bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Benefit of Autonomy and Control: A Positive Characteristic of the Home Health Aide Position
Authors: Gleason Hayley , Miller Edward
Published: December 2021

Home Health Aides’ (HHAs) are one of the fastest growing workforces in the country, yet the industry struggles to recruit new aides into the field and retain current workers. This study explored HHAs’ experiences with the level of autonomy and control granted to them within their day-to-day work. Findings from six focus groups with 37 HHAs showed that many aides select home care because of the control and independence the positions offer. Interacting one-on-one with clients and being able to self-structure their daily tasks were major benefits that drew HHAs to the field. Additionally, the HHAs highlighted the control they have over their schedule and the flexibility the position offers to enable them to accommodate other responsibilities, like childcare or other jobs. Being able to decline a client because of travel distance, the hours required, or not feeling that it is a “good fit” was also a welcomed aspect of the position. Despite complaints about the job, such as low pay, lack of benefits, and limited support, many of the HHAs admitted staying on in their positions because of the flexibility, autonomy, and control provided. Findings highlight the value that HHAs place on autonomy and control and the potential benefit that these job qualities have for promoting greater recruitment and retention of the home care workforce. Amplifying opportunities for these aspects of the job may thus entice new individuals to pursue a career as an HHA, as well as help to maintain those individuals currently in the position.
Mental Health Among Informal Caregivers of Older Adults in Asia
Authors: Gao Xiang , Wang Kaipeng , Sun Fei
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this symposium is to highlight the mental health needs and factors associated with mental health among informal caregivers of older adults in Asia. The symposium consists of five papers. The first paper explores the perceived role, needs, and rewards of informal caregiving among caregivers of residents in independent long-term care facilities in South India. The second paper presents a systematic review and meta-analysis on the association between long-term care service use and informal caregiver burden, depression, and health status. The third paper examines the association between caregivers’ characteristics and quality of life among informal caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment in China. The fourth paper examines the association between coping strategies and caregiver burden and depression among Chinese caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment. The last paper examines the association between cohort, meaning making, and depression among adult caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. Taken together, these five papers underscore of the mental health needs and protective and risk factors of mental well-being among caregivers in Asia. Findings of those papers inform the development and adaptation of culturally sensitive interventions to improve mental health outcomes among informal caregivers in Asia. The disccuant will comment on the strengths and limitations of these papers in terms of their contributions to the theory, research, and practice on mental health among informal caregivers in Asia.
Long-Term Care Service Use and Caregiver Burden, Depression, and Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chong Wayne , Ng Cindy , Ho Ringo
Published: December 2021

This study examined whether long-term care service use (LTCSU) is associated with informal caregivers’ burden, depression, and health status. Eligible articles collected data directly from caregivers, written in English, and allowed for extraction or computation of effect sizes. MEDLINE, PsycINFO and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global databases were searched between September 2017 and January 2018. The risk of bias of individual studies was assessed regarding confounding, study power, and other biases. This unfunded study was registered with PROSPERO: CRD42018108827. Of the 419, 209 and 346 articles identified, 24, 14 and 15 articles that involved 12,530, 6,687 and 7,331 informal caregivers respectively, were eligible for analyses regarding the above associations. With unadjusted effect sizes, omnibus tests found statistically non-significant overall effect estimates in the association of LTCSU with caregiver burden, depression, and health status. Subgroup analyses, however, revealed that the above associations differed by service type, caregiver sex, and country, respectively.
Neighborhood Environments and Cognitive Decline in Middle and Old Age in China: Gender and Age Variations
Authors: Luo Ye , Pan Xi , Zhang Lingling
Published: December 2021

Older adults are more vulnerable to neighborhood physical and social conditions due to longer exposure, increased vulnerability, changing spatial use, and a greater reliance on access to community sources of integration. Previous research has demonstrated an association between neighborhood environments and cognitive function in older adults. However, most studies were cross-sectional, focused on western countries, and did not examine potential moderating factors. This study examined gender and age variations in the relationship between neighborhood environments and cognitive decline in middle and old age in a developing country that is experiencing rapid population aging and rising prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Using data from a nationally representative sample of adults aged 45 years and older from the three waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS 2011-2015), this study estimated multilevel growth curve models for the effects of neighborhood environments on cognitive decline separately for men and women and for those aged 45 to 64 and those aged 65 and above. It showed that the cross-sectional effect of outdoor facility and longitudinal effect of handicapped access were more significant for men, but the cross-sectional effect of community social participation and longitudinal effects of raining days, number of disasters, employment service, and community SES were more significant for women. The cross-sectional effect of infrastructure advantages and longitudinal effects of employment service and old age income support were more significant for adults aged 65 and over. These findings suggest that community-level interventions may be more beneficial for older women.
Twin Similarity for Neighborhood, Geographic Mobility, and Health Outcomes in Late Adulthood
Authors: Finkel Deborah , Karlsson Ida , Ericsson Malin , Russ Tom , Aslan Anna Dahl , Pedersen Nancy L
Published: December 2021

Socioeconomic status (SES) is one of the most robust predictors of health. The source of SES-health associations is heavily debated; one approach is investigating neighborhood-level environmental characteristics. Challenges include selection effects and the possibility of reverse causation: people choose their neighborhoods. Longitudinal twin research can overcome these issues by assessing location choice over time as well as twin similarity; however, few existing twin studies have incorporated neighborhood-level data, and none of those focus on aging. Using longitudinal data from the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging, the current study examined the impact of location at various points in life. Location at birth and in 1993 were available for 972 participants. Birth years ranged from 1926 to 1948; mean age in 1993 was 54.55 (range = 35-67). Thirty-nine percent of the sample had moved to a different county between birth and midlife: individuals who moved had significantly higher parental SES and had achieved significantly higher education. Moreover, identical twin concordance for geographic mobility (77%) was significantly higher than fraternal twin concordance (65%), indicating a modest but significant genetic contribution. Geographic mobility did not impact identical twin similarity on a functional aging factor (corrected for age and education), but fraternal twins concordant for mobility were more similar than discordant twins, suggesting genetic contributions to mobility may also impact health. Ongoing retrieval of location information for twins born 1900-1925 and geocoding of location information available at 9 waves of data collection will allow for expanded investigation of the SES-health relationship at the neighborhood level.
It Was Trial by Fire: Recommendations for Building a Stronger Nursing Home Workforce After COVID-19
Authors: Franzosa Emily , Mak Wingyun , Burack Orah , Boockvar Kenneth , Reinhardt Joann
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 crisis showed the urgent need for a unified, well-supported nursing home workforce. The objective of this qualitative study was to examine the lived experience of certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and administrators during COVID-19 to identify best practices moving forward. Six administrator interviews and 10 remote focus groups with CNAs at 5 nursing homes (N=56) were examined through directed content analysis. Based on priorities identified by CNAs and administrators, the following practices may be most impactful: 1) ongoing and responsive staff training; 2) transparent, direct, and two-way communication channels; 3) prioritizing hiring permanent staff to avoid shortages and reliance on agency staff; 4) building collaborative staff-management relationships; 5) providing flexible job benefits; 6) providing staff-centered emotional support resources; and 7) appraising COVID-19 innovations. Our results suggest that rather than returning to “business as usual,” nursing homes can draw on these lessons to build a more sustainable workforce and industry.
Social Encounters and Mood: The Moderating Role of Narcissism
Authors: Zhang Shiyang , Fingerman Karen
Published: December 2021

Social contacts may lead to more positive and less negative emotions in late life, yet we know little about how narcissism influences such associations, and whether contacts with close and not-close social partners impact mood differently. This study examined associations between social contacts, narcissism, and mood on the within- and between- person level. Older adults aged 65 + (N = 303) completed ecological momentary assessments in which they reported social contacts and mood every 3 hours for 5 to 6 days. Older adults had higher positive mood after contacting either close or not-close social partners, but only not-close social partners reduced negative mood. Multilevel models found positive associations between average social contacts number and positive mood among people scored lower on narcissism, and positive associations between social contacts and negative mood for those who scored higher on narcissism. Findings suggest the necessity of considering interpersonal differences in interventions targeting well-being.
Who Has Active Lifestyles? Personality and Activity Diversity in Adulthood
Authors: Lee Soomi , Charles Susan , Fingerman Karen , Almeida David
Published: December 2021

Broad and even participation across daily activities (“activity diversity”) has been found to be associated with better health. Less is known about who has greater activity diversity. We examined whether personality traits are associated with activity diversity in two independent samples of adults. Data came from the Midlife in the United States Study II and Refresher (n=2623, Mage=54yrs) and Daily Experiences and Well-being in Late Life Study (n=308, Mage=74yrs) who responded to daily activity questions. We constructed activity diversity scores in each sample using Shannon’s entropy. We focused on three personality traits -- conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism -- often associated with health. Higher extraversion was associated with greater activity diversity, replicated across the two samples. The associations were independent of conscientiousness and neuroticism (both were not significant), total activity time/frequency, age, gender, race, education, and self-rated health. Results suggest that future activity interventions may need to target those with lower extraversion.
Oral Health’s Transformative Impact on Diet and Systemic Health Outcomes
Authors: Saunders Michele
Published: December 2021

The 2020-25 Dietary Guidelines for Americans identified dental caries as a major diet-related chronic disease of public health concern and suggested in the section for adults over 60, “Good dental health is critical to overall health, as well as the ability to chew foods properly." Poor oral health can lead to chronic diseases and impede one’s ability to chew fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other nutrient-rich foods across the life span. Almost 90 percent of adults ages 20 to 64 years and 96 percent of those over 65 years of age have dental caries. The overall prevalence of complete tooth loss is 2.2 percent among adults ages 20 to 64 years and jumps to 17.3 percent for those over age 65. As a result of COVID-19, some seniors are not seeking regular oral health services, which increases the need for preventive oral health practices and consuming a healthy dietary pattern recommended in the new Dietary Guidelines. Recent research will underscore the importance of saliva and oral health in cancer patients on radiation and in other chronic diseases. Saliva has also been shown to reduce specific infections that are related to influenza and HIV. Participants in this session will gain understanding of factors linking poor oral health and nutrition practices to chronic diseases and guidance on critical preventive oral health practices to increase saliva flow and decrease dental caries through all stages of the life cycle. Promoting oral health is the responsibility of the interdisciplinary team overseeing older adults.
Reimagining Long-Term Services and Supports in a Post-Pandemic World
Authors: Applebaum Robert , Abbott Katherine , Alkema Gretchen
Published: December 2021

Prior to the global pandemic, the United States struggled to coordinate, deliver, and finance quality, person-centered long-term services and supports (LTSS) through the default primary payer, Medicaid. The pandemic highlights the challenges of not having a LTSS system. LTSS workers are underpaid, overworked, and turning over at alarming rates. Families face mounting pressures of caring for a growing number of loved ones, some with very complex care. Costs continue to climb, and quality indicators are not improving. While our approach to LTSS has improved, costs and quality challenges still dominate the landscape. We are at juncture when we need to reimagine the LTSS system, one that genuinely puts the care recipients and their caregivers at the heart of the system. The pandemic has provided some lessons about how to think differently about what long-term services can look like. Now is the time to embrace innovative opportunities building on this adversity.
The Effects of Stigma on the Caregivers of Elderly Patients With Psychiatric Issues in a Chinese Community
Authors: So Joanne Siu Ping , Chan Kai Nin Joseph
Published: December 2021

World Health Organization in 2017 indicates the proportion of persons over the age of 60 years will exponentially grow from 12% in 2015 to 22% in 2050. Advanced age is a common risk factor for multiple conditions, including psychosis, depression, and other mental illnesses linked to cognitive and neurologic disorders. The majority of the studies identify ethnicity and socioeconomic status as primary determinants of mental health care access. Recent studies show that up to 12% of elderly Chinese have had a history of mental problems. However, over 50% of Chinese with mental disorders have failed to obtain professional help. Lack of access to health care for mental disorders has been linked to multiple underlying socioeconomic and cultural factors. These Chinese Americans lack an in-depth understanding of their psychosis, and psychiatric conditions are often a minority in nature. This study will systematically review the existing situations relating the factors to the stigma on caregivers. The result shows that the leading cause of psychiatric disorders, physical and emotional components of the elderly population, needs to be incorporated in the care plan in nursing homes and hospitals. In North America, the constant perception of discrimination and the inherent feeling of isolation and stigma among families with elderly members remains challenging. This review could contribute to the policy reform, which can help design effective control strategies to manage gaps of most mental disorders that continue to disproportionately affect different ethnic groups across the U. S. and Canada.
Participatory Research With Older Workers in a Pandemic: Innovations and Lessons Learned
Authors: Halvorsen Cal , Werner Kelsey , McColloch Elizabeth
Published: December 2021

In the spring of 2020, and as the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic became increasingly dire, in-person studies halted throughout the world. This included our planned study to examine the role of the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)—the sole federal workforce training program for low-income older adults—in influencing participant financial, physical, and mental well-being. While our original plans were to hold a series of in-person workshops with SCSEP participants and case managers using a form of participatory research called community-based system dynamics (CBSD), we paused the launch of our study to determine the safest path forward. This presentation will describe how we responded as well as innovations and implications for future research with harder to reach populations. First, we met with the Massachusetts state SCSEP director to assess the feasibility of moving our sessions online with this particular population. After determining that virtual and telephone sessions would both be needed to increase accessibility, we identified virtual whiteboard software rigorous enough to utilize CBSD-specific activities, user-friendly enough for populations less familiar with virtual environments, and with security features that would be approved by our university, as well as discussed what types of activities to conduct on the telephone for such a visual research method. Our CBSD study was one of the first to utilize virtual and telephone formats in the history of this method, and our results indicate that it is possible—and sometimes beneficial—to move in-person participatory methods to these environments to increase inclusion and efficiency.
Temporal Trends in the Prevalence of Dementia in South Korea
Authors: Kim Jung Hyun , Leist Anja
Published: December 2021

Background. Secular decreases in the prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia have been observed in several Western countries, however, few systematic investigations of temporal trends in dementia have been conducted in South Korea. Method. Data came from N=8,006 individuals (N=2,110 assessed twice) aged 65 years and older participating in the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging 2008 and 2018. Dementia was indicated by a score ≤ 17 on the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE). Dementia was regressed on the year of survey, adjusting for multiple demographic and socio-economic confounders, and, in additional models, also chronic diseases and lifestyle factors related to health, social, and religious activities. Results. Across waves, the share of individuals with low socio-economic status decreased. The prevalence of chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart diseases, stroke, and psychiatric diseases, increased over time. Alcohol consumption increased, whereas smoking rates, religious affiliation, and participation in religious activities decreased. Controlling for all covariates and compared to 2008, we observe decreases in dementia prevalence in 2018 by 52% (2018: OR 0.48, CI 0.42, 0.56). Women’s MMSE scores were more than two times as likely as men’s to indicate dementia (OR 2.59, CI 2.15, 3.14). Discussion. Decreases in dementia prevalence in Korea are partly attributable to improved socio-economic conditions and can be observed despite the increased prevalence of chronic conditions. However, secular trends were not fully explained by these and lifestyle factors. We discuss further individual-level and contextual-level mechanisms that may have contributed to these findings.
Determinants of Intention to Use Digital Technology for Older Adults by Environmental Dimensions
Authors: Han Sangyoon , Nam Seok In
Published: December 2021

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is common to hear news of older adults being socially isolated due to difficulties in purchasing or accessing online services and in interacting with family or friends through video calling apps. Despite an increasing ease of access to digital devices, such access far from universal. Thus, digital inequality has become a serious problem for older adults. To understand why digital inequality issues are so relevant for older adults, we must understand older adults' entire life contexts and the potential of digital technologies in their lives. With these understandings, the purpose of this study was to explore the technology acceptance process and identify key precursors to acceptance of digital technology using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) 3 as a framework. This study used data from the 2018 Digital Divide Survey of the Ministry of Science and ICT. A total of 1,662 older adults (aged 55+) were analyzed using structural equation modeling with bootstrap sampling. Model fit indices (CFI = .928; SRMR = .074; RMSEA = .044) suggested an acceptable fit. Results indicated that two environmental dimensions, personal environment (self-efficacy and value recognition) and social environment (social norms and social support systems), had a significant impact on the intention to use technology both directly and indirectly. Furthermore, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use mediated between environmental domains and the intention. This study indicates that providing appropriate digital support for older adults is important to achieve greater digital inclusion.
The Importance of Psychosocial Factors in Aging: The Minority Aging Research Study
Authors: Barnes Lisa , Lange-Maia Brittney , de Leon Carlos Mendes
Published: December 2021

Psychosocial factors can provide crucial insight into lived experiences that influence healthy aging. Though psychosocial factors are often used to explain health disparities seen between different racial/ethnic groups, within-group investigations can be particularly powerful for identifying culturally specific psychosocial factors that impact heterogeneity in aging among minority populations. The Minority Aging Research Study (MARS) is an ongoing, longitudinal epidemiologic cohort of 797 older African Americans from the Chicago, IL metropolitan area. Participants are on average 73.4 (standard deviation [SD]=6.6) years of age, 78.2% are women, and mean years of education is 14.8 (SD=3.7). At baseline, 75.3% of participants were without cognitive impairment, 20.8% had mild cognitive impairment, and 3.9% had mild dementia. Participants were recruited starting in 2004 and complete annual visits including a clinical evaluation, cognitive and motor testing, and assessment of risk factors related to Alzheimer’s Disease risk, including those hypothesized to be associated with a higher burden of cognitive impairment among older African Americans. This symposium will discuss the longitudinal association between John Henryism and cognitive function and decline (McSorley), participation in social activities and risk of all-cause mortality (Lamar), and the predictive relationship between experiences of everyday discrimination and incident disability (Lange-Maia). Finally, we will examine multilevel correlates—including environmental, sociocultural, behavioral, and biological factors—related to perceived stress (Glover). Mendes de Leon will critically consider what appear to be the most potent psychosocial factors for minority aging and possible implications of integrating these factors into interventions focused on promoting healthy aging among older African Americans.
Trend in fishing activity in the open South China Sea estimated from remote sensing of the lights used at night by fishing vessels
Authors: Li Jiajun , Qiu Yongsong , Cai Yancong , Zhang Kui , Zhang Peng , Jing Zhiyou , Wu Qiaer , Ma Shengwei , Liu Huaxue , Chen Zuozhi
Published: December 2021

With the progression of overfishing along the coast, oceanic fisheries in the South China Sea have attracted increasing attention from bordering countries. Fishing with lights has developed rapidly over the past decade. In this study, we analysed the trend in fishing over the spring fishing season (March–April) from 2012 to 2020 in the open-SCS fishing zone based on nightly satellite. The results indicated that the number of fishing boats detected by satellites were apparently influenced by the phases of the moon. Using data from moonless nights, we estimated that the number of fishing boats increased from ∼400 to ∼2000 over the past decade. These fishing craft in the open-SCS could be classified into large falling net vessels with bright lights and tuna fishing boats with dim lights. The nightly images of large falling net vessels were studied further using records from a typical commercial fishing vessel and, on this basis, we established an algorithm to extract data for this type of craft, whose numbers were estimated to have increased from ∼20 to ∼200 over the past decade. Using this algorithm, we were able to trace the development of these fleets and map out their distribution patterns in the open-SCS.
Numerical analysis of the LDG method for large deformations of prestrained plates
Authors: Bonito Andrea , Guignard Diane , Nochetto Ricardo H , Yang Shuo
Published: December 2021

A local discontinuous Galerkin (LDG) method for approximating large deformations of prestrained plates is introduced and tested on several insightful numerical examples in Bonito et al. (2022, LDG approximation of large deformations of prestrained plates. J. Comput. Phys., 448, 110719). This paper presents a numerical analysis of this LDG method, focusing on the free boundary case. The problem consists of minimizing a fourth-order bending energy subject to a nonlinear and nonconvex metric constraint. The energy is discretized using LDG and a discrete gradient flow is used for computing discrete minimizers. We first show $\varGamma $-convergence of the discrete energy to the continuous one. Then we prove that the discrete gradient flow decreases the energy at each step and computes discrete minimizers with control of the metric constraint defect. We also present a numerical scheme for initialization of the gradient flow and discuss the conditional stability of it.
Mobility-related outcomes for periacetabular osteotomy in persons with acetabular dysplasia: setting the stage for measurement of real-world outcomes
Authors: Alrashdi Naif Z , Motl Robert W , Aguiar Elroy J , Ryan Michael K , Perumean-Chaney Suzanne E , Ithurburn Matthew P
Published: December 2021

Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is a surgery for persons with symptomatic acetabular dysplasia (AD) that increases acetabular coverage of the femoral head for reducing hip pain and improving function. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are significantly improved following PAO, yet little is known regarding mobility-related outcomes. This narrative review provides a synthesis of evidence regarding PROs and mobility-related outcomes in persons with AD following PAO. We further identified important future research directions, chiefly the need for measurement of real-world outcomes. We searched PubMed using comprehensive predefined search terms. We included studies that (i) enrolled persons with AD undergoing PAO, (ii) included PROs and/or mobility-related outcomes and (iii) were written in English. We synthesized and summarized study characteristics and findings. Twenty-three studies were included in this review. Commonly evaluated PROs included pain (n = 14), hip function (n = 19) and quality of life (n = 9). Mobility-related outcomes included self-reported physical activity (PA; n = 11), walking speed and cadence (n = 4), device-measured PA (n = 2), and sit-to-stand, four-square-step and timed stair ascent tests (n = 1). Persons with AD had significant improvements in PROs following PAO, yet mobility-related outcomes (e.g. walking speed and device-measured PA levels) did not change over 1 year following PAO. Few studies have evaluated mobility-related outcomes following PAO, and these studies were of a low methodological quality. Future research might include experience sampling data collection approaches and body-worn devices as free-living, technology-driven methodologies to evaluate mobility and other outcomes in persons with AD undergoing PAO.
Combination of monoammonium glycyrrhizinate and cysteine hydrochloride protects mice against acetaminophen-induced liver injury via Keap1/Nrf2/ARE pathway
Authors: Li Juntong , Gao Yan , Cui Liyuan , He Hongyuan , Zheng Jianyong , Mo Shu , Zhou Xin , Chu Shifeng , Sun Xiaoyun , Chen Naihong , Wang Hong
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose has been the primary cause of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in western countries. Monoammonium glycyrrhizinate (MG) is a primary active ingredient from glycyrrhiza. Cysteine hydrochloride (CH) is a component of glutathione (GSH). The study aimed to explore the therapeutical effect of MG-CH against DILI incurred by intragastric APAP.

Methods

Mice were randomized into eight groups: control, APAP, three groups accepted APAP and the combination of MG and CH (15, 30, 60 mg/kg), two groups accepted APAP and MG (40 mg/kg) or CH (20 mg/kg), moreover, one group received MG-CH (60 mg/kg) without APAP. After pretreatment with MG-CH or MG and CH alone for 3 days, mice were administered APAP by oral gavage. The serum and tissue were collected to detect the activities of liver enzymes and evaluate the change of histomorphology and explore the possible mechanism of MG-CH in protecting against DILI.

Key findings

MG-CH pretreatment remarkably alleviated hepatic injury and decreased the activities of ALT, AST, ALP and LDH. The hepatic ROS and MDA contents were decreased, and the level of GSH and GSH-PX activities was increased in the serum. Furthermore, MG-CH improved the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, GCLM and NQO1 to increase antioxidant ability and induce detoxification. The expression of IL-10 suppressing excessive inflammatory responses was enhanced.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that MG-CH had protective effects against DILI induced by APAP and the potential mechanisms were based on inhibiting oxidative stress and activating the Keap1/Nrf2/ARE pathway.
On the quenching of star formation in observed and simulated central galaxies: evidence for the role of integrated AGN feedback
Authors: Piotrowska Joanna M , Bluck Asa F L , Maiolino Roberto , Peng Yingjie
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we investigate how massive central galaxies cease their star formation by comparing theoretical predictions from cosmological simulations: EAGLE, Illustris, and IllustrisTNG with observations of the local Universe from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Our machine learning (ML) classification reveals supermassive black hole mass (MBH) as the most predictive parameter in determining whether a galaxy is star forming or quenched at redshift z = 0 in all three simulations. This predicted consequence of active galactic nucleus (AGN) quenching is reflected in the observations, where it is true for a range of indirect estimates of MBH via proxies as well as its dynamical measurements. Our partial correlation analysis shows that other galactic parameters lose their strong association with quiescence, once their correlations with MBH are accounted for. In simulations, we demonstrate that it is the integrated power output of the AGN, rather than its instantaneous activity, which causes galaxies to quench. Finally, we analyse the change in molecular gas content of galaxies from star-forming to passive populations. We find that both gas fractions (fgas) and star formation efficiencies (SFEs) decrease upon transition to quiescence in the observations but SFE is more predictive than fgas in the ML passive/star-forming classification. These trends in the SDSS are most closely recovered in IllustrisTNG and are in direct contrast with the predictions made by Illustris. We conclude that a viable AGN feedback prescription can be achieved by a combination of preventative feedback and turbulence injection which together quench star formation in central galaxies.
The transient ultraluminous X-ray source, ULX-4, in M51
Authors: Allak S , Akyuz A , Akkaya Oralhan İ , Avdan S , Aksaker N , Vinokurov A , Soydugan F , Sonbas E , Dhuga K S
Published: December 2021

We present the results of a temporal and spectral analysis of the transient source ULX-4 in the galaxy M51. The data used were drawn from Chandra, XMM–Newton, and Swift-XRT archives, spanning the years 2000–2019.. The X-ray flux of the source is seen to vary by two orders of magnitudes within a month but a short-term variability was not observed over the time intervals of 100–2000 s in the 0.3–10 keV energy band. We find some evidence for the existence of bi-modality feature in the flux distribution of ULX-4. We identified two optical sources as possible counterparts within an error radius of 0${_{.}^{\prime\prime}}$18 at 95 ${{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ confidence level for ULX-4 based on the archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/ACS and HST/WFC3 data. Blackbody fits of the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) indicate the spectral type to be B-type stars. One of these counterparts exhibits a low-amplitude optical periodicity of 264 ± 37 d in the F606W filter; if we assume this apparent periodicity is associated with the orbital motion of the donor, then it is more likely that the donor is a red supergiant satisfying the long periodicity and accretion via Roche lobe overflow. Consequently, the SED would then have to be interpreted as a superposition of emissions from a cold donor and a hot flow component, most likely from an accretion disc. If, on the other hand, the periodicity is superorbital in nature i.e. due to possible interactions of the compact object with a circumstellar disc, the donor could then be a Be/X star hosting a neutron star.
Fragmentation-induced starvation in Population III star formation: a resolution study
Authors: Prole Lewis R , Clark Paul C , Klessen Ralf S , Glover Simon C O
Published: December 2021

The Population III initial mass function (IMF) is currently unknown, but recent studies agree that fragmentation of primordial gas gives a broader IMF than the initially suggested singular star per halo. In this study, we introduce sink particle mergers into arepo, to perform the first resolution study for primordial star formation simulations and present the first Population III simulations to run up to densities of 10−6 g cm−3 for hundreds of years after the formation of sink particles. The total number of sinks formed increases with increasing sink particle creation density, without achieving numerical convergence. The total mass in sinks remains invariant to the maximum resolution and is safe to estimate using low-resolution studies. This results in an IMF that shifts towards lower masses with increasing resolution. Greater numbers of sinks cause increased fragmentation-induced starvation of the most massive sink, yielding lower accretion rates, masses, and ionizing photons emitted per second. The lack of convergence up to densities two orders of magnitudes higher than all relevant chemical reactions suggests that the number of sinks will continue to grow with increasing resolution until H2 is fully dissociated and the collapse becomes almost adiabatic at 10−4 g cm−3. These results imply that many Population III studies utilising sink particles have produced IMFs that have overestimated the masses of primordial stars, and underestimated the number of stars formed. In the highest resolution runs, sinks with masses capable of surviving until the present day had an ejection fraction of 0.21.
A comparative study of the physical properties for a representative sample of Narrow and Broad-line Seyfert galaxies
Authors: Jha Vivek Kumar , Chand Hum , Ojha Vineet , Omar Amitesh , Rastogi Shantanu
Published: December 2021

We present a comparative study of the physical properties of a homogeneous sample of 144 Narrow line Seyfert 1 (NLSy1) and 117 Broad-line Seyfert 1 (BLSy1) galaxies. These two samples are in a similar luminosity and redshift range and have optical spectra available in the 16th data release of Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-DR16) and X-ray spectra in either XMM-NEWTON or ROSAT. Direct correlation analysis and a principal component analysis (PCA) have been performed using ten observational and physical parameters obtained by fitting the optical spectra and the soft X-ray photon indices as another parameter. We confirm that the established correlations for the general quasar population hold for both types of galaxies in this sample despite significant differences in the physical properties. We characterize the sample also using the line shape parameters, namely the asymmetry and kurtosis indices. We find that the fraction of NLSy1 galaxies showing outflow signatures, characterized by blue asymmetries, is higher by a factor of about 3 compared to the corresponding fraction in BLSy1 galaxies. The presence of high iron content in the broad-line region of NLSy1 galaxies in conjunction with higher Eddington ratios can be the possible reason behind this phenomenon. We also explore the possibility of using asymmetry in the emission lines as a tracer of outflows in the inner regions of Active Galactic Nuclei. The PCA results point to the NLSy1 and BLSy1 galaxies occupying different parameter spaces, which challenges the notion that NLSy1 galaxies are a subclass of BLSy1 galaxies.
The collapse and three-dimensional explosion of three-dimensional massive-star supernova progenitor models
Authors: Vartanyan David , Coleman Matthew S B , Burrows Adam
Published: December 2021

The explosion outcome and diagnostics of core-collapse supernovae depend sensitively on the nature of the stellar progenitor, but most studies to date have focused exclusively on one-dimensional, spherically symmetric massive star progenitors. We present some of the first core-collapse supernovae simulations of three-dimensional massive star supernovae progenitors, a 12.5- and a 15-M⊙ model, evolved in three dimensions from collapse to bounce through explosion with the radiation-hydrodynamic code fornax. We compare the results using those starting from three-dimensional progenitors to three-dimensional simulations of spherically symmetric, one-dimensional progenitors of the same mass. We find that the models evolved in three dimensions during the final stages of massive star evolution are more prone to explosion. The turbulence arising in these multidimensional initial models serves as seed turbulence that promotes shock revival. Detection of gravitational waves and neutrinos signals could reveal signatures of pre-bounce turbulence.
The relationship between platelet to albumin ratio and disease activity in axial spondyloarthritis patients
Authors: Huang Yukai , Deng Weiming , Pan Xia , Liu Meng , Zhong Zheng , Huang Qidang , Li Tianwang
Published: December 2021

Objectives

The study aims to investigate the clinical significance of platelet to albumin ratio (PAR), neutrophil to albumin ratio (NAR), and monocyte to albumin ratio (MAR) in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

Methods

Two hundred and ninety-seven axSpA patients and 71 healthy volunteers were recruited. AxSpA patients were divided into inactive group and active group. Spearman’s correlation, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and binary logistic regression analysis were conducted.

Results

Albumin was lower in axSpA group, while neutrophil, platelet, monocyte, NAR, PAR, and MAR were higher (p < .05). Albumin was negatively correlated with BASDAI and BASFI (p < .05). Platelet, NAR, PAR, MAR, ESR, and CRP were all positively correlated with BASDAI and BASFI (p < .05). Albumin was lower in axSpA of active group, while platelet, NAR, PAR, MAR, ESR, and CRP were higher (p < .05). ROC curve indicated that the AUC of PAR for axSpA of active group was higher than that of other variables. The optimal cut-off value of PAR was 6.354, with Youden index of 0.337, specificity of 55.4%, and sensitivity of 78.4%. Logistic regression analysis result suggested that PAR was an independent indicator for axSpA disease activity.

Conclusions

PAR had a high diagnostic value for axSpA of active group. PAR was a novel and reliable indicator for axSpA disease activity.
What is the impact of methotrexate on liver in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis? Results of liver SWE performed in a single centre
Authors: Güngörer Vildan , Öztürk Mehmet , Özlü Mustafa Yasir , Arslan Şükrü
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Long-term therapy with low-dose methotrexate (MTX) is widely used in treatment of rheumatic diseases, in children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate liver elasticity in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who received MTX and compare the results with control group.

Methods

Liver elasticity was evaluated with shear wave elastography (SWE) technique in 25 patients aged 3–17 years who were followed up with JIA and received MTX and compared with 25 healthy controls of the same age and weight. Factors that had an effect on liver elasticity were examined.

Results

The mean SWE value of patients was 2.64 ± 2.13 m/s and 24.10 ± 18.50 kPa, whereas 1.83 ± 0.16 m/s and 10.09 ± 1.83 kPa in control group. There was a significant difference in liver elasticity in the patient and control groups. When the patients were evaluated as Group 1 (< 1000 mg) and Group 2 (≥ 1000 mg) according to the cumulative MTX dose, no significant difference was obtained. There was positive correlation between liver elasticity and weekly MTX dose and age.

Conclusions

Our study revealed that liver elasticity significantly decreased in patients who received MTX when compared with the control group. The elastography technique will be understood better over time and used safely in many areas.
A Pragmatic Randomized Comparative Trial of e-Cigarettes and Other Nicotine Products for Quitting or Long-Term Substitution in Smokers
Authors: Morphett Kylie , Fraser Doug , Borland Ron , Hall Wayne , Walker Natalie , Bullen Chris , Gartner Coral
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Tobacco harm reduction has potential to improve individual and population health. However, little research exists on low-intensity interventions, such as encouraging longer-term NRT or e-cigarette use. We aimed to determine whether: (1) encouraging use of nicotine products as long-term tobacco substitutes is more effective for smoking abstinence than standard treatment, and (2) offering e-cigarettes is more effective than NRT.

Methods

An open-label, parallel-group randomized trial was conducted in Australia between 2014 and 2015, with 1563 adult daily smokers, randomized to: (A) standard cessation advice and NRT: advice to use NRT short-term, (B) quit or substitute advice and NRT: advice to use NRT as a longer-term substitute for smoking if required to maintain smoking cessation, or (C) Quit or substitute advice and NRT and/or e-cigarettes. Participants were offered an initial supply of products they could then purchase for up to 7 months. The primary outcome was self-reported continuous smoking abstinence at 7 months. Point prevalence, dual use, and cigarette reduction were secondary outcomes.

Results

At 7 months, 2.8% (N = 9) of group A (N = 324) were abstinent, compared with 1.8% (N = 11) in B (N = 620) and 1.3% (N = 8) in C (N = 619) (adjusted odds ratio [ORs]: B vs. A 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.27−1.63; C vs. A 0.46, 95% CI: 0.17−1.21; C vs. B 0.69, 95% CI 0.27–1.73). There were no suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions associated with trial products.

Conclusion

A free trial of NRT and first generation e-cigarettes and advice on long-term substitution was no better for smoking abstinence than usual care.

Clinical Trial Registration

The trial was registered with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration under their Clinical Trials Notification scheme and the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12612001210864).

Implications

This pragmatic trial allowed the comparison of existing and alternative policy options under semi-realistic conditions, such as product choice and financial cost. All trial arms had low rates of smoking cessation. The findings suggest that providing unflavored cigalike e-cigarettes without additional support may not increase quitting compared with advice to use standard NRT in a general population of Australians who smoke. More intensive support and education, and/or opportunity to try a range of e-cigarette products, may be required to motivate quit attempts using e-cigarettes.
21 cm forest constraints on primordial black holes
Authors: Villanueva-Domingo Pablo , Ichiki Kiyotomo
Published: December 2021

Primordial black holes (PBHs) as part of the dark matter (DM) would modify the evolution of large-scale structures and the thermal history of the universe. Future 21 cm forest observations, sensitive to small scales and the thermal state of the intergalactic medium (IGM), could probe the existence of such PBHs. In this article, we show that the shot noise isocurvature mode on small scales induced by the presence of PBHs can enhance the amount of low-mass halos, or minihalos, and thus, the number of 21 cm absorption lines. However, if the mass of PBHs is as large as MPBH ≳ 10 $M_\odot$, with an abundant enough fraction of PBHs as DM, fPBH, the IGM heating due to accretion on to the PBHs counteracts the enhancement due to the isocurvature mode, reducing the number of absorption lines instead. The concurrence of both effects imprints distinctive signatures on the number of absorbers, allowing the abundance of PBHs to be bound. We compute the prospects for constraining PBHs with future 21 cm forest observations, finding achievable competitive upper limits on the abundance as low as fPBH ∼ 10−3 at MPBH = 100 $M_\odot$, or even lower at larger masses, in regions of the parameter space unexplored by current probes. The impact of astrophysical X-ray sources on the IGM temperature is also studied, which could potentially weaken the bounds.
Neuroimaging brain growth charts: A road to mental health
Authors: Chen Li-Zhen , Holmes Avram J , Zuo Xi-Nian , Dong Qi
Published: December 2021

Mental disorders are common health concerns and contribute to a heavy global burden on our modern society. It is challenging to identify and treat them timely. Neuroimaging evidence suggests the incidence of various psychiatric and behavioral disorders is closely related to the atypical development of brain structure and function. The identification and understanding of atypical brain development provide chances for clinicians to detect mental disorders earlier, perhaps even prior to onset, and treat them more precisely. An invaluable and necessary method in identifying and monitoring atypical brain development are growth charts of typically developing individuals in the population. The brain growth charts can offer a series of standard references on typical neurodevelopment, representing an important resource for the scientific and medical communities. In the present paper, we review the relationship between mental disorders and atypical brain development from a perspective of normative brain development by surveying the recent progress in the development of brain growth charts, including four aspects on growth chart utility: 1) cohorts, 2) measures, 3) mechanisms, and 4) clinical translations. In doing so, we seek to clarify the challenges and opportunities in charting brain growth, and to promote the application of brain growth charts in clinical practice.