Assessing Differential Item Functioning (DIF) For Pearson Test of English (PTE) A study of Test Takers with Different Fields of Study

Differential Item Functioning (DIF), which is a statistical feature of an item and provides a sign of unpredicted performance of items on a test, occurs once dissimilar groups of test takers with the same level of ability show different performance on a single test. The aim of this paper was to examine DIF on the Pearson Test of English (PTE) test items. To that end, 250 intermediate EFL learners with the age range of 26 - 36 in two different fields of study (125, Engineering, and 125 Sciences) were randomly chosen for the analysis. The Item Response Theory (IRT) Likelihood Ratio (LR) approach was utilized to find items showing DIF. The scored items of 250 PTE test takers were analyzed using the IRT three-parameter model utilizing item difficulty (b parameter), item discrimination (a parameter), and pseudo-guessing (c parameter). The results of the independent samples t-test for comparison of means in two groups depicted that Science participants performed better than the Engineering ones particularly in Speaking & Writing and Reading sections. It is evident that the PTE test was statistically easier for the Science students at 0.05 level. Linguistic analyses of Differential Item Functioning items also confirmed the findings of the quantitative part, indicating a far better performance on the part of Science students.

Study on Long-Term Exposure to Carbon Emissions and Lung Cancer Incidence Rate in China

Background: This study has shown the incidence of lung cancer in association with exposure to air pollution. We investigated the relationship, focusing on long-term exposure to carbon emissions (CE) and lung cancer incidence rate (LIR) in China.Methods: We collected the incidence rate of lung cancer from 2013 to 2015, and the data of carbon emissions from 1997 to 2015. We modeled the panel data of 30 provinces and cities in China from 2013 to 2015 and applied a spatial Durbin model (SDM) to explore the spatial effect of CE on the LIR. Pearson test to determine the long-term impact of CE on LIR.Findings: The results showed that the direct effect coefficient of CE and UR were 0.132 and 0.425, respectively, both significant at a 1% level, which showed that CE and UR had an obvious positive effect on LIR. The value of Moran’s I indicated that there was a positive spatial correlation between the LIR and CE in China from 2013 to 2015, while the indirect effect coefficient of all the variables was nonsignificant at a 10% level, which indicated that CE had not impact on the LIR of its surrounding areas. on the whole, the effect cofficient of CE is 0.005 ,which is significant at a 1% level, which points out that the average effect of a change in CE in a certain region on LIR in all regions. Therefore, the research results indicated that there were geographical differences in carbon emissions but there is no spatial spillover effects. In the time fixed effects, the coefficients of CE were positive at the 10% significance level, which pointed out that CE exposure had a long-term impact on LIR from 2013 to 2015. Besides, the Pearson test implied that CE in the period had the greatest impact on the LIR in 2015 in China, and the lag period was about 17 years.Interpretation: The impact of CE on LIR had geographical distribution differences and long-term effects in China. We recommend that adopting policies to reduce carbon emission will have a positive health impact.

Physical development and eating habits of a group of teenagers from Dimitrie Cantemir high school in Iasi

Introduction. Eating habits are formed in the first years of life and sometimes persist throughout lifetime. It is necessary to develop coherent nutritional educational programs to guide adolescents towards a healthy diet. Material and methods. The study was conducted on a group of 194 students from the ninth and the twelfth grade from Dimitrie Cantemir High School in Iasi. These young people were evaluated for their physical development with the help of body mass index and eating habits. Eating habits were assessed on the basis of a weekly food intake questionnaire. The processing of the results was carried out by the Pearson test. Results. Physical development was mainly at normal values (68.55%). There were 19.07% underweight students but also 12.37% young people with obesity. Milk was present in menus especially 2-3 times (35.05%) or 1 time (25.77%) per week, with insignificant differences by class and sex. Chicken meat was mainly consumed 2-3 times a week (42.78%) with insignificantly differing in classes, but significant in gender (p˂0.001). Vegetables were consumed especially 2-3 times (30.92%) per week or daily (28.35%). Sweets were consumed mainly on a daily basis (29.89%) or 2-3 times (26.28%) per week. Conclusions. The eating habits of students surveyed were different in girls than in boys, an aspect that draws attention to young females for whom identification with the current ideal of beauty is essential.

The Density of Dermatophagoides sp. in Households and its Correlation with the Score for Allergic Rhinitis in Jember, East Java

The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) in Indonesia is an estimated 24.3% and increasing each year. The majority cause of AR is house dust mites (HDMs) allergens, especially Dermatophagoides sp. The screening tool to estimate the prevalence and diagnose AF in a population setting is the Score for Allergic Rhinitis (SFAR) questionnaire. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the density of Dermatophagoides sp. in households and the SFAR in Jember, East Java. The study enrolled 30 housewives as respondents, which were selected by stratified random sampling. Respondents were interviewed using the SFAR questionnaire. The dust sample from each house of the respondent was collected, the HDMs either Dermatophagoides sp. or others were identified and the density of Dermatophagoides sp. was calculated. Data were analyzed using the Pearson Test. Dermatophagoides sp. were found in 21 out of 30 samples and 11 out of 30 respondents had an SFAR of ≥ 7. The Pearson analysis showed the value of p = 0.555 and r = 0.136. Dermatophagoides sp. was the majority of species of HDMs, but there was no significant correlation between the density of Dermatophagoides sp. in households and the SFAR among housewives in Jember.

Hubungan Pengetahuan dan Sikap terhadap Tindakan Pemilihan Obat Untuk Swamedikasi

One of the curative efforts often carried out by the community is self-medication. Self-medication is one of the efforts in treating symptoms of illness or illness that is being suffered by someone without consulting a doctor in advance. Self-medication in its implementation cannot be separated from the use of traditional medicine and modern medicine. This study aimed to measured the correlation between the knowledge and attitude of the people of Tontulow village, North Sulawesi, regarding the tradisional medicine and modern medicine towards their act of selecting the type of medicine for self-medication. This study was an observational study with a cross sectional design. The sampling technique was performed by cluster sampling method. The instrument of the study was using questionnaire. For normality tes used Klomogrov-Smirnov test while for the correlation test used Pearson test. The number of participants were 83 respondents. Most of the people of Tontulow village have a sufficient level of knowledge regarding the traditional medicine and modern medicine, as many as 67 respondents (80.7%) with their attitude tended to be positive towards both medicine type. There was a correlation between knowledge and attitude regarding the tradisional medicine and modern medicine towards the act of selecting medicine type (the result of Pearson test: significance value 0,05)

The Correlation between Serum C3 and C4 Complement Levels with Disease Activity Systemic Lupus Eritematosus Patients In Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya

Introduction: The Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is autoimmune disease that results in inflammation, and tissue damage. SLE often creates difficulties in the diagnosis and assessment of disease activity. Disease activity is important as basis for selecting the appropriate therapy. In addition to clinical SLE, supporting investigations are needed to determine disease activity, one of which is complement examination. Complement plays an important role in autoimmune disease and thought to mediate tissue damage. This study aimed to analyze correlation between serum complement C3 and C4 levels with disease activity of SLE patients in Dr. Soetomo Hospital Surabaya.Methods: This study used an observational analytic method with a cross-sectional design. The sampling technique was consecutive sampling. The samples of this study were SLE patients who were treated in the inpatient room and poly rheumatology in January-December 2018 periods. The data were analyzed statistically using the Pearson test.Results: There were 150 SLE patients, most of whom were women (90.0%) with mean age of 29.01±9.8 years. Most levels of complement were low levels (C3 = 48.0% and C4 = 50.7%). Most disease activities were severe flares (44.7%). Results of the Pearson test complement C3 with disease activity were p =0.001, and level of correlation was r =-0.287. However, results of the Pearson test complement C4 with disease activity were p =0.026, and level of correlation was r =-0.182.Conclusion: There is negative correlation between C3 and C4 complement levels with disease activity of SLE patients in Dr. Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya which is significant, weak and opposite.

The Correlation Between Maternal Hemoglobin Concentration And Neonatal Birth Weigth In Kirana Maternal Hospital

World Health Organization (2014) data shows that Maternal Mortality Rate in the world reached 289,000 inhabitants. Indonesian Demographic Health Survey in 2012 mentioned that the maternal mortality rate (MMR) in Indonesia reached 359 / 100,000 live birth. Low hemoglobin levels in pregnant women can cause anemia. It can also increase the frequency of complications in pregnancy and childbirth as well as increase the risk of maternal mortality, the rate of prematurity, low birth weight. This study aims to determine the correlation between hemoglobin levels of pregnant women and birth weight at Kirana Maternal Hospital. This study applied a correlational study using cross sectional design. The data types used This study applied a correlational study using cross sectional design. The data types used secondary data obtained from medical records and maternal health book. The results of the study later in the normality test and analyzed using Pearson test. The results showed that there was no study later in the normality test and analyzed using Pearson test. The results showed that there was no significant correlation between hemoglobin levels of pregnant women and birth weight in Kirana Maternal Hospital in 2016 with 0.00 significance value 0.05

Comparison of culture and isolation methods for Clostridioides difficile and other anaerobes from stool samples in a routine microbiological laboratory practice

Objective. To improve stool sample culture and isolation of anaerobic flora, including Clostridioides difficile in the routine microbiological laboratory practice at the children’s oncology hospital. Materials and Methods. A total of 517 stool samples collected from patients in children’s oncology hospital from 2013 to 2015 were studied. All samples were analyzed by ELISA for C. difficile toxins and by culture according to dedicated 5 schemes for isolation of anaerobic bacteria, including C. difficile. Statistical significance of differences in isolation rates between the studied groups (culture schemes) was assessed by Pearson test. Results. Culture in liver broth and covering with technical agar followed by culture on anaerobic agar yielded 100% isolation rate of toxigenic C. difficile strains. This culture scheme is also suitable for isolating concomitant anaerobic flora: non-toxigenic C. difficile strains, Clostridium perfringens, other Clostridia spp. and Bacteroides spp. Conclusions. Use of the liquid accumulation medium and covering with technical agar make it possible to isolate anaerobic flora from stool samples and increase an isolation rate of toxigenic C. difficile strains to 100% of ELISA-positive samples.

Hubungan Antara Motivasi Belajar Dengan Prestasi Belajar Mahasiswa/i Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas HKBP Nommensen

Background : Quality human resource are needed by our country in order to compete with other countries. Indicator of quality human resources graduated from university are good academic achievements. Academic achievement is affected by several factors, such as learning motivation. The aim of this study is to determine the correlation between learning motivation and academic achievements in Medical Faculty of Universitas HKBP Nommensen students. Methods: This research was an analytic study. Respondents of this study were 148 active students of Universitas HKBP Nommensen. Learning motivation skor were obtained using an intrinsic motivation questionnaire and academic achievements were obtained from cumulative achievement index. Pearson test was used to analyzed the correlation between learning motivation and academic achievements of respondents. Results: Medical Faculty of Universitas HKBP Nommensen students majority had high learning motivation with academic achievments 3,19 ± 0,28. There was no correlation between learning motivation and academic achievements in Medical Faculty of Universitas HKBP Nommensen students (p = 0,227). Conclusion: There is no correlation between learning motivation and academic achievements in Medical Faculty of Universitas HKBP Nommensen students.