Significant Strong Positive Correlation Research Articles

Association between Serum 8-Iso-Prostaglandin F2α as an Oxidative Stress Marker and Immunological Markers in a Cohort of Preeclampsia Patients.

We aimed to analyze the presence and clinical use of serum 8-iso-prostaglandin F2-alpha (8-iso-PGF2α) as an oxidative stress marker and some inflammatory status biomarkers (tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-10, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and pentraxin-3 (PTX3)) for patients with preeclampsia (PE). Sixty pregnant women, including thirty diagnosed with PE and thirty who were healthy (NP), were included in this study. For the assessment of serum levels of biomarkers, we used the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique. Our preliminary study showed that the expression level of serum 8-iso-PGF2α in the PE group was higher than in the PE after delivery (PE-AD) group (742.00 vs. 324.00 pg/mL, p < 0.0001). Groups of preeclamptic patients (PE + PE-AD) expressed significantly elevated levels for all of the assessed inflammatory mediators as compared to NP. Significant strong positive correlations with 8-iso-PGF2α levels were found for systolic blood pressure (SBP), and TNF-α (Spearman's rho = 0.622, p-value = 0.020 and rho = 0.645, p-value = 0.002, respectively). Our study demonstrates that 8-iso-PGF2α and PTX3 have the greatest diagnostic value for pregnant women with PE. 8-iso-PGF2α and PTX3 can be used as independent predictor factors, along with already-known cytokines, that could represent a prophylactic way to help clinicians identify or predict which pregnant women will develop PE.

Association between systolic blood pressure and target organ damage in naturally occurring cases of systemic hypertension in the dog

Chronic elevation in the systolic blood pressure (SBP) adversely affects the lifespan in the dog by causing injury to the eye, heart, kidney and brain. Understanding the association between SBP and target organ damage (TOD) helps in risk categorization and treatment planning. Therefore, a prospective study was undertaken to find the association between SBP and renal resistive index (RI) in naturally occurring cases of canine systemic hypertension. Based on the ACVIM guidelines 2018, dogs (n=135) were categorized into four risk groups of SBP, viz., A (minimal), B (low), C (moderate), and D (high). Ophthalmoscopy and echocardiography were used to assess ocular and cardiac changes, respectively. Nephrosonography, urinalysis, and RI were used to assess kidney damage. Odds ratio (OR) was used to quantify the risk of TOD for different categories of SBP. One-way Anova with Tukey's post-hoc test was used to test the effect of different SBP risk groups on urine protein creatinine ratio (UPC) and RI as well as the effect of number of TOD on the RI. Pearson's correlation test was done to see the relation of SBP with UPC and RI. Tortuous retinal vessels were common in group B with an OR of 11 (95% CI: 0.59-207). Retinal hemorrhage and left ventricular hypertrophy were common in group D with an OR of 13 (95% CI: 0.67-234) and 11 (95% CI: 0.61-207), respectively. A significant strong positive correlation of SBP with UPC (R2=0.65) and RI (R2=0.58) was observed. The renal RI significantly increased when the number of TOD was ≥ 2. It was concluded that SBP and RI are associated with the number and severity of TOD and might be valuable in risk classification in hypertensive dogs.

Functional status and quality of life of women with infertility in Southern Ghana: A cross-sectional study

Background: The desire to have children seems more intense in cultures that perceive childbearing as the primary reason for marriage. In such cultures, infertility reduces the functional status of women. Objective: This study investigated the relationship between functional status and quality of life of women with infertility in selected fertility centres in Ghana. Methods: A total of 167 women were recruited from four infertility treatment hospitals in Southern Ghana. Two standardised questionnaires were used: Functional Status and the Fertility Quality of Life questionnaire (FertiQol). A cross-sectional design was used to examine the relationship between functional status and fertility-related quality of life (FertiQol). Pearson product-moment correlation and multilinear regression analysis were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20.0. Results: The result of the Pearson product-moment correlation showed a statistically significant strong positive correlation between mental health and core areas (emotional, mind/body, relational and social) of fertility-related QoL (r=0.616, p&lt;0.001). The regression analysis indicated the demographic characteristics and functional status of the women collectively explained approximately 44% of the variance in the women's Core FertiQoL (R2 = 0.437, F (12, 125) = 8.081, p &lt; 0.001). Individual evaluation of the predictors showed that mental health (p &lt;0.001) and quality of social interaction (p= 0.005) statistically significantly contributed to the functional status of the women. Conclusion: The findings suggest that to improve the quality of life (QoL)of women's infertility, their quality of social interaction, mental health, and work performance should be considered in their treatment and general care.

Effects of kidney perfusion on renal stiffness and tissue fluidity measured with tomoelastography in an MRI-compatible ex vivo model.

Stiffness plays a vital role in diagnosing renal fibrosis. However, perfusion influences renal stiffness in various chronic kidney diseases. Therefore, we aimed to characterize the effect of tissue perfusion on renal stiffness and tissue fluidity measured by tomoelastography based on multifrequency magnetic resonance elastography in an ex vivo model. Five porcine kidneys were perfused ex vivo in an MRI-compatible normothermic machine perfusion setup with adjusted blood pressure in the 50/10-160/120mmHg range. Simultaneously, renal cortical and medullary stiffness and fluidity were obtained by tomoelastography. For the cortex, a statistically significant (p < 0.001) strong positive correlation was observed between both perfusion parameters (blood pressure and resulting flow) and stiffness (r = 0.95, 0.91), as well as fluidity (r = 0.96, 0.92). For the medulla, such significant (p < 0.001) correlations were solely observed between the perfusion parameters and stiffness (r = 0.88, 0.71). Our findings demonstrate a strong perfusion dependency of renal stiffness and fluidity in an ex vivo setup. Moreover, changes in perfusion are rapidly followed by changes in renal mechanical properties-highlighting the sensitivity of tomoelastography to fluid pressure and the potential need for correcting mechanics-derived imaging biomarkers when addressing solid structures in renal tissue.

A Study on Morphological and Morphometrical Parameters on the Skull of the Konya Merino Sheep

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to determine the craniometric measurements of the skull of the Konya Merino breed and to reveal the differences between it and other sheep breeds. &#x0D; Material-Method: For this study, ten Konya merino heads were used and craniometric measurements were made from 46 points on the skull. &#x0D; Result: In the study, the skull length of the Konya merino was 274.03 ± 5.23, the frontal width (ectorbitale – ectorbitale) which is the widest region of the skull 123.47 ± 2.60, zygomatic width (the distance between two zygomatic arches) 110.30 ± 1.96 and the distance between the foramen supraorbitales 49.06 ± 2.38. has been found to be. It was determined that both the fronto-nasal and palato-maxillar sutures resembled the letter "V" in Konya merino, while the pariato-frontal suture was in the form of a straight line. When the correlation between index values was examined, it was seen that there was a statistically significant strong positive correlation between I1 (Nasal index) and I2 (Facial Index), but the relationship between other examined features was insignificant. When the statistically significant correlation values of the skull measurements are examined, it is seen that there is a strong negative or positive correlation between the features. While the highest positive correlation was between L5 (premolare – prosthion) and L39 (greatest palatal breadth (measured across the outer borders of the alveoli) features (0.943), the highest negative correlation was L33 (greatest neurocranium breadth-greatest breadth of the alveoli)). braincase (euryon - euryon) and L46 (supraorbital foramina distance) features were found to be (-0.908). &#x0D; Conclusion: As a result, in this study, it is thought that the difference in the craniometric values of Konya merino, which is accepted as the native breed of Turkey, with other sheep breeds, depending on the skull morphology, may be caused by the breed of sheep.

Thermal Balance in Male Water Buffaloes Transported by Long and Short Journeys.

Transport is a stressor that can cause physiological and metabolic imbalances in livestock, resulting in stress-induced hyperthermia. In water buffaloes, studies regarding the thermal state of animals during mobilization are scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the thermal response of 1516 water buffaloes using infrared thermography (IRT) during 15 short trips (783 animals, 60,291 records, average duration = 50.33 min ± 5.48 min) and 14 long trips (733 animals, 56,441 records, average duration = 13.31 h ± 47.32 min). The surface temperature was assessed in 11 regions (periocular, lacrimal caruncle, nasal, lower eyelid, auricular, frontal-parietal, pelvic limb, torso, abdominal, lumbar, and thoracic) during seven phases from pasture to post-transport. It was found that the surface temperature of the periocular, lacrimal caruncle, nasal, auricular, frontal-parietal, pelvic limb, torso, abdominal, lumbar, and thoracic regions was significantly higher during SJs (+3 °C) when compared to LJs (p < 0.0001). In particular, the frontal-parietal region had a significant increase of 10 °C during the post-transport phase (p < 0.0001) in both groups, recording the highest temperatures during this phase. Likewise, a strong positive significant correlation between the different regions was found (r = 0.90, p < 0.0001). It is worth mentioning that the herding, loading, pre-, and post-transport phases were the ones where the greatest thermal response was recorded, possibly due to the influence of human interaction. Finally, a strong positive correlation (r above 0.9, p > 0.001) between the periocular, lacrimal caruncle, pinna, and pelvic limb was found. According to the results, SJ could be considered a stressful event that hinders thermal generation, contrarily to LJ.

Sonographic evaluation of maternal blood loss after childbirth using postpartum inferior vena cava diameter among parturients in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria

Postpartum hemorrhage has been a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality globally every year. Sonographic measurement of inferior vena cava diameter is a cheap, safe, non-invasive method and an indicator of blood loss after childbirth. The study was aimed to establish normal range values of postpartum inferior vena cava (IVC) among parturients in Kano metropolis, Nigeria. A prospective and longitudinal study from September, 2021 to September, 2022 was adopted and a minimum sample size of 210 measurements of IVC intraluminal diameter was calculated for the study using G Power sample size software. The sample comprised of two sets measurements obtained from 105 parturients before delivery and after delivery. The maternal heart rate and systolic blood pressure were measured. Blood samples from all subjects were collected. The data was analyzed using IBM Statistical Software. The range value of IVC diameter on inspiration of the subjects before childbirth was 13.2 mm – 20.3 mm, after childbirth was 9.1 mm – 16.7 mm. The IVC diameter range on expiration before childbirth was 17.3 mm – 24.8 mm, after childbirth was 12.6 mm – 21.4 mm. The Packed Cell Volume (PCV) range of the subjects before childbirth was 35% – 40%, after childbirth was 18% – 33%. The heart rate before childbirth was 64 bpm – 100 bpm, after childbirth was 70 bpm – 100 bpm. The systolic blood pressure before childbirth was 110 mmHg – 120 mmHg, after childbirth was 90 mmHg – 120 mmHg. The shock index before childbirth was 0.5 – 0.9 and after childbirth was 0.6 – 0.9. A statistical significant (p&lt;0.001) difference in IVC was observed. Furthermore, a statistical significant (p&lt;0.001) difference was obtained in PCV, maternal heart rate, systolic blood pressure and shock index. There was a statistical significant strong positive correlation between IVC and PCV during inspiration and expiration before and after childbirth.

Correlation between the shear modulus measured by elastography (SSI) and tangent modulus from tensile tests of in vitro fresh-frozen human tendons

Assessing the mechanical properties of tendons in vivo allows for quantifying the degree of pathology and tracking functional improvements. The Supersonic Shearwave Imaging (SSI) technique is a state-of-the-art method for analyzing musculoskeletal tissues in vivo. This technique estimates tissue stiffness as the shear elastic modulus µ [kPa]. However, only a few studies have validated the accuracy of SSI-estimated shear modulus against the gold standard for in vitro material testing, the tensile test. This study compared the SSI-measured shear elastic modulus (µ) with the tangent modulus (Etan) obtained from mechanical tensile tests for human Achilles (AT) and patellar tendons (PT). The sample comprised eleven fresh-frozen human Achilles tendons and five fresh-frozen human patellar tendons from cadavers that were not degraded by formalin or ionizing radiation. The tendons were tested in a tensile machine, and elastography videos were collected and segmented every 5% of the total experiment time. The absolute µ values estimated from both instruments presented an up to 20-fold difference. However, a strong significant positive correlation was found between µ and Etan for both tendons (range AT: R = 0.9765–0.9972 and PT: R = 0.8719–0.9782). The two resulting curves (µ and Etan) as a function of strain (ε) were normalized by their maxima for visually comparing stiffness × strain profiles. In conclusion, despite the inaccurate absolute values, SSI has been shown to measure relative changes in human Achilles and patellar tendon stiffness. This study endorses future clinical use of SSI to provide in vivo estimations of human tendons’ mechanical properties.

The effect of bags law on environmental behavior and habits-Mersin example

The use of plastic bags (PB) has increased continuously over time because of their multipurpose property. Due to its environmental effects, Türkiye has approved a new law to limit the use of plastic bags. According to the approved Turkish plastic bags law (PBL), plastic bags of 15 microns or more are prohibited from being given to the customer free of charge. The new law’s effects were investigated by applying a face-to-face survey consisting of 13 questions to 1537 people in four districts close to Mersin city center. In addition to that, field surveys were managed to the common markets in the target area. From the target sample, 159 males and 128 females had not bought the PB after the law. Whereas 184 males and 178 females had bought PB for 10 times or more. The monthly income has a weak correlation with the plastic bags purchasing times. Families with 1-3 capita, 4-6 capita, and larger families who never bought plastic bags have moderate negative correlations. Families with 4-6 capita and larger families have a significant strong positive correlation at the (P

Risk Perception, Fear and Anxiety of COVID-19 among Antenatal Mothers

Background: COVID-19 is a new disease and is having the most devastating effects globally, its emergence and spread are causing confusion, anxiety and fear among the general public. Antenatal mothers are the most critical population group which needs additional precautions against COVID-19 due to risk of vertical transmission. The prenatal anxiety, depression and stress are also considered as prevalent health issues among pregnant women. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the risk perception, fear and anxiety of COVID-19 among antenatal mothers, to find out relationship between risk perception, levels of fear and anxiety among antenatal mothers and to measure association between risk perception, fear and anxiety with selected variables. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was used to assess among antenatal mothers using non-probability convenient sampling technique in Antenatal OPD of Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital Research Centre, Kaski District. Data was collected by using semi-structured interview with Likert scale to measure risk perception, fear and anxiety among antenatal mothers. Results: Most of the respondents (83.3 %) had low, 9.3% had moderate, 7.4% had high perceived score. Three fourth of the respondents (71%) had mild to moderate fear with mean FCOVID-19 score of 2-3, 17.3% had score of 1 and only 11.7% had 4-5 FCOVID-19 score. Almost half of the respondents (46.3%) had no or little anxiety, 26.5% had moderate anxiety, 21.6% had mild anxiety and 5.6% had severe anxiety disorder. There was significant strong positive correlation among risk perception, fear and anxiety (p- value &lt;0.05). There was a significant association between ethnicity and generalized anxiety disorder, education level and fear, occupation and risk perception, family type and generalized anxiety disorder (p-value &lt;0.05).

The Correlation between Green Fodder Yield and Fodder Quality Traits in Hybrids of Pearl Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.

Pearl millet is an ideal fodder crop having highly shiny, lush, palatable, nutrient- dense, excellent silage and biomass production potential and bestowed with various essential nutrients required for the livestock. The study material consists of 54 fodder pearl millet hybrids obtained through the hybridisation between 15 selected superior parents from ICRISAT gene-pool as well as gene pool of Department of Forage Crops, TNAU, Coimbatore. For the better understanding of the relationship between green fodder yield per plant, its contributing traits and various quality traits, genetic parameters such as genotypic and phenotypic correlation as well as path coefficients were analysed. Correlation studies revealed that out of all the seventeen biometric traits studied, all the traits are shown positive correlation with green fodder yield per plant whereas fifteen traits are found to have significant positive correlation with green fodder yield per plant. Ash content (rg =0.855), dry fodder yield per plant (rg =0.850), leaf-stem ratio (rg =0.710) have shown very strong significant positive correlation and plant height (rg =0.641), days to green fodder harvest (rg =0.630), stem girth (rg =0.616) and days to fifty per cent flowering (rg =0.606) have recorded with moderately strong significant positive correlation with green fodder yield per plant. Number of tillers per plant (0.859), internode length (0.574), ash content (0.421) and dry fodder yield per plant (0.372) revealed highly positive direct effects with green fodder yield per plant. Hence, selection for traits exhibiting positive association and direct effects for green fodder yield would help the breeder to enhance it further.

Sense of coherence and health in adolescents: a longitudinal cohort study

Objective Several studies indicate an association between adolescents’ sense of coherence (SOC) and health. However, a few longitudinal studies have been conducted. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between SOC and health among adolescents during secondary education. Methods Participants of longitudinal cohort study were followed by questionnaires at the age of 15 (N = 441), and 17 (N = 354). The data were analyzed using the methods of descriptive and inferential statistics. We used hierarchical regression to examine significant predictors of health. Results Adolescents’ SOC was stable during the analyzed two-year period (128.84 ± 22.17; 129.24 ± 23.06). A strong significant positive correlation was found between SOC and mental health (r = 0.635, p<.001; r = 0.670, p<.001). A significant difference was found between adolescents with a low SOC and those with a high SOC in physical functioning (p<.018), general health (p<.001), vitality (p<.001), social functioning (p<.001), emotional role functioning (p<.013) and mental health (p<.001). Boys had higher SOC and most of the health dimensions. Having a stronger SOC, being male, and living with both parents were predictors of better mental health. Conclusions Sense of coherence was a significant and stable factor associated with mental health. Thus, salutogenic interventions for improving the sense of coherence during adolescence should be explored.

Association of Thyroid Function With Lipid Profile in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study in the Indian Population.

Introduction Metabolic syndrome is a group of aberrant metabolic indicators including hypertension, dyslipidemia, impaired fasting blood glucose, and obesity. It has been reported that thyroid hormones have a strong influence on the cardiovascular system, and hypothyroidism has been linked to metabolic syndrome components. The objective of the study was to find out the association of thyroid function with lipid profile in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in an apparently healthy adult population visiting the outpatient Department of Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS), Patna, Bihar, India. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. Fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, and HDL levels were tested using the enzymatic photometric method. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T4, free T3, and insulin assays were performed using chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA). Results Out of 197 subjects recruited, 86 (51 males and 35 females) were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome according to the IDF criteria, and the rest 111 without metabolic syndrome were considered to be the controls. The mean age of subjects with and without metabolic syndrome was 45.8±8.5 and 46.4±9.6 years, respectively. The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the present study was 22%. In subjects with metabolic syndrome, most of the clinical and hormonal parameters (waist circumference, waist-height ratio, fasting blood sugar, fasting insulin, triglycerides, T3, and TSH) were significantly higher (p<0.001) as compared to those without metabolic syndrome. In case of lipid profile, the triglycerides in those with metabolic syndrome (262.8±112.3 mg/dL) were significantly higher (p<0.001) than those without metabolic syndrome (137.9±19.01 mg/dL), while the serum levels of HDL were significantly higher (p<0.001) in group without metabolic syndrome (50.5±3.9 mg/dL) as compared to those with metabolic syndrome (43.4±5.2 mg/dL). Also, the TSH levels were significantly higher (p<0.001) in subjects with metabolic syndrome (5.3±3.4 μl/mL) as compared to those without metabolic syndrome (2.6±1.4 μl/mL). Among all the components of metabolic syndrome, waist circumference and HDL showed a significant strong positive correlation (r=0.51) with TSH, and systolic blood pressure (r=0.39), diastolic blood pressure (r=0.39), and fasting blood sugar levels (r=0.44) showed significantly moderate positive correlation with TSH levels. T4 (OR=8.82; 95% CI: 1.56-49.8) and TSH (OR=1.61; 95% CI: 1.19-2.18) levels were observed to have significantly higher odds as risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Conclusion There is a significant association of thyroid function with lipid profile in metabolic syndrome. It was observed that along with metabolic alterations, cardiovascular symptoms of hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism are possible. Therefore, while evaluating people with metabolic syndrome, it may be appropriate to look into how well their thyroid glands are functioning.

Peripheral Eosinophilia as an Ominous Marker of Poor Quality of Life: A Cross-Sectional Study Evaluating the Correlation Between Absolute Eosinophilia and Dermatology Life Quality Index in Various Pruritic Dermatoses

Background: Eosinophils are multifunctional cells of innate immunity and play a pivotal role in allergic, antiparasitic, phagocytotic, and tissue repair functions. These cells are sentinel mediators of pruritus. The increase in the absolute eosinophil count (AEC) in pruritic dermatoses is considered an objective marker of disease severity. The dermatology life quality index (DLQI) is a questionnaire assessing subjective impairment in quality of life. Objectives: To assess the correlation between AEC and DLQI in pruritic dermatoses. Methods: This cross-sectional observational-correlational study was carried out over a period of 6 months in a tertiary care center on 100 patients diagnosed with various clinical forms of pruritic dermatoses after obtaining informed consent. The DLQI score was calculated using a pre-validated questionnaire followed by the determination of AEC in whole blood samples. Results: Most patients had inflammatory diseases (26%), followed by infections (16%) and urticaria (14%). Mild eosinophilia was observed in 28% of cases, moderate eosinophilia in 22%, and severe eosinophilia in 6% of the cases. In terms of the DLQI score, the impact of the disease on quality of life was profound in 37% of the patients and enormous among 12% of them. Quality of life was unaffected in 5% of the cases. Overall, there was a significant strong positive correlation between AEC and DLQI (r = 0.649, P &lt; 0.0001). Conclusions: A significant correlation was noticed between AEC and subjective DLQI as a marker of disease burden in various forms of pruritic dermatoses. Thus, AEC can be regarded as a perceived marker of disease prognostication, an objective equivalent to quality of life, and, most importantly, a potential target for therapeutic interventions.

Validation of the ACL-RSI Scale in Pediatric and Adolescent Patients

Background: The Anterior Cruciate Ligament–Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) scale is a 12-item questionnaire assessing psychological readiness to return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. It has been validated for use in adults in multiple languages and in an abbreviated 6-question short form. Additionally, literature has been published using this scale in pediatric and adolescent populations, however it has not yet been validated for use with them. Purpose: To validate the ACL-RSI scale for use with pediatric and adolescent patients. Study Design: Cohort study (Diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Scores of 6- and 12-item ACL-RSI scales for patients undergoing return-to-sport readiness testing 6 to 8 months after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were analyzed. Convergent validity testing was performed against the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC)/Pediatric IKDC score, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) score, and peak torque asymmetry of knee flexion and extension using Spearman correlations. Discriminant validity testing was performed against age (Spearman correlation), body mass index (Spearman correlation), and sex (Mann-Whitney U test). Reliability testing was performed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha. Floor and ceiling effects were assessed by calculating the number of minimum and maximum scores in the cohort. Results: A total of 51 patients were included in the final analysis. The mean age at surgery was 15.2 ± 2.2 years, and 51.0% were female. The 6- and 12-item ACL-RSI scales demonstrated a strong significant positive correlation with IKDC/Pediatric IKDC scores (R = 0.723 and 0.717, respectively; P < .001) and moderate significant positive correlation with Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores (R = 0.516 and 0.502, respectively; P < .001) Age at surgery, body mass index, and sex were not correlated with either ACL-RSI scale. Cronbach’s alpha values of the 12- and 6-item ACL-RSI scales in this population were 0.959 and 0.897, respectively. For both the 12- and the 6-item ACL-RSI scales, no floor or ceiling effects were found as the minimum score (0) was not observed in either version, and the maximum score (100) was only observed twice (3.9%) in both versions. Conclusion: The ACL-RSI scale is valid to use with pediatric and adolescent patients. The 6-item scale may be a better choice because it has fewer redundancies and minimizes the risk of questionnaire fatigue.

Language Assessment in Children with Stuttering

Abstract Background The incidence rate of stuttering is 5% among preschool children and about 1% among adults. Although the cause of stuttering has not been identified, a multifactorial hypothesis of stuttering has gained acceptance. Aim of the Work To evaluate and to assess language in children with stuttering. Patients and Methods This analytical (observational) cross sectional study was carried out at the outpatient clinic of Phoniatrics unit, ENT department, Ain Shams University Hospitals, included 30 children with stuttering as a case group, in addition to 30 healthy age and sex matched controls. Each child in the studied group was subjected to the protocol of assessment of fluency disorders (Kotby et al., 2015). Results In the current study, there was no statistically significant difference in the severity of stuttering between boys and girls with stuttering included in the current study. There was high statistically significant difference between the studied two groups regarding phonology and syntax. There was a statistically significant strong positive correlation between chronological age with receptive language age (p &amp;lt; 0.001), expressive language age and total language age (p &amp;lt; 0.001). There was a statistically significant strong positive correlation between receptive language age and expressive language age and total language age (p &amp;lt; 0.001). Conclusion Language is markedly affected among stuttering children in comparison to healthy control group. Recommendation Early diagnosis and assessment of stuttering is essential for proper intervention before language and behavioral deterioration.

BASET scoring: A novel simple biometric score for screening and grading obstructive sleep apnea

BackgroundPolysomnography (PSG) is the gold-standard diagnostic tool for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). However, the availability of PSG is limited, and OSA is widely underdiagnosed; more than 80% of most developed nations undiagnosed. There is no diagnostic validated simple tool with clear cutoff point for predicting and roll out patient with OSA in primary care clinics significantly alters clinical outcomes. ObjectivesOur study aimed to assess the validity of BASET scoring as a new potential tool for screening and grading the severity of OSA patients. MethodsAfter institution review board approval and formal patient consent, 144 subjects for suspected OSA and their relatives were enrolled. All subjects were subjected to a full night PSG study after history taking, sleep questionnaires, and physical examination, including BASET score components: B= Body Mass Index (BMI), A= Abdominal circumference (AC), S = Snoring, E= Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and T= Tongue teeth imprint. ROC analysis that used to assess the optimal cutoff point of the BASET score and to compare its accuracy for predicting OSA with Berlin and STOP-Bang scores. ResultsThis study included 63 OSAS patients, 33 (52.38%) males and 30 (47.62%) females, and 81 controls; 22 (27.16%) males and 50 (72.84%) females. The Cronbach's alpha for the 5 BASET score components was 0.846, indicating the internal consistency reliability of the scale. Moreover, BASET score has a moderately strong positive significant correlation (r = 0.778, p<0.001) with AHI. By ROC analysis, the accuracy of the three measures was generally high, with BASET score predicting OSA most accurately (AUC=0.984, 95%CI: 0.956–0.999), followed by STOP-Bang (AUC=0.939, 95%CI: (0.887–0.972) and Berlin (AUC=0.901, 95%CI: 0.841–0.945). The AUC of BASET score was significantly higher compared to the Berlin score (difference= 0.0825, 95%CI: 0.039–0.125) and STOP-Bang score (difference= 0.0447, 95%CI: 0.011–0.078). On the other hand, there was no difference between the AUC of Berlin and STOP-Bang scores (difference=0.0378, 95%CI: 0.006 - 0.081 4). BASET score was significantly (p<0.001) associated with OSA grades, ConclusionBASET score is a convenient, reliable, and valid tool for diagnosing OSA. BASET score is more accurate for predicting OSA than Berlin and STOP-Bang scores, while there is no difference between Berlin and STOP-Bang scores. BASET score indicates OSA grades. Registration of clinical trials by numberNCT05511974. Name of the registryClinicalTrials.gov URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/

Monitoring and investigating the alpha emitter’s concentration in toothpaste and teeth, using CR-39 NTDs

ABSTRACT Toothpaste has importance in environmental and biological studies because of its daily usage by humans and its ability to transport radon gas to the teeth when this sample contains radiation like alpha particles; therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine and measure the concentration of radon concentration (alpha particles) emitters from the toothpaste samples with the impact of radioactivity in the toothpaste on the teeth and transfer this effect to the teeth of the volunteer, by using CR-39 NTDs and natural method (passive method) and PVC tube. The alpha emitter’s concentration in the toothpaste samples varies from 0.3557 to 0.7193 ppm and in teeth samples from 0.0089 ppm to 0.0161 ppm. The results showed that the radon concentration in toothpaste samples was lower than the global permissibility limiting of exposure to radon 200 Bq m−3 and the average annual effective dose in the studied samples was in the range of about (1.837 mSvy−1), which was below range (3–10 mSvy−1) reported by the ICRP (1993). Therefore, there is no evidence of health problems and human teeth in safe. A significant strong positive correlation was found (r = 1, p < 0.000) between the concentrations of alpha emitters in toothpaste and in teeth, depending on the volunteer’s age, the allergic reaction of the body to radiation because the concentrations of alpha emitters increase with an increase in age.

Comparing Anxiety Levels during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Mothers of Children with and without Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly burdened families, perhaps even more for parents of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. This research aims to determine the anxiety levels in mothers of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (autism spectrum disorder and specific language impairment) and mothers of typically developed children. The cross-sectional study comprised 280 mothers from the period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia. A confidential survey included main demographic data and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Results revealed that the mean levels of STAI-S and STAI-T are elevated in the observed sample of mothers in the first pandemic wave; the STAI-S level is in the high category (STAI-S mean = 46.69), while STAI-T is in the intermediate category near the cut-off value for the high level (STAI-T mean = 43.04). A statistically significant strong positive correlation between STAI-S and STAI-T is seen (r = 0.802, p = 0.001). GLMM analysis revealed that interactions, rather than independent variables, significantly impact anxiety, implying a complex relationship between the observed variables and STAI. Compared with the results from the pre-pandemic study, our findings reveal that COVID-19 affects mothers of children with and without neurodevelopmental disorders in a complex manner, imposing a need for psychological support, which may positively affect mothers' mental health and the development of their offspring.

Lipid profiles and their relation to glycemic control in Saudi Arabia: The role of altitudes and environmental factor.

The height from sea levels, environmental factors, human-environment interactions, and lifestyle significantly influence the lipid profile and glycemic control of a population. This study aims to explore the influence of altitude on lipid profiles and glycemic control among the Saudi population at sea level and high altitude. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, a large dataset of patients of both gender and over 30 years old attending internal medicine clinics from two different regions at different heights from sea level, Jeddah (sea level) and Asir region (high altitudes) and referred to commercial laboratories for glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and lipids profile. Compared to the Asir region, the Jeddah region had significantly higher mean values for fasting blood sugar (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) (P < 0.05). Every 1 mg/dL increase in FBG results in a 0.662 mg/dL increase in TG from the Jeddah region. However, it was a 0.318 mg/dL increase in TG from the Asir region. HbA1c demonstrated a significant (P < 0.05) strong positive correlation with TC, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and lipid ratio. FBG levels were also associated with a high level of TC/HDL-C (β = 0.137 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.11-0.21; P < 0.05), LDL-C/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (β = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.31-1.49; P < 0.05), and TG/HDL-C (β = 0.14; 95% CI = 0.12-0.15; P < 0.05) in Jeddah region. However, significantly high blood pressure was observed in the population from high altitudes. Our results demonstrated a significant positive correlation between lipid profile and glycemic control with high prevalence at sea level.