive understanding of NTS behaviors and can be leveraged to guide NTS training of trauma physicians in the future. More studies are needed to apply these methods to capture NTS from a larger sample of teams in both simulated and real trauma environments.

Small airway inflammation in atypical asthma

BackgroundLess attention has been paid to the pathophysiological changes in atypical asthma such as cough variant asthma (CVA) and chest tightness variant asthma (CTVA). The obstruction of large and small airways is the important component in the development of asthma. We investigated whether small airway inflammation (SAI) induced small airway dysfunction (SAD) in these atypical asthmatics. MethodsSix hundred and eighty-six patients were enrolled and analyzed in the study. The partitioned airway inflammation was assessed by fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), such as FnNO, FeNO50, FeNO200, and calculated alveolar fraction of exhaled NO (CaNOdual). Correlations between exhaled NOs and SAD-related variables were assessed, whereas cell classification was evaluated by Spearman's rank tests. Classic asthma, CVA, and CTVA about potential risk were conducted using binary logistic regression models. ResultsThe whole airway inflammation increased in classic and atypical asthma than controls, whereas the central and peripheral airway inflammation in the CVA and CTVA groups increased compared with the classic asthma group. Smoking exposure was found to increase the central and peripheral airway inflammation in patients with asthma. The exhaled NO of FeNO50 and FeNO200 was associated with SAD in classic asthma, but not in CVA and CTVA. FeNO200 was the main risk (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.591; 95 % CI, 1.121–2.259; P = .009) in classic asthma and (adjusted OR, 1.456; 95 % CI, 1.247–1.700; P = .000) in CVA. The blood eosinophil levels were correlated with FeNO50 and FeNO200 in classic asthma and atypical asthma. ConclusionMore severe inflammatory process was present in central and peripheral airways in CVA and CTVA, which might reflect a pre-asthmatic state. SAI was the predominant risk factor in the development of asthma before SAD.

The Relationship Between Knowledge of Dental Caries and the Incidence of Dental Caries in Pregnant Women at Polindes Jungkarang, Sampang, Madura

Problem: Based on primary data collected from pregnant women at Polindes Jungkarang, Sampang Regency, the average DMF-T score was 5.37, indicating that dental caries in pregnant women is still in the high category. This has not yet reached the target set in the National Action Plan (RAN), where the DMF-T value should be 4.1 for all ages. Research Objective: To determine the relationship between knowledge about caries and the high incidence of dental caries in pregnant women at Polindes Jungkarang, Sampang Regency. Research Method: This research is an analytical study using a cross-sectional method, with a sample of pregnant women visiting Polindes Jungkarang, Sampang Regency, from January to March 2024. The data collection instruments used were a questionnaire to measure knowledge about dental caries and a DMF-T examination sheet to identify caries. The analysis technique used was Spearman's rho test. Results: There is a relationship between knowledge about caries and the high incidence of dental caries in pregnant women at Polindes Jungkarang

Altered brain function during movement programming is linked with motor deficits after stroke: a high temporal resolution study.

Stroke leads to motor deficits, requiring rehabilitation therapy that targets mechanisms underlying movement generation. Cortical activity during the planning and execution of motor tasks can be studied using EEG, particularly via the Event Related Desynchronization (ERD). ERD is altered by stroke in a manner that varies with extent of motor deficits. Despite this consensus in the literature, defining precisely the temporality of these alterations during movement preparation and performance may be helpful to better understand motor system pathophysiology and might also inform development of novel therapies that benefit from temporal resolution. Patients with chronic hemiparetic post-stroke (n = 27; age 59 ± 14 years) and age-matched healthy right-handed control subjects (n = 23; 59 ± 12 years) were included. They performed a shoulder rotation task following the onset of a stimulus. Cortical activity was recorded using a 256-electrode EEG cap. ERD was calculated in the beta frequency band (15-30 Hz) in ipsilesional sensorimotor cortex, contralateral to movement. The ERD was compared over time between stroke and control subjects using permutation tests. The correlation between upper extremity motor deficits (assessed by the Fugl-Meyer scale) and ERD over time was studied in stroke patients using Spearman and permutation tests. Patients with stroke showed on average less beta ERD amplitude than control subjects in the time window of -350 to 50 ms relative to movement onset (t(46) = 2.8, p = 0.007, Cohen's d = 0.31, 95% CI [0.22: 1.40]). Beta-ERD values correlated negatively with the Fugl-Meyer score during the time window -200 to 400 ms relative to movement onset (Spearman's r = -0.54, p = 0.003, 95% CI [-0.77 to -0.18]). Our results provide new insights into the precise temporal changes of ERD after hemiparetic stroke and the associations they have with motor deficits. After stroke, the average amplitude of cortical activity is reduced as compared to age-matched controls, and the extent of this decrease is correlated with the severity of motor deficits; both were true during motor programming and during motor performance. Understanding how stroke affects the temporal dynamics of cortical preparation and execution of movement paves the way for more precise restorative therapies. Studying the temporal dynamics of the EEG also strengthens the promising interest of ERD as a biomarker of post-stroke motor function.

Новые маркёры отсроченной ишемии головного мозга, возникающей вследствие нетравматического субарахноидального кровоизлияния, в нижнем дельта-диапазоне электроэнцефалограмм

The paper analyzes electroencephalographic (EEG) data in 14 patients treated in the intensive care unit of the Sklifosovsky Research Institute for Emergency Medicine for non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage. During the treatment, delayed cerebral ischemia in the postoperative period was diagnosed in 4 patients. Delayed ischemia did not develop in 10 patients. Comparison of EEG data in these patients using the wave train electrical activity analysis method revealed differences in EEG of patients with delayed cerebral ischemia in the frequency range of 0.1-1.5 Hz in wavelet spectrograms. It was found that the EEG of patients with delayed ischemia contains wave trains in the lower delta range of wavelet spectrograms, which are not typical for patients without delayed ischemia (AUC=0.92). In addition, it was shown that wave trains in the lower delta range with certain parameters typical for patients without delayed ischemia are not characteristic of patients with delayed ischemia (AUC=0.11). Thus, two markers of delayed ischemia after subarachnoid hemorrhage were detected. A negative correlation was found between the number of wave trains characteristic of patients with delayed ischemia and the number of wave trains characteristic of patients without delayed ischemia (Spearman test, p-value &lt; 0.0001).

Different intraoperative joint laxity patterns do not impact clinical outcomes in robotic-assisted medial unicompartmental knee replacement with 1-to-1 surface reconstruction.

Robotic-assisted technology in medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (mUKA) allows for customized adjustments of joint laxity through virtual preoperative component positioning before bone preparation. Nevertheless, the optimal balancing curve has yet to be delineated. This study sought to investigate if varying intraoperative knee laxity patterns had any impact on postoperative patient outcomes. A retrospective analysis was conducted on prospectively collected data from 326 fixed-bearing RAUKA procedures performed between 2018 and 2022 with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Patients were categorized into three cohorts based on intraoperative joint laxity patterns (millimetres of joint gap during valgus stress) imparted at 20°, 60°, 90°and 120° of knee flexion: cohort 1 < +0.5 mm (tight); cohort 2 between 0.6and 1.9 mm (physiologic); cohort 3 > 2 mm (loose). Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis tests were conducted to assess patient-reported outcome measure(PROM) improvementsand preoperative and postoperative differences across the cohorts. A Spearman's test evaluated the correlation between knee balance at all degrees of flexion and preoperativeand postoperative HKA. No differences in preoperative and postoperative PROMs were identified across the cohorts (p > 0.05). All three cohorts with different joint laxity patterns showed a significant improvement in the postoperative PROMS (p < 0.05). The preoperative or postoperative limb alignment did not significantly affect clinical outcomes relative to different laxity patterns. No differences were found in the outcomes across different joint laxity patterns in robotic-assisted medial UKA using fixed-bearing mUKAs. There was no evident advantage for maintaining a closer to physiologic laxity compared to tighter or looser balancing. Level III therapeutic study.

Effect of Lens Deviation on Peripheral Defocus and Optic Quality in Adolescents With Moderate and Severe Myopia.

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of lens deviation on peripheral defocus and optic quality in adolescents with moderate and severe myopia. This prospective study enrolled 81 children (81 eyes). The spherical equivalent was -5.0≤SE≤-6.0 diopter. The participants were divided into two subgroups based on their eccentricity (inferior temporal) after wearing the lenses for 12 months. Between them, the low eccentric subgroup (A) had a total eccentric distance of less than 0.5 mm, and the moderate and severe eccentric subgroup (B) had a total eccentric distance of ≥0.5 mm. Peripheral defocus and eccentricity were measured before and after wearing the lenses, and the Spearman test was used to compare the parameters. Parameters such as the total peripheral defocus (TRDV) were significantly lower in subgroup B than in subgroup A after 12 months of orthokeratology lens usage. The axial length growth (ΔAL) in subgroup A was higher than that in subgroup B. Axial length growth, TRDV, and other parameters were significantly associated with eccentricity. The modulation transfer function cutoff and Strehl ratio were also significantly associated with eccentricity. Greater eccentricity within a certain range can induce greater periretinal defocus and improve the ΔAL.

Characteristics of myelinated retinal nerve fibres in associated straatsma syndrome.

To study cases diagnosed of myelinated retinal nerve fibres (MRNF) continuous with the optic disc and describe the plausible pathogenic mechanism for the ocular features in Straatsma syndrome. This retrospective observational study includes clinically diagnosed MRNF cases. MRNF, myopia, and amblyopia defined Straatsma syndrome. MRNF were classified into three types based on location: type 1 in the superior retina, type 2 in the superior and inferior retina, and type 3 in the inferior retina. MRNF size was measured on Optomap® (Optos, Daytona, UK) images and posterior staphyloma location was noted. Demographics and best-corrected refractive error in logMAR units was recorded. Descriptive statistics and Spearman's corelation test were used to analyse MRNF size's relationship to refractive error and logMAR visual acuity. The study included a total of 19 MRNF eyes from 18 patients. Seventeen (89%) eyes had Straatsma syndrome. Median age was 23.50 [range: 4-75] years. One (6%) patient exhibited bilateral presentation. The median logMAR visual acuity was 0.4 log units (interquartile range: 0.18-1.20) and mean refractive error was -7.21 ± 5.32. Type 2 MRNF (n = 14,74%) was the commonest. Average MRNF size was 34.37 ± 40.73 sq.mm. Posterior staphyloma was noted in 17 eyes, all in close MRNF association. Significant positive corelation was noted between logMAR visual acuity and MRNF size (r = 0.5, p = 0.028). Large size MRNF corelated with poor visual acuity in the study. The paper explains the possible pathogenetic mechanisms for the ocular findings seen in MRNF.

Blood MALT1 serves as a potential biomarker reflecting the response and survival of immune‑checkpoint‑inhibitor therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Treatment modalities involving an immune-checkpoint-inhibitor (ICI) have emerged as therapeutic options in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nonetheless, auxiliary biomarkers are required to evaluate their efficacy. The present study aimed to assess the potential of blood mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue 1 (MALT1) in reflecting clinical response and prognosis in patients with advanced HCC who received ICI therapy. Peripheral blood was collected from 51 patients with advanced HCC who were about to receive ICI or ICI-based treatment. Blood MALT1 levels were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, and the blood MALT1 levels in 50 healthy controls (HCs) were also assessed. Besides, the treatment response and survival data were collected. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for comparison analysis and the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient test was used for correlation analysis. The prognostic value of MALT1 was determined by Kaplan-Meier curve analysis with the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were used to identify factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The results demonstrated that blood MALT1 levels were significantly increased in patients with advanced HCC compared with that in HCs (P<0.001). Blood MALT1 levels were increased in patients with portal vein invasion (vs. without portal vein invasion; P=0.010), extrahepatic disease (vs. without extrahepatic disease; P=0.026) and α-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥200 ng/ml (vs. AFP <200 ng/ml; P=0.040). After 4 cycles of ICI therapy, the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) was 29.4 and 68.6%, respectively. Blood MALT1 levels were also significantly and negatively associated with the ORR (P=0.043) and DCR (P=0.004). Furthermore, PFS and OS were shortened in patients with high blood MALT1 levels (cut-off by the median) compared to those with low blood MALT1 levels. After adjusting using multivariate Cox regression models, high blood MALT1 levels were demonstrated to be a significant independent risk factor for shortened PFS [hazard ratio (HR)=2.419; P=0.009] and OS (HR=2.706, P=0.018) in patients with advanced HCC who received ICI therapy. In summary, blood MALT1 levels serve as a potential biomarker to reflect treatment response and survival in patients with advanced HCC who receive ICI therapy.

Global, regional, and national burden of fungal skin diseases in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021: An analysis of the global burden of disease study 2021.

Fungal skin diseases are common skin diseases with a heterogeneous distribution worldwide. This study aimed to analyse the spatiotemporal trends in the burden of fungal skin diseases at global, regional, and national levels from 1990 to 2021. Based on the data obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021, we described the incident cases, prevalent cases, number of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and corresponding age-standardised rates (ASRs) for fungal skin diseases in 1990 and 2021 by sex, age, socio-demographic index (SDI), 21 GBD regions, and 204 countries and territories. We used Joinpoint regression analysis to assess the temporal trends in burden of fungal skin diseases during 1990 to 2021. Spearman's rank test was used to analyse the relationship between disease burden and potential factors. From 1990 to 2021, the incident cases, prevalent cases, and DALYs for fungal skin diseases worldwide increased by 67.93%, 67.73%, and 66.77%, respectively. Globally, the age-standardised incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardised prevalence rate (ASPR), and age-standardised DALYs rate (ASDR) for fungal skin diseases in 2021 were 21668.40 per 100,000 population (95% UI: 19601.19-23729.17), 7789.55 per 100,000 population (95% UI: 7059.28-8583.54), and 43.39 per 100,000 population (95% UI: 17.79-89.10), respectively. Between 1990 and 2021, the ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR for fungal skin diseases have modestly increased, with AAPC of 11.71% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 11.03%-12.39%), 19.24% (95% CI: 18.12%-20.36%), and 20.25% (95% CI: 19.33%-21.18%), respectively. Males experienced a higher burden of fungal skin diseases than females. The incident cases, prevalent cases, and DALYs for fungal skin diseases were highest at the age of 5-9, while the ASRs were highest among the elderly. At national level, the highest ASRs were observed in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Mali. Overall, SDI was negatively correlated with the ASRs, whereas Global Land-Ocean Temperature Index (GLOTI) was remarkably positively correlated with the burden of fungal skin diseases. Between 1990 and 2021, the global burden of fungal skin diseases has increased, causing a high disease burden worldwide, particularly in underdeveloped regions and among vulnerable population such as children and the elderly. With global warming and aging of the population, the burden of fungal skin diseases may continue to increase in the future. Targeted and specific measures should be taken to address these disparities and the ongoing burden of fungal skin diseases.