INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization (WHO) advocates for the presence of skilled birth attendants (SBAs) at every birth to prevent or manage obstetric complications. Still, the WHO acknowledges that challenges exist relating to the education and practice of SBAs. This study aimed to evaluate the spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD) and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) competency of rural skilled-birth attendants (SBAs) and to assess correlation of skills scores with their confidence level. METHODS: A simulation-based study was conducted with a convenience sample of SBAs in rural Rwanda in September of 2015 to assess communication, evaluation, and management skills in SVD and PPH. Total correct skills scores were calculated. A score of ≥ 75% for each category was considered “competent.” Participants completed a confidence questionnaire prior to the simulation. Spearman rank correlation coefficients were calculated to assess correlation between simulation scores and confidence level. ...

Généralement, le stade II de la propagation de fissure de fatigue (FCP) est décrit par le modèle de Paris- Erdogan. L'approche phénoménologique de la propagation de fissure de fatigue à travers ce modèle suggère l'existence d'une relation linéaire entre ces deux paramètres. Le but général de ce travail est d'étudier les effets des paramètres de chargement sur la propagation de fissure de fatigue dans le cas d'un acier 12NC6 soumis à un traitement thermique pour obtenir des valeurs de limites d'élasticité différentes. La corrélation entre les paramètres C et m a été examinée et comparée avec les résultats donnés par la littérature. La variabilité de ces deux paramètres a été analysée pour prédire la durée de vie des structures.

The work described in this thesis was carried out at the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) centre in FFP (Forestry and Forest Products) while registered with the School of Applied Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal in Pietermaritzburg. This work was done under the supervision Or Fethi Ahmed. I hereby certify that the research work reported in this thesis is the result of my own original investigations except where acknowledged.

Background/Context A common perspective found in the literature on classroom activity structures hypothesizes that a whole-class mode of instruction is linked with increased problems of achievement motivation for low-achieving students. If whole-class methods of instruction (e.g., recitation-style question-and-answer sessions) are rich in evaluation and foster social comparisons among students, low-achieving students may become disengaged in an effort to avoid negative evaluations. It is important to consider the evidence on activity structures and engagement carefully because this perspective represents a sweeping critique, concluding essentially that the predominant mode of instruction in American schools is detrimental to achieving widespread educational success. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study Are whole-class modes of instruction linked with increased problems of achievement motivation and disengagement for low-achieving students? Research Design This study is...

Context: Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer related deaths among women worldwide, thus forming a significant burden of disease. Various epithelial markers like ER, PR, and Her2/neu are well established factors predicting prognosis and treatment response in breast cancer. However, stroma has a definite role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Novel stromal markers are now emerging which aid in assessing the prognosis and treatment of invasive breast lesions. Objectives: The present study aims to assess the frequency of stromal CD10 expression in malignant breast lesions and evaluate its prognostic significance and correlation with other clinico-pathological factors. Design: Of the 172 cases of breast carcinoma, 158 were that of infiltrating ductal carcinoma (NOS) and were selected for CD10 staining forming the study group. Stromal CD10 was assessed immunohistochemically in these breast lesions and statistically correlated with known prognostic markers of breast carcinoma. Results: Stromal CD10 significantly correlated with increasing tumor grade (P=0.0026), nodal positivity (P=0.0016), ER negativity (P=0.0007), Her2/neu positivity (P=0.0061), and worsening prognosis (P=0.04). No correlation was found between stromal CD10 expression with age, increasing tumor size and tumor stage. A higher CD10 positivity was seen in the triple negative group as compared to the non-triple negative group, but was statistically insignificant (P=0.0994). Conclusion: Stromal CD10 expression showed a positive correlation with well-known poor prognostic factors in breast cancer [higher tumor grade, nodal positivity, ER negativity, Her2/neu positivity and worsening prognosis (NPI)], suggesting its definite role on tumor aggressiveness and its potential use as an independent prognostic marker.

Model structure selection plays a key role in nonlinear system identification. The first step in nonlinear system identification is to determine which model terms should be included in the model. Once significant model terms have been determined, a model selection criterion can then be applied to select a suitable model subset. The well known orthogonal least squares type algorithms are one of the most efficient and commonly used techniques for model structure selection. However, it has been observed that the orthogonal least squares type algorithms may occasionally select incorrect model terms or yield a redundant model subset in the presence of particular noise structures or input signals. A very efficient integrated forward orthogonal search (IFOS) algorithm, which is assisted by the squared correlation and mutual information, and which incorporates a generalised cross-validation (GCV) criterion and hypothesis tests, is introduced to overcome these limitations in model structure selection.

Model structure selection plays a key role in nonlinear system identification. The first step in nonlinear system identification is to determine which model terms should be included in the model. Once significant model terms have been determined, a model selection criterion can then be applied to select a suitable model subset. The well known orthogonal least squares type algorithms are one of the most efficient and commonly used techniques for model structure selection. However, it has been observed that the orthogonal least squares type algorithms may occasionally select incorrect model terms or yield a redundant model subset in the presence of particular noise structures or input signals. A very efficient integrated forward orthogonal search (IFOS) algorithm, which is assisted by the squared correlation and mutual information, and which incorporates a generalised cross-validation (GCV) criterion and hypothesis tests, is introduced to overcome these limitations in model structure selection.

In the present study storms of the economic, political, and human dimensions of space (with the help of satellite imagery (MODIS, after a time, and the destructive power of hurricanes, including discussions of the factors influencing the formation dynamics, thermodynamics and environmental issues, snow storm 2005 investigated. For a more detailed analysis of synoptic snow storm of Guilan, Rasht was set for the snow surface pressure patterns. To identify patterns of snowfall city of Rasht, Rasht station daily precipitation statistics for the period (2005-1995) of the weather and snowy days Rasht were prepared. Wards cluster analysis using three models for snow days, snow was Rasht. The first pattern of high pressure Balkan languages (bilingual high pressure north-west of the Caspian Sea basin, the Balkans region is affected).is). 500 hPa level winds over the region's traffic. Precipitation, snow water equivalent height mm 73 is the same as the threshold was heavy snow in Rasht. Gillan heavy snowfall in February 2005 (Feb 1383) settlement pattern in the third. Of the synoptic maps from the two tabs on February 3 and February 5 hyperbaric merged Caspian Sea are affected. 21 hours of Greenwich heavy snowfall begins February 7. The hpa 500, traffic axis lying north-east - south-west, west winds prevail. Snow covered area derived from MODIS satellite data analysis shows that over 275/2420 Kylvmrb of the province is covered by snow. Destruction of over fifty thousand units of residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, educational and hundreds of kilometers of electrical networks, a clear testament to the City is a huge snow storm, record snow in Rasht, but there is never such damages.

Introduction: Advancement in information technology, be it hardware, software or communication technology, over few decades has rapidly impacted almost every field of study. Machine learning tools and techniques are nowadays applied to every field. It has opened the ways for interdisciplinary research by promising effective analyzation and decision-making strategies. COVID-19 has badly affected more than 200 countries within a short span of time. It has drastically affected both daily activities as well as economic activities. Herd behavior of investors has triggered panic selling. As a result, stock markets around the world have plunged down.Methods: In this paper, we analyze the impact of COVID-19 on NSE (National Stock Exchange) index Nifty50. We employ Pearson Correlation and investigate the impact of total confirmed cases and daily cases on Nifty50 closing price. We use various machine learning regression models for predictive analysis viz, linear regression with polynomial ter...

This report summarizes the presentations and discussions during the Rapid Reaction Task Force "Dynamics of critical fluctuations: Theory -phenomenology -heavy-ion collisions", which was organized by the ExtreMe Matter Institute EMMI and held at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany in April 2019. We address the current understanding of the dynamics of critical fluctuations in QCD and their measurement in heavy-ion collision experiments. In addition, we outline what might be learned from studying correlations in other physical systems, such as cold atomic gases.

The danger of a global pandemic, such as the new Coronavirus (Covid-19),is obvious. This study aims to investigate the behavior and relationship of thenumber of daily new conrmed deaths per million and the stringency indexof twenty-seven European Union (EU) countries by utilizing functional clusteranalysis and functional canonical correlation analysis. Functional clusteranalysis was used to observe how countries cluster together according to dailydeaths during the time interval between March and July 2020. Functionalcanonical correlation analysis was also utilized to measure the correlationbetween the frequency index and daily deaths, and also to determine therelative positions of countries concerning their respective variability structure.The data is obtained from OWID. Here, it is seen that Italy, Spain,Belgium, and France are particularly aected by the pandemic during thetime interval within the EU countries, and the course of daily deaths is in adierent position compared to othe...

The risk of a credit portfolio depends crucially on correlations between latent covariates, for instance the probability of default (PD) in different economic sectors. Often, correlations have to be estimated from relatively short time series, and the resulting estimation error hinders the detection of a signal. We suggest a general method of parameter estimation which avoids in a controlled way the underestimation of correlation risk. Empirical evidence is presented how, in the framework of the CreditRisk+ model with integrated correlations, this method leads to an increased economic capital estimate. Thus, the limits of detecting the portfolio's diversification potential are adequately reflected.

A large-scale crop model is forced by a range of climate datasets over West Africa to test the sensitivity of simulated yields to errors in input rainfall. The model skill, defined as the correlation between observed and simulated yield anomalies over 1968-1990 at the country scale, is used for assessment. We show that there are two essential rainfall features for the model to skillfully simulate interannual yield variability at the country scale: cumulative annual variability and frequency. At such a scale, providing additional information on intraseasonal variability, such as the chronology of rain events, does not improve the model skill. We suggest that such information is relevant at smaller spatial scales but is not spatially consistent enough to impact large-scale yield variability.

The nexus between relational life and life satisfaction is riddled with endogeneity problems. By investigating the causal relationship going from the first to the second variable we consider that retirement is a shock which increases the time investable in (outside job) relational life. As a consequence we instrument investment in relational goods with the aggregate exogenous ageretirement pattern. With such approach we document that investment in relational life has a positive and significant effect on life satisfaction. Consequences of our findings in terms of retirement effects and age-happiness pattern are also discussed.

SUMMARYBackgroundKBG syndrome is a highly variable neurodevelopmental disorder and clinical diagnostic criteria have changed as new patients have been published. Both loss-of-function sequence variants and large deletions (CNVs) involving ANKRD11 have been involved in KBG, but no genotype-phenotype correlation has been reported to date. This study presents the clinical and molecular characteristics of 67 new patients with KBG syndrome and the results of the first genotype-phenotype correlation leveraging data on 273 patients previously published.Methods67 patients with KBG syndrome were recruited through a Spanish collaborative effort and were assessed using a custom phenotypic questionnaire. The frequency of all features was calculated. Manifestations present in >50% of the patients and a “severity score” were used to perform a genotype-phenotype correlation in the 340 KBG patients.ResultsNeurodevelopmental delay (95%), comorbidites (82.8%), macrodontia (80.9%), triangular face ...

PURPOSE. X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS) is one of the most common causes of juvenile macular degeneration in males, characterized by microcystic changes, splitting within the inner retinal layer (schisis), and the presence of vitreous veils. This study was conducted to describe and further correlate specific genetic variation in Spanish patients with XLRS with clinical characteristics and additional ophthalmic complications. METHODS. The study was performed in 34 Spanish families with XLRS, comprising 51 affected males. Thorough clinical ophthalmic and electrophysiological examinations were performed. The coding regions of the RS1 gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and directly sequenced. Haplotype analyses were also performed. RESULTS. Twenty different mutations were identified. Ten of the 20 were novel and 3 were de novo mutational events. The most common mutation (p.Gln154Arg; 6/20) presented a common haplotype. RS1 variants did not correlate with ophthalmic findings and were not associated with additional ophthalmic complications. CONCLUSIONS. The prevalent p.Gln154Arg mutation is first reported in this work and presents a common origin in Spanish patients with XLRS. In addition, de novo mutations mainly occur in CG dinucleotides. Despite the large mutational spectrum and variable phenotypes, no genotype-phenotype correlations were found. Identifying the causative mutation is helpful in confirming diagnosis and counseling, but cannot provide a prognosis. (Invest

Introduction: After recovering from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients face various problems like cognitive difficulties, mobility, and self-care. COVID-19 affects the respiratory system at varying severity. The severity of the lung infection was assessed by Chest Computed Tomography (CT) Severity Score (CTSS)- higher the score higher the severity of the disease. Aim: To identify if the CTSS that is done during active disease has any correlation with post-COVID-19 illness disabilities and fatigue. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the post-COVID-19 rehabilitation clinic of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. Total of 36, post-COVID-19 patients were included from December 2020 to June 2021. Fatigueness was assessed on Fatigue Severity Score (FSS) and disability was assessed on World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Scale 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0). CTSS was r...

Two-stage facial reanimation procedures with a cross-facial nerve graft often have unsatisfactory results in the older patient. Although the cause of result variability is likely multifactorial, some studies suggest that increased donor nerve axonal load improves function of a free muscle transfer after a cross-facial nerve graft. This study attempts to characterize the relationship between age and facial nerve axonal load. 63 fresh, cadaveric heads were dissected to expose the facial nerve. For each hemi-face, two facial nerve samples were taken: one proximal as the nerve exits the stylomastoid foramen, and one distal at the buccal branch (at a point 1cm proximal to the anterior parotid border). Nerve samples were stained and quantified. Correlation analysis was completed using a Pearson's correlation coefficient. 36 females and 27 males were dissected with an average age of 71 (age range 22-97). At the proximal (r = -.26; p < .01; n=104) and distal (r= -.45; p <.0001; n=...

Background: Given the effect of various factors on the use of communication patterns by couples, this study aimed to determine the most common communication pattern among couples and related factors in Sari, northern Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 520 people (260 couples) in Sari. Data were collected using a demographic–fertility factors questionnaire, Enrich couple scale, communication patterns questionnaire, general health questionnaire (GHQ-28), and NEO personality inventory. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 25 using descriptive and inferential statistics (multiple regression model). Results: While the mean (standard deviation) age of women included in the study was 34.08 (7.71) years, the mean age of men was 39.13 (9.18) years. The most common communication patterns in both women and men was the mutual constructive communication, whereas the lowest frequent communication pattern was the demand/withdraw communication in both men and women. M...

Previous reports have described that neural activities in midbrain dopamine areas are sensitive to unexpected reward delivery and omission. These activities are correlated with reward prediction error in reinforcement learning models, the difference between predicted reward values and the obtained reward outcome. These findings suggest that the reward prediction error signal in the brain updates reward prediction through stimulus-reward experiences. It remains unknown, however, how sensory processing of reward-predicting stimuli contributes to the computation of reward prediction error. To elucidate this issue, we examined the relation between stimulus discriminability of the reward-predicting stimuli and the reward prediction error signal in the brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Before main experiments, subjects learned an association between the orientation of a perceptually salient (high-contrast) Gabor patch and a juice reward. The subjects were then presented with lower-contrast Gabor patch stimuli to predict a reward. We calculated the correlation between fMRI signals and reward prediction error in two reinforcement learning models: a model including the modulation of reward prediction by stimulus discriminability and a model excluding this modulation. Results showed that fMRI signals in the midbrain are more highly correlated with reward prediction error in the model that includes stimulus discriminability than in the model that excludes stimulus discriminability. No regions showed higher correlation with the model that excludes stimulus discriminability. Moreover, results show that the difference in correlation between the two models was significant from the first session of the experiment, suggesting that the reward computation in the midbrain was modulated based on stimulus discriminability before learning a new contingency between perceptually ambiguous stimuli and a reward. These results suggest that the human reward system can incorporate the level of the stimulus discriminability flexibly into reward computations by modulating previously acquired reward values for a typical stimulus.

The movement of gold prices in the previous period was crucial for investors. However, fluctuations in gold price movements always occur. The problem in this study is how to apply multiple linear regression (MRL) in predicting artificial neural networks (ANN) of gold prices. MRL is mathematical calculation technique used to measure the correlation between variables. The results of the MRL analysis ensure that the network pattern that is formed can provide precise and accurate prediction results. In addition, this study aims to develop a predictive pattern model that already exists. The results of the correlation test obtained by MRL provide a correlation of 62% so that the test results are said to have a significant effect on gold price movements. Then the prediction results generated using an ANN has a mean squared error (MSE) value of 0.004264%. The benefits obtained in this study provide an overview of the gold price prediction pattern model by conducting learning and approaches ...

Abstract—In this paper we present a novel approach to shape similarity estimation based on ordinal correlation. The proposed method operates in three steps: object alignment, contour to multilevel image transformation and similarity evaluation. This approach is suitable for use in CBIR. The proposed technique produced encouraging results when applied on the MPEG-7 test data. Index Terms—Content, Retrieval, Indexing, Image, Contour, Boundary, Shape, Ordinal, Correlation, Similarity, Measure.

We present a novel approach to shape similarity estimation based on distance transformation and ordinal correlation. The proposed method operates in three steps: object alignment, contour to multilevel image transformation, and similarity evaluation. This approach is suitable for use in shape classification, content-based image retrieval, and performance evaluation of segmentation algorithms. The two latter applications are addressed in this paper. Simulation results show that in both applications our proposed measure performs quite well in quantifying shape similarity. The scores obtained using this technique reflect well the correspondence between object contours as humans perceive it.

Ketosis is a common metabolic disorder in dairy cows and has been associated with alterations in milk composition and a decrease in milk quality, impacting both the economic and nutritional value of dairy products. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ketone levels before and after calving and their effect on milk quality in cattle in the district of El Mantaro, Jauja in the Peruvian highlands. Multivariate analyses, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and clustering, were employed to explain the variability in the data better. The study was conducted at the Instituto de Investigaciones Tropicales y de Altura (IVITA) and El Mantaro experimental stations cattle in the district of El Mantaro, Jauja, using a total of 72 Brown Swiss cattle, all of which received similar management. Blood and milk samples were collected from all cows studied and analyzed in the laboratory for ketone levels and milk quality such as density, non-fat solids, protein, freezing point, solids, and lactose. The descriptive analysis revealed significant variations in the evaluated variables, highlighting a reduction in ketone levels after calving and consistency in milk composition, such as non-fat solids and density. The PCA showed that the first two principal components explained 49.8% of the total variability, dominated by compositional variables, while subsequent components contributed smaller proportions, reaching 100% with 11 components. The reduction in ketone levels after calving suggested metabolic stabilization associated with energy recovery during this stage, while differences in compositional variables such as protein and non-fat solids reflected the influence of factors such as diet, genetics, and physiological status. Although ketones showed weak to moderate correlations with the evaluated variables, the negative relationships with body condition and non-fat solids indicated that better nutritional and metabolic status might be associated with lower ketone levels.

Interactive displays are increasingly distributed in a broad spectrum of everyday life environments: They have very diverse form factors and portability characteristics, support a variety of interaction techniques, and can be used by a variable number of people. The coupling of multiple displays can thus create interactive" ecosystems" which mingle in the social context, and generate novel settings of communication, performance and ownership. The objective of this workshop is to focus on the range of research challenges and ...

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between unilateral spatial neglect (USN) and haemoglobin (Hb) level in acute phase of stroke. Method Cross-sectional study was performed after right hemisphere ischemic stroke. Independent variable: Hb level (mg/dL); Outcome: USN; Potential confounding factors: Age, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and glycaemia (mg/dL); Characterization variables were obtained from electronic medical records, Hb, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and glycaemia by laboratory exams, and USN by cancellation and bisection tasks. The relationship between Hb and USN was assessed by Spearman correlation and linear regression model. Results 40 individuals were evaluated; it was observed that the higher the Hb level, the better the USN test performance, with the two being negatively correlated. There was no significant correlation between VCM level and USN performance. Conclusion Low hemoglobin levels may indicate a worse ...

Determination of breeding criteria is quite important for plant breeders. The present study was carried out to determine yield and its components which are affecting seed yield and to study the relationships between yield components and other characteristics. A total of 42 common bean genotypes that are widely grown in Turkey were used as material. Direct and indirect effects of the yield components on seed yield were analyzed using path coefficient analysis. Seed yield (kg ha -1 ) was most affected by biologic yield (84.56%), harvest index (65.47%) as positive and negatively affected by number of main branches per plant (28.45%) and flowering day (13.27%) respectively. Correlation analysis showed that seed yield (kg ha -1 ) was effected by biologic yield (0.8224**), harvest index (0.2913**) as positive and negatively affected by flowering day (-0.3256**), first pod height (-0.2473**), plant height (-0.2406**) and pod number per plant (-0.2272*) respectively. According to the path analysis, the biologic yield, harvest index, number of main branch per plant and days to flowering are important due to direct effect on the increase of seed yield on selection studies.

In an era where democratic participation is waning and civic discourse is increasingly polarized, "Opportunities" explores how we can more effectively shape the next generation of engaged citizens. Drawing from in-depth interviews with young civic leaders and children, this chapter critically examines the gaps in traditional civic education—where rote learning and passive instruction fail to inspire true democratic engagement. Instead, it argues for a transformative, participatory approach to social studies, one that cultivates critical thinking, ethical responsibility, and active citizenship. Through experiential learning, storytelling, and community-based inquiry, educators can awaken students' sense of agency, guiding them to see democracy not as an abstract system, but as a living, breathing practice. Ultimately, this chapter serves as a call to action—an invitation to reimagine civic education as a space where young people learn not just about democracy, but how to live it.

Introduction: Decrease in the lower age limit for paediatric cochlear implantation and increasing records of cochlear implantation in children with associated impairments demand quick and easily available objective measurements to provide MAP in these children as their speech and language ability may not be adequate to provide clear cut explanation about comfort level. Providing adequate amount of acoustic stimulation in this golden period of life (i.e. 0-2 years) is important in ensuring the proper utilization of acoustic cues. Findings of adult population cannot be directly applied to younger children and till date there is no Indian study reporting relationship between Electrically Evoked Stapedial Reflex Thresholds (ESRT) and behavioural Comfort levels, especially in pediatric population. Aim: The present study aimed to assess the correlation between behaviorally measured comfort (C) levels and Electrically Evoked Stapedius Reflex Thresholds (ESRT) in children with unilateral co...

In recent years, there has been significant interest in forecasting volatilities within multivariate frameworks for financial assets. Previous research has utilized the VAR-DCC-GARCH model to explore these relationships, offering valuable insights into market dynamics. This paper presents a novel VAR-CNN-BiLSTM model to forecast the conditional correlation between BTC-USD exchange rates and gold prices. The study aimed to improve the accuracy of volatility forecasting for financial assets by introducing this hybrid approach. The hybrid VAR-CNN-BiLSTM model employed the VAR model to capture the linear features and the deep learning network structure that combines the CNN, to capture the hierarchical data structure and BiLSTM layers to capture the long-term dependencies in the data. Results have confirmed that the VAR-CNN-BiLSTM model can achieve better prediction accuracy than the hybrid VAR-DCC GARCH model, in terms of Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Error (MAE) performance measures. The results of this study further indicate a unidirectional causality from the BTC-USD exchange rate to Gold prices. The findings provide valuable insights for traders, financial analysts, and policymakers aiming to understand and anticipate market behaviors involving cryptocurrencies and traditional assets.

Menstruation is the initial sign in which the function of a woman's reproductive organs has matured. This situation happens every month in a periodic cycle. The menstrual cycle of young women tends to be irregular or disorders because it is influenced by the balance of the estrogen and progesterone hormone in the blood. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the level of anxiety towards teenage menstrual cycle. This study was an observational analytic study with a cross-sectional design, in which the data collection was conducted through interview methods and WHO standard questionnaires for the level of anxiety (Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale). Based on multivariate analysis (α = 0.05%), the results were significant (p = 0,000), indicating that there was a correlation between BMI and anxiety levels for the teenage menstrual cycle of the students. Having a low or high BMI can cause menstrual disorders such as the absence of menstruation, the short and long of