Valid Test Research Articles

Experiences of Adversity and Validity of Baseline Concussion Testing.

Neurocognitive testing is a critical tool in the management of sport-related concussions. Adversity during childhood and adolescence affects cognitive tasks, behavioral outcomes, and academic performance. Adversity may be important in baseline concussion test validity as well; however, the influence of these experiences is not well understood. To examine the relationship between individual-level experiences of adversity and baseline test validity of Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT). We hypothesized that experiences of poverty, maltreatment, or extreme neighborhood deprivation would be associated with lower odds of baseline test validity. Case-control study. Cuyahoga County, Ohio. A total of 6495 student-athletes born from 1995 through 2005 who completed a baseline ImPACT test between 10 and 18 years old and were identified in the Child-Household Integrated Longitudinal Data system, a comprehensive data system with demographic and social service usage outcomes for children in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Baseline concussion test validity was determined using the ImPACT built-in validity measure. Experiences of adversity during the sensitive developmental periods of early childhood and adolescence were key independent variables. Our findings suggested that social mobility may play an important role in baseline validity. Youth with upward social mobility (ie, poverty or neighborhood deprivation in early childhood only) were not different from youth without such experiences (odds ratio [OR] = 0.91, P = .74). Youth with persistent adversity across childhood or downward social mobility (ie, poverty or high neighborhood deprivation in adolescence only) had 50% to 72% lower odds of achieving a valid baseline test (persistent poverty, OR = 0.59, P = .05; adolescent poverty only, OR = 0.50, P = .004; adolescent neighborhood deprivation only, OR = 0.28, P < .001). Maltreatment had no significant effect on test validity. These findings indicated that certain patterns of adversity may predispose youth to invalid baseline testing scores, potentially increasing their risk of inappropriate injury management and poor outcomes.

Development of Learning Media Based on Video Tutorials on the Subjects of Software Applications and Building Interior Design at SMK Negeri 1 Sumatera Barat

This research was motivated by the problem encountered, namely the lack of use of media in the learning process of Software Applications and Building Interior Design. This research uses the type of research and development (R&amp;D). This development model refers to the development model (DDD-E) with 4 stages, namely Decide, Design, Development, Evaluate. The subjects of this research were media experts, material experts and class XII Competency Design Skills Modeling and Building Information, SMK Negeri 1 Sumatera Barat, 30 students. This research instrument is in the form of a validation sheet to obtain product validation data, and a student respondent questionnaire to obtain product practicality test results. The research results show that the validity of the material is in the very valid category with an achievement level of 88.4%. Media validity with an achievement level of 90.65% in the very valid category and practicality test with an achievement level of 89.53% in the very practical category. The conclusion of this research is that the learning media developed is valid and practical for use in the learning process Software Application and Building Interior Design class XII Competency Design Skills Modeling and Building Information, SMK Negeri 1 Sumatera Barat.

Turkish adaptation of the Fall Prevention Knowledge Test

Purpose: This study aims to test the Turkish validity and reliability of the Fall Prevention Knowledge Test assessing the knowledge level of nurses in the clinical setting regarding fall prevention. &#x0D; Materials and Methods: This study was carried out with nurses working at a university hospital between 16 February and 31 March 2022. The study group consisted of 250 nurses, who had been working as nurses for at least six months and voluntarily agreed to participate in the study. The study data was collected by using The Nurse Information Form and Fall Prevention Knowledge Test. Content validity, item difficulty and item discrimination indices, KR-20 coefficient, and intra-class correlation coefficient were used in the data analyses. &#x0D; Results: It was determined that 75.2% of the nurses participating in the study were female, 50.8% were married, and 75.6% had a bachelor’s degree. The mean age of the nurses participating in the present study was 29.22±6.55 years, the mean work experience was 6.84±6.60 years, and the mean weekly working hours were 44.10±6.76 hours. It was found that 96.8% of the nurses knew about the risk of fall, and 96.0% knew about fall prevention practices. The content validity index of the test was found to be 0.836 and the KR-20 reliability coefficient for the scale was calculated to be 0.713.&#x0D; Conclusions: The Fall Prevention Knowledge Test (11 items) is a valid and reliable test for measuring the knowledge level of nurses working in hospitals in Türkiye.

Prevalence and Determinants of Cervicovaginal, Oral, and Anal Human Papillomavirus Infection in a Population of Transgender and Gender Diverse People Assigned Female at Birth.

Purpose: The human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervicovaginal, oral, and anogenital cancer, and cervical cancer screening options include HPV testing of a clinician-collected sample. Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people assigned female at birth (AFAB) face many barriers to preventive care, including cancer screening. Self-sampling options may increase access and participation in HPV testing and cancer screening. This study estimated the prevalence of HPV in self-collected cervicovaginal, oral, and anal samples from Midwestern TGD individuals AFAB. Methods: We recruited TGD individuals AFAB for an observational study, mailing them materials to self-collect cervicovaginal, oral, and anal samples at home. We tested samples for high-risk (HR; 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59) and other HPV genotypes (6, 11, 66, 68, 73, 90) using a polymerase chain reaction mass array test. Prevalence ratios for HPV infection at each site as a function of participant characteristics were estimated in log-binomial models. Results: Out of 137 consenting participants, 102 completed sample collection. Among those with valid tests, 8.8% (HR = 6.6%; HPV 16/18 = 3.3%) were positive for oral HPV, 30.5% (HR = 26.8%; HPV 16/18 = 9.7%) for cervicovaginal HPV, and 39.6% (HR = 33.3%; HPV 16/18 = 8.3%) for anal HPV. A larger fraction of oral (71.4%) than anal infections (50.0%) were concordant with a cervicovaginal infection of the same type. Conclusions: We detected HR cervicovaginal, oral, and anal HPV in TGD people AFAB. It is essential that we reduce barriers to cancer screening for TGD populations, such as through the development of a clinically approved self-screening HPV test.

Abstract 4957: DNA quality control metrics in cryopreserved tissue outperform DNA extracted from FFPE tissue

Abstract Personalized cancer care requires molecular characterization of neoplasms. While the research community accepts frozen tissues as the gold standard analyte for molecular assays, the source of tissue for testing of tumor tissue in clinical cancer care comes primarily from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE). Specific to genomics assays, numerous studies have shown significant discordance in genetic information obtained from FFPE samples and frozen samples. To explain the discordance between FFPE samples and cryopreserved samples, a head-to-head comparison between FFPE and cryopreserved tissues was performed to analyze the DNA yield, DNA purity and DNA quality in terms of DNA length. Additionally, short-read sequencing was performed on matched samples and quality control metrics were compared between the two sample types. Matched human tumors (n = 50) were processed either by formalin fixation and paraffin embedding or placed in cryovials containing cryopreservation medium. These cryovials were cooled slowly to -80°C and stored in liquid nitrogen. DNA was extracted using the same protocol for both tissue types with the exception that tissues embedded in paraffin were first dewaxed followed by a multistep rehydration protocol. Samples were weighed and calibrated for mass. After the column purification and elution, sample concentration and purity were measured. DNA fragment length was measured on a fragment microelectrophoresis analyzer. Graded amounts of tumor tissue were used to determine the lowest starting material needed to extract 200 ng of DNA. The average of all the samples reached the minimal threshold of 200 ng. However,74% of FFPE specimens failed to meet the minimum 40 ng/mg, whereas only 21% were below the threshold in the cryopreserved samples. In the cryopreserved group, the average DNA yield was 222.1 ng/mg, whereas 52.8 ng/mg was obtained from FFPE tissue. For DNA purity in cryopreserved tissues, the 260/280 ratio was 1.76, and in FFPE tissues the mean was 1.78. The DNA Quality Number (DQN) is a measurement of DNA fragment length and the percentage that exceeds the threshold of 300 bp. For FFPE, the DQN was 4.4 compared to a DQN of 9.8 for the cryopreserved samples. Setting a higher threshold of DNA length to 40,000 bp and measuring the area under the curve (AUC), it was observed that cryopreserved samples were 9-fold higher in fragments greater than 40,000 bp. Cryopreserved cancer tissue provides superior quality assurance measurements of DNA over FFFPE. Treatment decisions based on molecular results demand accuracy and validity. The pathology community should support efforts to cryopreserve cancer biospecimens in the clinical setting to provide valid molecular testing results. The automatic pickling of tumor specimens in formalin is no longer an acceptable default. Citation Format: Jared James Barrott, Nikole O'Neal, Jeffrey Okojie, David Booker, Ken Dixon. DNA quality control metrics in cryopreserved tissue outperform DNA extracted from FFPE tissue [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4957.

Association between change in cardiorespiratory fitness and prostate cancer incidence and mortality in 57 652 Swedish men

ObjectivesTo examine the associations between changes in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in adulthood and prostate cancer incidence and mortality.MethodsIn this prospective study, men who completed an occupational health profile assessment including...

JMLKelinci+: Detecting Semantic Bugs and Covering Branches with Valid Inputs Using Coverage-guided Fuzzing and Runtime Assertion Checking

Testing to detect semantic bugs is essential, especially for critical systems. Coverage-guided fuzzing (CGF) and runtime assertion checking (RAC) are two well-known approaches for detecting semantic bugs. CGF aims to generate test inputs with high code coverage. However, while CGF tools can be equipped with sanitizers to detect a fixed set of semantic bugs, they can otherwise only detect bugs that lead to a crash. Thus, the first problem we address is how to help fuzzers detect previously unknown semantic bugs that do not lead to a crash. Moreover, a CGF tool may not necessarily cover all branches with valid inputs, although invalid inputs are useless for detecting semantic bugs. So, the second problem is how to guide a fuzzer to maximize coverage using only valid inputs. However, RAC monitors the expected behavior of a program dynamically and can only detect a semantic bug when a valid test input shows that the program does not satisfy its specification. Thus, the third problem is how to provide high-quality test inputs for a RAC that can trigger potential bugs. The combination of a CGF tool and RAC solves these problems and can cover branches with valid inputs and detect semantic bugs effectively. Our study uses RAC to guarantee that only valid inputs reach the program under test using the program’s specified preconditions, and it also uses RAC to detect semantic bugs using specified postconditions. A prototype tool was developed for this study, named JMLKelinci+. Our results show that combining a CGF tool with RAC will lead to executing the program under test only with valid inputs and that this technique can effectively detect semantic bugs. Also, this idea improves the feedback given to a CGF tool, enabling it to cover all branches faster in programs with non-trivial preconditions. 1

Validation of a New Method for Continuous Flare Combustion Efficiency Monitoring

A new method is described for calculating flare combustion efficiency (CE) and destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) using a numerical parametric model. The method combines key variables that affect flare performance including the flare vent gas net heating value (NHV), flare design, flow rate, exit velocity, and inert gas composition, alongside the environmental influence of crosswind speed. Each effect is characterized using a parametric model derived from experimental testing data and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The inclusion of CFD allows the model to be extended into the high-wind conditions that cannot be adequately controlled for in empirical testing yet represent some of the most challenging conditions in which to maintain good combustion. This new parametric model method (PMM) is coupled with ultrasonic flowmeters from which the molecular weight and net heating value of the flare gas can be derived using the vent gas speed of sound measurement. In doing so, this method provides a reliable continuous flare combustion efficiency measure that can be deployed at scale with minimum hardware updates. The system was verified using an extractive sampling method with tests conducted on three full-scale industrial flares including non-assisted, single-arm pressure-assisted, and multi-arm pressure-assisted flare designs. A total of seventy valid test points were carried out with varying flow rate and flare gas heating value, covering a CE range from 46–100%. The uncertainty of the method was assessed using both traditional error propagation and Monte Carlo methodology. The results from the new method agree with the extractive method to within 0.8% in the ≥98% DRE region where flares are expected to operate to limit the impacts of flaring as a source of methane as a greenhouse gas. Uncertainty analysis revealed that the larger DRE discrepancy for DRE ≤ 98% correlates to the measurement uncertainties for both methods.

Onward to Better Surgery - the Critical Need for Improved Ex Vivo Testing and Training Methods.

Guided surgery has demonstrated significant improvements in patient outcomes in some disease processes. Interest in this field has led to substantial growth in the technologies under investigation. Most likely no single technology will prove to be "best," and combinations of macro- and microscale guidance-using radiological imaging navigation, probes (activatable, perfusion, and molecular-targeted; large- and small-molecule), autofluorescence, tissue intrinsic optical properties, bioimpedance, and other characteristics-will offer patients and surgeons the greatest opportunity for high-success/low-morbidity medical interventions. Problems are arising, however, from the lack of valid testing formats; surgical training simulators suffer the same problems. Small animal models do not accurately recreate human anatomy, especially in terms of tissue volume. Large animal models are expensive and have difficulty replicating many pathological states, particularly when molecular specificity for individual cancers is required. Furthermore, the sheer number of technologies and the potential for synergistic combination leads to exponential growth of testing requirements that is unrealistic for in vivo testing. Therefore, critical need exists to expand the ex vivo/in vitro testing platforms available to investigators and, once validated, a need to increase the acceptance of these methods for funding and regulatory endpoints. Herein is a review of the available ex vivo/in vitro testing formats for guided surgery, a review of their advantages/disadvantages, and consideration for how our field may safely and more swiftly move forward through stronger adoption of these testing and validation methods.

Six elements test vs D-KEFS: what does "Ecological Validity" tell us?

Extensive research shows that tests of executive functioning (EF) predict instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) but are nevertheless often criticized for having poor ecological validity. The Modified Six Elements Test (MSET) is a pencil-and-paper test that was developed to mimic the demands of daily life, with the assumption that this would result in a more ecologically valid test. Although the MSET has been extensively validated in its ability to capture cognitive deficits in various populations, support for its ability to predict functioning in daily life is mixed. This study aimed to examine the MSET's ability to predict IADLs assessed via three different modalities relative to traditional EF measures. Participants (93 adults aged 60 - 85) completed the MSET, traditional measures of EF (Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System; D-KEFS), and self-reported and performance-based IADLs in the lab. Participants then completed three weeks of IADL tasks at home, using the Daily Assessment of Independent Living and Executive Skills (DAILIES) protocol. The MSET predicted only IADLs completed at home, while the D-KEFS predicted IADLs across all three modalities. Further, the D-KEFS predicted home-based IADLs beyond the MSET when pitted against each other, whereas the MSET did not contribute beyond the D-KEFS. Traditional EF tests (D-KEFS) appear to be superior to the MSET in predicting IADLs in community-dwelling older adults. The present results argue against replacing traditional measures with the MSET when addressing functional independence of generally high-functioning and cognitive healthy older adult patients.

Evaluation of Routine Urine Analysis in Diagnosing Urinary Tract Infection among Pediatric Population: A Validation Study

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) stands out as one of the most common bacterial infections affecting children below the age of five. A valid diagnostic test for UTI is of utmost importance for avoiding bacterial resistance.Objectives: To assess the diagnostic efficacy of routine urine examinations in detecting urinary tract infections in pediatric patients, employing urine culture as the reference standardMaterial and Methods: This diagnostic study was conducted at leady reading hospital, Peshawar. The study employed a non-probability consecutive sampling technique and included 130 children between the ages of 1 and 5 years, regardless of gender, who exhibited symptoms suggestive of urinary tract infections. Exclusion criteria comprised children who had taken antibiotics within the past 48 hours, those with congenital renal anomalies such as renal or renal tumors, renal tract obstruction, and acute renal failure. All participants underwent urine regular examination and urine culture. Sensitivities, specificities, and accuracy were calculated, and the data was further stratified based on gender and age.Results: The mean age of the participants was 2.646±1.32 years. The males were predominant (n-86, 66.2%). The urine examination demonstrated a specificity of 90.91% and a sensitivity of 58.06% in detecting urinary tract infections. A statistically significant difference was observed when comparing the diagnosis of Urinary tract infections using urine culture and urine examination.Conclusion: While urine examinations exhibit satisfactory specificity, their sensitivity is insufficient to be utilized as a reliable diagnostic test for detecting urinary tract infections in children. Clinicians are advised to depend on urine culture for accurate diagnosis in such cases.Keywords: Diagnostic accuracy, Pediatrics, Urine Microbiology, Urinalysis, Urinary tract infection.

Critical lessons from a pragmatic randomized trial of home-based COVID-19 testing in rural Native American and Latino communities.

Native Americans and Latinos have higher COVID-19 infection and mortality rates and may have limited access to diagnostic testing. Home-based testing may improve access to care in rural and underserved populations. This study tests the effect of community health worker (CHW) support on accessibility, feasibility, and completion of COVID-19 home testing among Native American and Latino adults living on the Flathead Reservation in Montana and in Yakima Valley, Washington. A two-arm, multisite, pragmatic randomized controlled trial was conducted using block randomization stratified by site and participant age. Active arm participants received CHW assistance with online COVID-19 test kit registration and virtual swabbing support. The passive arm participants received standard-of-care support from the kit vendor. Logistic regression modeled the association between study arm and test completion (primary outcome) and between study arm and test completion with return of valid test results (secondary outcome). Responses to posttest surveys and interviews were summarized using deductive thematic analysis. Overall, 63% of participants (n=268) completed COVID-19 tests, and 50% completed tests yielding a valid result. Active arm participants had higher odds of test completion (odds ratio: 1.66, 95% confidence interval [1.01, 2.75]). Differences were most pronounced among adults ≥60years. Participants cited ease of use and not having to leave home as positive aspects, and transportation and mailing issues as negative aspects of home-based testing. CHW support led to higher COVID-19 test completion rates, particularly among older adults. Significant testing barriers included language, educational level, rurality, and test kit issues.

Pengembangan Instrumen Assesmen Literasi Sains Berbasis Kontekstual pada Materi Koloid

This research is a development research (Research and Development) with the objectives: (1) to assess the quality of the instrument in terms of content validity and empirical validity, (2) to determine the reliability of the developed instrument, and (3) to assess the practicality of the developed instrument. The product developed is a contextual science literacy assessment instrument on the topic of colloids. The developed contextual science literacy instrument is in the form of multiple-choice questions. The research was conducted using the 4D development model, which includes the stages of define, design, develop, and disseminate. The results of rational validation by two expert validators yielded 15 valid test items with an Aiken's index ≥ 0.75. The instrument was tested on 34 students from class XII MIPA 3 of SMAN 1 Gowa. The results of empirical validation using the point biserial formula at α=0.339 yielded 14 valid test items. The results of the reliability test using KR-20 showed that the instrument was categorized as reliable with a value of 0.831. The analysis of the item discrimination power showed that there were 2 very good items, 6 good items, 4 fair items, and 3 poor items. The distribution of the item difficulty level was 47% difficult items, 40% medium items, and 2% easy items. The practicality of the contextual science literacy assessment instrument on the topic of colloids was categorized as practical based on the positive results of the student questionnaire (85%) and the teacher questionnaire (95%).

Optimization of a Tapered Specimen Geometry for Short-Term Dynamic Tensile Testing of Continuous Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastics

Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastics (cFRTP) are one of the most promising lightweight materials. For their use in structural components, reproducible and comparable material values have to be evaluated, especially at high strain rates. Due to their high stiffness and outstanding strength properties, the evaluation of the material behavior at high strain rates is complex. In the presented work, a new tensile specimen geometry for strain rate testing is virtually optimized using a metamodel approach with an artificial neural network. The final specimen design is experimentally validated and compared with rectangular specimen results for a carbon fiber reinforced polycarbonate (CF-PC). The optimized specimen geometry leads to 100% valid test results in experimental validation of cross-ply laminates and reaches 9% higher tensile strength values than the rectangle geometry with applied end tabs at a strain rate of 40 s−1. Through the optimization, comparable material parameters can be efficiently generated for a successful cFRTP strain rate characterization.

Smartphone-Facilitated In-Situ Hearing Aid Audiometry for Community-Based Hearing Testing.

Hearing loss prevalence is increasing, with an estimated 2.5 billion people affected globally by 2050. Scalable service delivery models using innovative technologies and task-shifting are World Health Organization priorities to improve access to hearing care, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Smartphone-facilitated audiometry in the community using hearing aids covered by noise-attenuating ear cups ("in-situ") could support more accessible hearing care when provided by less trained individuals such as community health workers (CHWs). This study aimed to determine the validity of this method for potential hearing aid fitting. Study objectives included determining the maximum permissible ambient noise level (MPANL), inter-device reliability, clinical threshold accuracy, reliability, and performance in real-world settings. Experiment 1: 15 normal-hearing adult participants were evaluated to determine MPANLs for circumaural Peltor 3M earcups covering Lexie Lumen hearing aids with smartphone-facilitated in-situ audiometry. MPANLs were calculated by measuring the difference in attenuation between thresholds obtained with standard headphones and in-situ hearing aids. Experiment 2: Pure-tone frequency and intensity output of 14 same-model Lexie Lumen hearing aids were measured to determine inter-device reliability. Pure-tone stimuli were measured and analyzed to determine sound pressure levels in decibels and pure-tone frequency when connected to a test box 2cc coupler. Experiment 3: 85 adult participants were tested in a sound booth to determine the accuracy of automated in-situ pure-tone audiometry (PTA) compared to clinical PTA (500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000 Hz) facilitated by an audiologist. The first 39 participants were tested twice to determine test-retest reliability. Experiment 4: In a community setting, 144 adult participants were tested with automated in-situ audiometry facilitated by CHWs using a smartphone app. These participants were subsequently tested with automated mobile PTA (500, 1000, 2000, 4000 Hz). An additional 44 participants were tested twice to determine test-retest reliability. Experiment 1: MPANLs of the Peltor 3M earcup-covered hearing aids were higher than standard headphones across all frequencies, ranging from 24 to 47.3 dB SPL. Experiment 2: Inter-device performance reliability was high, with all inter-device differences across all intensities and frequencies less than 3 dB. Frequency output was consistent and differed less than 0.7% between devices. Experiments 3 and 4: 85.2% and 83.3% of automated in-situ audiometry thresholds were within 10 dB of thresholds obtained in the sound booth and in a community setting, respectively. Acceptable test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was evident across all thresholds obtained in a sound booth (ICC = 0.85 to 0.93) and in a community setting (ICC = 0.83 to 0.97). Smartphone-facilitated in-situ audiometry allows for reliable and valid community-based testing. A simple smartphone user interface and automated in-situ audiometry allow CHWs with minimal training to facilitate the testing. With the additional capability to program hearing aids via the smartphone after the initial test, this approach would have the potential to support widespread access to personalized hearing aid fittings facilitated by CHWs in low- and middle-income countries. This approach also supports self-fitting options based on in-situ thresholds, enabling testing and fitting via over the counter hearing aids.

Fat-free mass mediates the association between body mass and jump height in healthy young adults.

The countermovement jump (CMJ) is a reliable and valid test of lower-extremity (LE) muscle power and neuromuscular performance. Body mass is positively associated with CMJ performance in young adults, warranting the examination of the influence of body composition on jump height (JH). This study examined the mediation effects of body composition on CMJ performance in young adults. The hypothesis was that fat-free mass and percent fat mass would significantly mediate the association between body mass with JH in young adults. Healthy young adults (N.=81; 47 female; mean age 25.1±3.4) completed this study and underwent body composition assessment using a bioelectrical impedance analysis device. Participants performed three CMJ trials to measure average JH using an electronic jump mat. Mediation analysis models were performed to examine the hypothesis of this study. The mediation analyses indicated that the indirect effects of fat-free mass on the association between body mass with JH were significant (indirect effect [IE]=-0.23, 95% CI -0.315, 0.767; IE=0.76, 95% CI 0.334, 1.272; respectively), after controlling for sex and percent fat mass. The association between body mass with JH in young adults with normal BMI was mediated by fat-free mass. Clinicians, trainers, and coaches should potentially target increasing fat-free mass when improving LE power and neuromuscular performance in rehabilitation and sports settings in this population, but further studies are needed.

Unveiling challenges in Mendelian randomization for gene-environment interaction.

Gene-environment (GxE) interactions play a crucial role in understanding the complex etiology of various traits, but assessing them using observational data can be challenging due to unmeasured confounders for lifestyle and environmental risk factors. Mendelian randomization (MR) has emerged as a valuable method for assessing causal relationships based on observational data. This approach utilizes genetic variants as instrumental variables (IVs) with the aim of providing a valid statistical test and estimation of causal effects in the presence of unmeasured confounders. MR has gained substantial popularity in recent years largely due to the success of genome-wide association studies. Many methods have been developed for MR; however, limited work has been done on evaluating GxE interaction. In this paper, we focus on two primary IV approaches: the two-stage predictor substitution and the two-stage residual inclusion, and extend them to accommodate GxE interaction under both the linear and logistic regression models for continuous and binary outcomes, respectively. Comprehensive simulation study and analytical derivations reveal that resolving the linear regression model is relatively straightforward. In contrast, the logistic regression model presents a considerably more intricate challenge, which demands additional effort.

Assessing knowledge about self-regulated learning: validation of a measurement tool for preschoolers

IntroductionSelf-regulated learning (SRL), as the self-directed and goal-orientated control of one’s learning process, is an important ability for academic success. Even at preschool age, when its development is at a very early stage, SRL helps to predict later learning outcomes. Valid test instruments are needed to identify preschoolers who require SRL support and help them to start school successfully.MethodsThe present study aimed to provide an adequate SRL test instrument for preschoolers by revising and optimizing an existing strategy knowledge test and validating the revised version–the SRL Strategy Knowledge Test—in a sample of n = 104 German preschoolers (Mage = 5;11 years; 48.1% girls). For the validation, we used measures of (1) SRL and related constructs, (2) psychomotor development, and (3) academic competence, to determine three levels of validity: (a) convergent, (b) divergent, and (c) criterion. All the correlation analyses controlled for child intelligence.ResultsThe results showed that the test is of moderate difficulty and sufficiently reliable (Cronbach’s α = 0.74), can generate normally distributed data, and has a one-factor structure. In line with our hypotheses, we found significant correlations for the convergent and criterion measures, and numerically smaller and insignificant correlations for divergent measures. The correlations for the criterion measures failed to be significant when controlling for intelligence.DiscussionThe missing evidence for criterion validity when controlling for intelligence may have been due to limitations in the measures used to examine criterion validity. The SRL Strategy Knowledge Test can be used in practice to diagnose the need for SRL support and in future studies and interventions on SRL development.

The Design and Validation of the Four Tier Test Instrument for Energy Literacy Using the Rasch Model Analysis

The science education curriculum needs to contain content on environmental issues including energy and its use as an effort to equip prospective physics teacher students with knowledge about the importance of reducing the impact of energy use. For this reason, it is important to measure energy literacy knowledge in prospective physics teacher students. This study aims to design and validate a four-tier test instrument to measure the energy literacy knowledge of prospective physics teacher students. The test instrument format used is a four-tier test. This test model has the advantage of being able to capture more accurate information with various answer patterns. The stages of developing this test used the design-based research model which consisted of five stages, namely developing an assessment framework, designing items, developing rubrics, conducting tests, and applying the Racsh Model analysis. The application of the Racsh Model analysis aims to obtain a valid and reliable test instrument with the Item Response Theory (IRT) approach assisted by the Winsteps program. The research method used is a descriptive-exploratory method to describe the results of the development and validation of the Four Tier test to measure Energy Literacy for prospective physics teacher student. The validation of the test was carried out through an assessment by five experts to assess the construct and content of the test instrument. The results of the item validation showed that the questions were acceptable in all aspects. The conclusion is that the test with four-tier format is suitable for identifying the knowledge of prospective physics teacher students about Energy Literacy. The four tier test model in exploring the energy literacy abilities of prospective teacher students can basically also be applied to students at the elementary school, middle school and high school levels. However, the complexity of the content tested needs to be adjusted to the existing curriculum at each level.

An Empirical Analysis of Impact of XBRL on Quality of Financial Reporting in India

The efficient and effective communication of business and financial information to end-users helps to get clear insights on the business outlook and assists them in making timely decisions. Financial reporting acts as a vehicle to disseminate the financial information of the business to various interested parties by communicating operating and financial information through financial statements, notes to financial statements and other footnotes in the annual report. Nowadays stakeholders of the business are more expecting both financial and non-financial information to be communicated in a single annual report. Therefore, the corporate houses are required to communicate enhanced information in their annual reports to facilitate the stakeholders in their decision-making process. Communication of enhanced information in the annual report is only possible with the help of the EBR Model (Enhanced Business Reporting Model) which is only possible by the application of XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting Language) to the business reporting purpose. The present paper is intended to examine the impact of XBRL on the quality of financial reporting. For this purpose, the study analysed the financial reporting pattern of 23 select companies in India through the analysis of their annual reports from 2005 to 2020. To derive valid conclusions Tukey test, dummy variable regression analysis techniques were employed and concluded that XBRL has made a significant impact on the quality of financial reporting of select companies.