Exploring healthy lifestyle with health locus of control and sociodemographic variables in Türkiye.

In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of Internal/Chance/Powerful Others Health Locus of Control (IHLC/CHLC/PHLC) on the healthy lifestyle and to assess the sensitivity of the healthy lifestyle to sociodemographic variables. To achieve this goal, we collected data by performing online and hand-delivered surveys (n = 950) with individuals aged 18 or older in Türkiye. The results showed that IHLC and PHLC had positive and significant effects on Healthy Lifestyle Index (HLI). However, the results expressed that CHLC had no negative and significant effect on HLI. Our assessment of a healthy lifestyle in terms of health locus of control (HLC) and sociodemographic variables revealed important findings, which may contribute to the development of public health strategies in several ways; for example, they can be used as a framework to conduct public health interventions that promote a healthy lifestyle.

The relationship between general self-efficacy and nursing practice competence for second-year nurses: Empirical quantitative research.

AIM: To examine the relationship between general self-efficacy and nursing practice competence for nurses in the second year of employment. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was used. DATA SOURCES: The study included 596 nurses in their second year of employment at 75 medical facilities across Japan and used an online questionnaire survey for data collection. RESULTS: The covariance structure analysis showed the path from general self-efficacy (latent variable) to nursing practice competence. Positive correlations were found between all factors on both scales. Multiple regression analysis results showed that the general self-efficacy factors of 'positivity in behavior' and 'confidence in social competence' affect nursing practice competence. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the importance of enhancing the general self-efficacy of second-year nurses to improve their nursing practice competence. To achieve this, it suggests developing strategies from the perspective of the factors that comprise general self-efficacy. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND PATIENT CARE: The findings suggest that improving general self-efficacy can enhance nursing practice competence, which could inform the development of interventions to support nurses in improving their competence. The study provides basic data for improving nurses' practice competence. IMPACT: This study is the first to establish a relationship between general self-efficacy and nursing practice competence among second-year nurses. It demonstrates the significance of general self-efficacy in enhancing nursing practice competence, particularly for second-year nurses worldwide who may be struggling with their nursing practice competence and considering leaving the profession. The findings offer practical implications for stakeholders involved in nursing education and training programs, with potential applications in professional development. REPORTING METHOD: This manuscript adheres to the STROBE guidelines for the reporting of cross-sectional studies. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: There was no patient or public contribution.

A Nationwide Nepalese Study to Establish Reference Intervals for Major Biochemical Analytes with Elucidation of Nepalese Features of Reference Values.

Despite immense importance of reference intervals (RIs) for clinical diagnosis, there have been no reliable RIs available for Nepalese. Hence, this nationwide study was organized to establish RIs for 30 common biochemical parameters. This study was conducted following the harmonized protocol provided by IFCC Committee on Reference Interval and Decision Limits (C-RIDL) with recruitment of 617 apparently healthy volunteers (18 - 65 years) by near-equal gender balance from 5 major cities. Fasting blood were collected, serum was separated and measured collectively using Beckman-Coulter/Olympus AU480 chemistry analyzer. The sources of variations of reference values (RVs) were evaluated by multiple regression analysis and nested ANOVA. Latent abnormal values exclusion (LAVE) method was applied to reduce influence of latent diseases. RIs were standardized based on a value-assigned serum panel provided by C-RIDL. By ANOVA, no between-city differences were observed, while sex-related changes were typically noted for urate, creatinine, iron, γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), immunoglobulin M, and transferrin, but not for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Age-related changes were observed for total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and C-reactive protein (CRP). RIs were successfully derived all parametrically. The LAVE procedure was effective in lowering upper limits for aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and CRP. Compared to other collaborating countries, Nepalese RIs were low for urea, cholesterols, ALT, and high for triglyceride, GGT, CRP, immunoglobulin G, and complements. The RIs for major chemistry analytes were derived and standardized for nationwide use in Nepal. This study distinctly elucidated sources of variation and international features of Nepalese RIs. Supplementary Information: The online version supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12291-023-01123-6.

Factors determining the short-term clinical outcomes of conservative treatment in patients with supraspinatus tear.

INTRODUCTION: To identify factors influencing the better and worse changes in the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index of patients undergoing conservative treatment for supraspinatus tendon tear. METHODS: The study included 30 patients with supraspinatus tendon tear who underwent conservative treatment. The average duration of intervention was 35.4 days. The Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index, shoulder range of motion, isometric muscle strength, supraspinatus tendon thickness, thickness of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor muscles, and acromiohumeral interval were assessed before and after the intervention. In the statistical analyses, change in the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index was the dependent variable, and the amount of change in each measurement variable before and after the intervention was the independent variable. RESULTS: The average Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index improved from 1067 at pre-treatment to 997 at post-treatment, but without a significant difference (p = 0.29). A multiple regression analysis revealed that supraspinatus tendon thickness and muscle strength in shoulder external rotation at 90° scaption had a significant effect on the change in the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (R2 = 0.44, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Supraspinatus tendon thickness and muscle strength in shoulder external rotation at 90° scaption were important factors for the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index score in the early stages of conservative treatment for patients with supraspinatus tendon tear.

Understanding and alleviating informal caregiver burden through the development and validation of a caregiver strain index-based model in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Quantifying the informal caregiver burden is important for understanding the risk factors associated with caregiver overload and for evaluating the effectiveness of services provided in Long-term Care (LTC). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop and validate a Caregiver Strain Index (CSI)-based score for quantifying the informal caregiver burden, while the original dataset did not fully cover evaluation items commonly included in international assessments. Subsequently, we utilized the CSI-based score to pinpoint key caregiver burden risk factors, examine the initial timing of LTC services adoption, and assess the impact of LTC services on reducing caregiver burden. METHODS: The study analyzed over 28,000 LTC cases in Southern Taiwan from August 2019 to December 2022. Through multiple regression analysis, we identified significant risk factors associated with caregiver burden and examined changes in this burden after utilizing various services. Survival analysis was employed to explore the relationship between adopting the first LTC services and varying levels of caregiver burden. RESULTS: We identified 126 significant risk factors for caregiver burden. The most critical factors included caregiving for other disabled family members or children under the age of three (ß = 0.74, p < 0.001), the employment status of the caregiver (ß = 0.30-0.53, p < 0.001), the frailty of the care recipient (ß = 0.28-0.31, p < 0.001), and the behavioral symptoms of dementia in care recipients (ß = 0.28-2.60, p < 0.05). Generally, caregivers facing higher burdens sought LTC services earlier, and providing home care services alleviated the caregiver's burden. CONCLUSION: This comprehensive study suggests policy refinements to recognize high-risk caregivers better early and provide timely support to improve the overall well-being of both informal caregivers and care recipients.

Reappraisal of serum retinol-binding protein as a surrogate marker for retinol and discovery of a novel retinol estimation formula.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Serum retinol (ROH) is commonly used for population level assessment of vitamin A status. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is considered most accurate method for measuring ROH. However, with the technical difficulty of using HPLC for routine assays, serum retinol-binding protein (RBP) measured by immunological assays is expected to be a surrogate marker for ROH, with reports of a close correlation between serum RBP and ROH. Nevertheless, RBP is not commonly tested to assess vitamin A status with concerns over RBP alterations under various physiopathological conditions. Thus, we reappraised the extent to which RBP could be used as a surrogate marker in representative disorders that alter serum RBP levels. As a related marker, diagnostic utility of transthyretin (TTR) was also evaluated. METHODS: To evaluate the reliability of ROH and RBP assays, specimen stability was assessed in terms of (1) storage at 25, 4, -20, and -80 °C for 1-28 days, (2) five-cycle freeze-thawing, and (3) fluorescent light exposure for 1-14 days. Sources of variation (sex, age, body mass index [BMI], and drinking habits) and reference intervals for ROH, RBP, and TTR were determined in 617 well-defined healthy individuals. To investigate the influence of disorders that affect serum RBP, patients with five diagnostic groups were enrolled: 26 with chronic kidney disease (CKD); 13 with various malignancies in advanced stages (AdM), 12 with acute bacterial infections (ABI), 6 with liver cirrhosis (LC), and 26 with simple obesity (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2). RESULTS: The stability of RBP and ROH in serum was confirmed under all conditions. In healthy individuals, serum ROH, RBP, and TTR were appreciably high in males with a slight increase in proportion to age and BMI. The major-axis regression line between RBP (x) and ROH (y) in healthy individuals was y = x, with a correlation coefficient of 0.986. In the LC, AdM, and ABI groups, similar strong correlations were observed; however, the regression lines were shifted slightly rightward from the healthy group line, indicating a positive bias in estimating ROH. Interestingly, the same analyses between TTR and ROH revealed similar strong linear relationships in all groups; however, the regression line of each group showed a leftward (opposite) shift from the healthy group line. Based on these observations, we developed a novel regression model composed of RBP and TTR, which gave much improved accuracy in estimating ROH, even under these pathological conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The perfect RBP-ROH correlation in healthy individuals indicates the utility of RPB as a surrogate marker for ROH. Nevertheless, under RBP-altered conditions, a slight overestimation of ROH is inevitable. However, when the TTR was tested together, the bias can be corrected almost perfectly using the novel ROH estimation formula comprising RBP and TTR.

Predicting neural activity of whole body cast shadow through object cast shadow in dynamic environments.

Shadows, as all other objects that surround us, are incorporated into the body and extend the body mediating perceptual information. The current study investigates the hypothesis according to which the perception of object shadows would predict the perception of body shadows. 38 participants (19 males and 19 females) aged 23 years on average were immersed into a virtual reality environment and instructed to perceive and indicate the coincidence or non coincidence between the movement of a ball shadow with regard to ball movement on the one hand, and between their body shadow and their body position in space on the other. Their brain activity was recording via a 32-channel EEG system, in which beta (13.5-30 Hz) oscillations were analyzed. A series of Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) revealed that the beta dynamic oscillations patterns of the bilateral occipito-parieto-frontal pathway associated with the perception of ball shadow appeared to be a significant predictor of the increase in beta oscillations across frontal areas related to the body shadow perception and the decrease in beta oscillations across frontal areas connected to the decision making of the body shadow. Taken together, the findings suggest that inferential thinking ability relative to body shadow would be reliably predicted from object shadows and that the bilateral beta oscillatory modulations would be indicative of the formation of predictive neural frontal assemblies, which encode and infer body shadow neural representation, that is, a substitution of the physical body.

Escalation on Kihon Checklist Scores Preceding the Certification of Long-Term Care Need in the Older Population in Japan. A 9-Year Retrospective Study.

Objectives: The Kihon Checklist (KCL) is valuable for predicting long-term care (LTC) certification. However, the precise association between KCL scores and the temporal dynamics of LTC need certification remains unclear. This study clarified the characteristic trajectory of KCL scores in individuals certified for LTC need. Methods: The KCL scores spanning from 2011 to 2019 were obtained from 5630 older individuals, including those certified for LTC need in November 2020, in Iiyama City, Nagano, Japan. We analyzed the KCL score trajectories using a linear mixed model, both before and after propensity score matching. Results: Throughout the 9-year observation period, the KCL scores consistently remained higher in the certified group compared to the non-certified group. Notably, a significant score increase occurred within the 3 years preceding LTC certification. Discussion: Our findings highlight the effectiveness of continuous surveillance using the KCL in identifying individuals likely to require LTC within a few years.

Postoperative C-reactive protein levels correlate with reduced spinal column mobility after median sternotomy: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The sternum is connected to the spinal column via the ribs, forming the thorax. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the effect of a midline sternotomy on the spinal column, but no in vivo studies have been conducted to date. We investigated the changes in the range of motion of the spinal column before and after midline sternotomy and the perioperative factors that have the greatest influence. Methods: The participants were patients who had undergone cardiac surgery through a standby midline sternotomy. Spinal range of motion in forward flexion was measured before and after surgery. The following perioperative factors were investigated: operating time, days to postoperative measurement, C-reactive protein (CRP) measurement on the third postoperative day, the day of the start of bed release, and the stage of bed release progression on the second postoperative day. Statistics were compared between the two groups before and after surgery for each factor. Multiple regression analysis (forced entry method) was then performed with the change in spinal range of motion, which showed statistical differences between the preoperative and postoperative groups, as the dependent variable and each perioperative factor as the independent variable. Results: The study included 93 patients. Postoperatively, there was a significant decrease in thoracic spine range of motion. Multiple regression analysis showed that an increase in CRP on the third postoperative day was responsible for the decrease in thoracic range of motion (ß=-0.30, P<0.01). Conclusions: After median sternotomy, thoracic spine range of motion was decreased and correlated with postoperative inflammation.

Effects of nitrogen fertilization combined with subsurface irrigation on alfalfa yield, water and nitrogen use efficiency, quality, and economic benefits.

Proper water and fertilizer management strategies are essential for alfalfa cultivation in arid areas. However, at present, the optimal amounts of subsurface irrigation and nitrogen (N) supply for alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivation are still unclear. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted in 2022 in Yinchuan, Ningxia, China, to explore the effects of different subsurface irrigation levels (W1, 50% of ETC (crop evapotranspiration); W2, 75% of ETC; W3, 100% of ETC) and N application rates (N0, 0 kg/ha; N1, 75 kg/ha; N2, 150 kg/ha; N3, 225 kg/ha; N4, 300 kg/ha) on alfalfa yield, crop water productivity (CWP), N use efficiency (NUE), quality, and economic benefits. Besides, the least squares method and multiple regression analysis were used to explore the optimal water and N combination for alfalfa cultivation under subsurface irrigation. The results showed that the alfalfa yield, crude ash content, and partial factor productivity from applied N (PFPN) were the highest under W2 level, but there was no difference in PFPN compared with that under W3 level. The branch number (BN), leaf area index (LAI), yield, CWP, irrigation water productivity (IWP), crude protein content (CPC), and economic benefits increased and then decreased with the increase of N application rate, reaching a maximum at the N2 or N3 level, while the NUE and PFPN decreased with the increase of N application rate. Considering the yield, CWP, NUE, quality, and economic benefits, W2N2 treatment was the optimal for alfalfa cultivation under subsurface irrigation. Besides, when the irrigation volume and N application rate were 69.8 ~ 88.7% of ETC and 145 ~ 190 kg/ha, respectively (confidence interval: 85%), the yield, CPC, and economic benefits reached more than 85% of the maximum. This study will provide technique reference for the water and N management in alfalfa cultivation in Northwest China.

Ecosystem-scale insights into the dynamics of dissolved organic matter in an Asia's largest brackish water lagoon: Sources, fluxes, and biogeochemical significance.

A twenty-four month long observational study conducted in an Asia's largest brackish water ecosystem, Chilika Lagoon, India, aimed to unravel dissolved organic matter (DOM) dynamics in this tropical brackish water ecosystem. The study assessed the interplay between allochthonous and autochthonous DOM sources during lean and active flow periods based on regional rainfall. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrogen (DON), and phosphorus (DOP) fluxes were analyzed, considering catchment runoff, phytoplankton production, benthic-pelagic interactions, and sea-lagoon exchanges as contributors. Contrary to conventional thinking, the study found autochthonous processes to be more significant than conservative mixing in shaping DOM dynamics. It introduced a novel conceptual model illustrating the multifaceted origins of DOM, encompassing catchment runoff, phytoplankton, benthic-pelagic interactions, bacterial activity, and sea-lagoon exchanges. These findings underscore the importance of holistic management strategies for Chilika Lagoon to preserve its ecological health, given its vital role in global carbon cycling, fisheries, and aquaculture.

COVID-19 information seeking and individuals' protective behaviors: examining the role of information sources and information content.

BACKGROUND: Seeking COVID-19 information promotes individuals to adopt preventive behaviors, including wearing a mask, social distancing, staying away from risky places, and washing hands. This study aims to investigate which information and sources individuals relied on in seeking COVID-19 information and further examine their roles in individuals' adoption of preventive behaviors. METHODS: Through a statistical analysis of 1027 valid responses from citizens in different Chinese cities in 2022 to the self-designed items in an online survey, this study identified individuals' preferred information sources and content on COVID-19. Regarding the information sources and content, the study used multiple regression analysis to examine their associations with individuals' preventive behaviors, and further applied fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore their configurations that increase the likelihood of individuals adopting preventive behaviors. RESULTS: Individuals preferred information about the newest prevention and control policies, precautions and treatment, and symptoms from the sources of workplace and community, social media, and social live streaming services. Additionally, individuals' preventive behaviors were positively related to the workplace and community (ß = 0.202, p <.001), social live streaming services (ß = 0.089, p <.01), government department websites (ß = 0.079, p <.05), television (ß = 0.073, p <.05), and online news media (ß = 0.069, p <.05), but were negatively associated with newspapers (ß=-0.087, p <.05). Regarding information content, precautions and treatments (ß = 0.211, p <.001), the newest prevention and control policies (ß = 0.173, p <.001), symptoms (ß = 0.152, p <.001), and official rumor-dispelling information (ß = 0.082, p <.05) had a positive relationship with individuals' preventive behaviors. In addition, fsQCA results presented eight configurations that promote individuals to adopt preventive behaviors. The total coverage and solution consistency values were 0.869 and 0.987, respectively. Furthermore, COVID-19 information content, the sources of social media and interpersonal sources, and official news media played an essential role in increasing the likelihood of individuals adopting preventive behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated that individuals seek various COVID-19 information from multiple sources. The direct and degree of association of information sources and content with individuals' preventive behaviors vary from source to source and from content to content. Information sources and content could combinatorially promote individuals to adopt preventive behaviors through several configurations.

Influence of Orographic Factors on the Distribution of Lichens in the Franz Josef Land Archipelago.

During a geobotanical study of the Franz Josef Land archipelago, 111 lichen species were recorded on 130 sample plots. The significance of orographic factors in the distribution of lichens was assessed using principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple regression analysis. It was found that the absolute altitude and distance from the glacier are of the greatest importance for crustose lichens, while for fruticose lichens, the most critical factors were the slope exposure and steepness. Along the altitudinal gradient, the number of species decreased (from 88 to 25). The highest number of species (90) was recorded at distances of 0.1 to 1.0 km from the glacier edge, which is explained by the unstable species composition of areas recently released from under the glacier. The number of species in all groups generally decreased (from 81 to 52) with increasing slope steepness. With an increasing heat supply of slopes (on a gradient from northern to southern), the number of species steadily increased in all groups (from 39 to 75). The low sum of the explained variance values for the first two PCA components (21%) characterizes the specificity of the natural environment of polar deserts, where there is no leading environmental factor.

Developing a prototype system of computer-aided appointment scheduling: A radiology department case study.

BACKGROUND: Scheduling patient appointments in hospitals is complicated due to various types of patient examinations, different departments and physicians accessed, and different body parts affected. OBJECTIVE: This study focuses on the radiology scheduling problem, which involves multiple radiological technologists in multiple examination rooms, and then proposes a prototype system of computer-aided appointment scheduling based on information such as the examining radiological technologists, examination departments, the patient's body parts being examined, the patient's gender, and the patient's age. METHODS: The system incorporated a stepwise multiple regression analysis (SMRA) model to predict the number of examination images and then used the K-Means clustering with a decision tree classification model to classify the patient's examination time within an appropriate time interval. RESULTS: The constructed prototype creates a feasible patient appointment schedule by classifying patient examination times into different categories for different patients according to the four types of body parts, eight hospital departments, and 10 radiological technologists. CONCLUSION: The proposed patient appointment scheduling system can schedule appointment times for different types of patients according to the type of visit, thereby addressing the challenges associated with diversity and uncertainty in radiological examination services. It can also improve the quality of medical treatment.

An acceptance analysis of a sexual health education digital tool in resource-poor regions of Kenya: an UTAUT based survey study.

BACKGROUND: Unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases are a concern in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in low-income areas. Access to sexual health information is limited, partly due to the absence of comprehensive sex education in the national school curriculum and social taboos. In response to these challenges, this study introduces a web-based prototype, designed to provide essential sexual health information, targeting 18 to 35-year-old Kenyans, focusing on contraception, menstruation, and female genital mutilation. METHOD: Aiming to investigate young adults' behavioral intention to use a digital tool for sexuality education, by analyzing factors affecting acceptance and usability in low-income and resource-poor regions in Kenya. To explore the acceptability and use of the developed digital tool, this study used a modified version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), complemented by the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. For statistical analysis, a Structural Equation Model (SEM) including Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Linear Regression was used. Regarding the reporting of the E-survey results, the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-surveys (CHERRIES), was considered. RESULTS: Survey information from 77 persons (69 female, 7 male, 1 diverse) were collected. A modified UTAUT appears as an appropriate model for measuring the constructs and integrating evidence-based approaches to advanced and safe sexual healthcare information. Results from the SEM showed perceived usefulness, attitude towards healthcare integrated evidence technology, and usability as well as having a significant positive impact on the acceptance, the intention to use as well as wellbeing. Having the resources and knowledge necessary for the usage of a digital tool turns out to have a significant negative impact. A SUS score of 67.3 indicates the usability of the tool for sexual health information, assessed as okay. CONCLUSIONS: The study adopts validated methods to assess the acceptability and usability of a digital sexual health education tool in Kenya. Emphasizing its potential effectiveness and highlighting the influence of cultural and contextual factors on technology adoption.

Measuring and imaging of transcutaneous bilirubin, hemoglobin, and melanin based on diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.

Significance: Evaluation of biological chromophore levels is useful for detection of various skin diseases, including cancer, monitoring of health status and tissue metabolism, and assessment of clinical and physiological vascular functions. Clinically, it is useful to assess multiple different chromophores in vivo with a single technique or instrument. Aim: To investigate the possibility of estimating the concentration of four chromophores, bilirubin, oxygenated hemoglobin, deoxygenated hemoglobin, and melanin from diffuse reflectance spectra in the visible region. Approach: A new diffuse reflectance spectroscopic method based on the multiple regression analysis aided by Monte Carlo simulations for light transport was developed to quantify bilirubin, oxygenated hemoglobin, deoxygenated hemoglobin, and melanin. Three different experimental animal models were used to induce hyperbilirubinemia, hypoxemia, and melanogenesis in rats. Results: The estimated bilirubin concentration increased after ligation of the bile duct and reached around 18 mg/dl at 50 h after the onset of ligation, which corresponds to the reference value of bilirubin measured by a commercially available transcutaneous bilirubin meter. The concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin and that of deoxygenated hemoglobin decreased and increased, respectively, as the fraction of inspired oxygen decreased. Consequently, the tissue oxygen saturation dramatically decreased. The time course of melanin concentration after depilation of skin on the back of rats was indicative of the supply of melanosomes produced by melanocytes of hair follicles to the growing hair shaft. Conclusions: The results of our study showed that the proposed method is capable of the in vivo evaluation of percutaneous bilirubin level, skin hemodynamics, and melanogenesis in rats, and that it has potential as a tool for the diagnosis and management of hyperbilirubinemia, hypoxemia, and pigmented skin lesions.

Similar Material Proportioning Tests and Mechanical Properties Based on Orthogonal Design.

Shaking table tests serve as an effective method to simulate landslides triggered by seismic activities. These laboratory experiments necessitate the use of materials that mimic those encountered in real-world scenarios. For this investigation, materials analogous to field conditions for the shaking table tests were formulated using quartz sand, barite powder, iron powder, gypsum, rosin, and alcohol. Within the model test compositions, iron powder, barite powder, and quartz sand acted as aggregates; gypsum functioned as an additive, and a solution of rosin and alcohol was employed as a binder. Employing the orthogonal design method, the physical and mechanical parameters of these analogous materials were ascertained through double-sided shear tests, as well as uniaxial compression and splitting tests. Subsequent analyses included extreme difference and regression assessments targeting the determinants influencing the physical and mechanical characteristics of these materials. The ultimate goal was to determine the optimal mixing ratios for the model test materials. The findings revealed that the physical and mechanical properties of analogous materials at varying ratios span a broad spectrum, fulfilling the criteria for distinct rock model experiments. A thorough examination of the factors impacting the physical and mechanical properties of these materials was undertaken, elucidating their respective influences. Based on the relative significance of each determinant on the mechanical attributes of the analogous materials, dominant factors were identified for a multiple regression analysis, from which the regression equations corresponding to the test ratios were derived.

Children's understanding of financial literacy and parents' choice of financial knowledge learning methods in Malaysia.

Financial literacy is an essential lifelong skill that should be taught to children at any age. It holds the key to develop a generation of adults who are knowledgeable about money and the economy. Additionally, OECD (2018) suggests that using digital tools could significantly enhance financial literacy and well-being. Therefore, this paper aims to:(i)assess the financial literacy level of primary school children in the northern region of Malaysia and(ii)explore interactive and engaging methods for teaching financial literacy.The sample size was determined using Krejcie and Morgan's (1970) approach, resulting in 419 primary school students aged 7 to 12 and their parents. An online questionnaire was employed, and multi-regression analysis was conducted. The findings highlighted those primary students displayed a high level of financial literacy, scoring above 80 % on the questionnaire. Furthermore, parents expressed a preference for their children to enroll in personal finance subjects offered by schools, have financial assignments or activities at school, and engage in online financial games. The study emphasized the crucial roles of schools, teachers, and active parental involvements to enhance financial literacy. This study recommends incorporating interactive and attractive teaching methods through in-class and online activities at the school level.

Mega-city construction engineering to residential satisfaction: new insights from Yan' an of China.

Introduction: The contradiction among population, economy and urbanization has gradually intensified, and the Mountain Excavation and City Construction (MECC) project is one of the special solutions. Nevertheless, there are few comparative studies on the project index studies and effect of MECC projects on residential satisfaction. To remedy this deficiency, this study base on the Yan'an new district (YND) reconstruction project, attempting to analyze the specific influencing factors prerelocation and post-relocation from the perspective of residential satisfaction. Methods: After conducting reliability and validity analysis on each dimension, multiple linear regression and paired t-test were used to analyze and compare the questionnaire data. Results: The results show that the residential satisfaction index of the YND is indeed higher than that of the Yan'an old district (YOD). Concurrently, the decisive factors of residential satisfaction are also different. Specifically, the interpersonal communication, supporting facilities, community environment and economic income are significant in the YOD, but only the aspect of supporting facilities is negative significant. The supporting facilities, community environment, economic income and urban development are all positive significant in the YND. The satisfaction factors of middle-aged people in YOD and YND have the most significant differences, and the significance of each dimension is different. Discussion: The research results of this study provide a comparative perspective at the micro-level for evaluating China's urban construction, and it supplies specific directions for future urban development and the improvement of old cities through the new residential satisfaction index.