bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Red Meranti Wood Color Change Due to Weather Exposure in Samarinda
Authors: Erwin  , Fernandes Andrian , Karyadi Kholik , Wardhani Isna Yuniar , Widiati Kusno Yuli , Husien Nani
Published: December 2023

Red Meranti is a high-quality commercial wood that can be used outdoors. Outdoor timber will be exposed to the weather so that, in the long period, it will cause discoloration. This study aims to determine the colour change of meranti wood due to weather exposure for five months. Observation of macroscopic and colorimeter changes in the colour of red meranti wood refers to the ASTM D2244 standard. The results showed that red meranti wood at the beginning of the study was brownish red with L* 64.67, a* 16.13, and b* 17.00. After 150 days, it turned greyish black with L* 50.74, a* 1.25, b* 3.41, and ΔE 24.50. Colour changes in L*, a*, and b* parameters for 150 days followed the estimated growth curve pattern.
Improved Quality of Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) Through the Addition of Maleic Anhydride (MAH)
Authors: Rindayatno  , Davidson J , Dayadi I
Published: December 2023

Due to the hydrophilic nature of wood particles compared to the hydrophobic nature of plastic, Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) has the weakness that it requires the use of a coupling agent to strengthen the bond between its constituent components. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of adding Maleic Anhydride (MAH) on the quality of WPC (P1 0%, P2 4% and P3 8%). The flat pressing process takes 20 minutes at a temperature of 180°C and a press machine pressure of 30 bar, using a plastic to wood particle ratio of 60:40. Data were processed using a completely randomized design (CRD). P3 treatment (8% MAH) gave the best test results (densityof 0.704 g/cm3, moisturecontentof 2.321%, waterabsorptionof 15.719%, thicknessswellingof 1.733%, modulusofelasticityof 869.029 N/mm2, modulusofruptureof 6.517 N/mm2, and internal bondingstrengthof 0.926 N/mm2). Almost all tests on the physical properties of WPC meet the SNI 8154-2015 standard, but none of the tests on the mechanical properties of WPC meet the standards. This WPC performs well for non-structural use although it is not yet suitable for structural use.
The effect of liquid smoke treatment from plant leaves materials for latex
Authors: Hertianti E , Suwinarti W , Supraptono B
Published: December 2023

When materials high in carbon and other chemicals are burned, either directly or indirectly, the process of pyrolysis or steam distillation yields liquid smoke. Leaves, bark, stems and waste from wood processing industry can be used for liquid smoke as raw material. Several benefits of liquid smoke can be observed, such as its applications as food preservatives, plant fertilizers, increasing plant productivity and acting as rubber thickener. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of plant-derived liquid smoke as a thickener for latex. The process of latex thickening involves the combination of 50 ml of latex and 5 ml varying concentrations (30, 40 and 50%) of grade 1, 2 and 3 liquid smoke. Subsequently, careful observations were made regarding the time required for thickening, the resulting texture and color, as well as the odor of the latex. The results showed that thickening of latex using grade 3 liquid smoke from Mango leaves had a shorter curdling time and better thickening conditions compared to other grades and control. Latex thickening using grade 1, 2 and 3 liquid smoke produced latex with a soft texture, white color and odorless.
Potential of natural fiber based on plant characteristics
Authors: Suwinarti W , Yuliansyah  , Wulandari N T , Haqiqi M T
Published: December 2023

Natural fiber is one of the prospective non-timber forest products that contribute to the augmentation of a nation’s foreign exchange within the forestry industry. The objective of this research is to ascertain the distinguishing features of several species of plants that produce natural fiber, and to evaluate the prospective applications of these fibers. The study approach commences by conducting tests on the physical qualities, followed by analysing the chemical components with the established TAPPI method. Additionally, tests are conducted to assess dimensional analyses and fiber variants. The result indicated that the examination of the physical characteristics of the specimens, namely their specific gravity and water content, yielded a strong classification falling within the range of II-IV. The study of chemical constituents, including extractives, lignin, and cellulose, across all samples yielded a range of 1.27% to 7.64%, 15.88% to 36.55%, and 24.63% to 68.32%, respectively. Similarly, the findings from the analysis of fiber dimension measurements indicate that the fiber length category ranges from fairly short to very long.
Antimicrobial activity of plant from educational forest in Universitas Borneo Tarakan
Authors: Putri A S , Egra S , Amarullah  , Mardhiana  , Santoso D , Adiwena M , Murtilaksono A , Rahim A , Sirait S , Wahyuni E , Sutrisno A , Sulistyo A , Sutejo K T G P , Yamauchi K , Mitsunaga T
Published: December 2023

Universitas Borneo Tarakan Educational Forest has a mega biodiversity. There is the potential of plants as raw materials for new medicines or as substitutes for food reserves domesticated. This study aims to identify and explore plant species by screening for antibacterial activity of 25 selected plant species found in the Educational Forest of the Universitas Borneo Tarakan. In this investigation, the agar well method was implemented with a concentration of 5 mg/ml, to determine the antimicrobial activity against five distinct microorganisms. These microorganisms included Streptococcus sobrinus, S. mutans, Candida albicans, Propionibacterium acne, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhi. This study resulted in the finding that there were five plants capable of inhibiting the growth of S. sobrinus bacteria, namely, Cytandra sp., Cratoxylum sumatranum, Garcinia sp., Fissistigma sp., and Cyclosorus interruptus, with respective inhibitions of 62%, 54.2%, 49%, 46%, and 45%. Inhibition also occurred in P. acne, namely in Cratoxylum sumatranum, with an inhibition of 46.5%. Cytandra sp. has the strongest inhibition because it can inhibit three bacteria, namely S. aureus, S. sobrinus, and S. thypi, at 71%, 62%, and 50%, respectively. This research needs to be carried out further to identify compounds that play a role in the inhibition mechanism to obtain plant species that play a direct role in disease and can be domesticated.
Biological activities and phytochemicals of five orangutan food plants from Wehea-Kelay Landscape
Authors: Andini A S A , Arung E T , Hendra M , Suryadana M D , Sudiono E , Rifqi M A , Kusuma I W
Published: December 2023

Several studies on the therapeutic potential of primate plant food species have been reported. However, research into the medicinal properties of orangutan plant foods is still in its early stages. The purpose of this research is to examine the phytochemical composition and biological activities of five orangutan food plants taken from the Wehea-Kelay Landscape: Aglaia elliptica, Croton argyratus, Artocarpus lanceifolius, Artocarpus odoratissimus, and Baccaurea macrocarpa. Phytochemicals analysis were conducted by color changes and colorimetry methods. To determine the antioxidant activity, DPPH free radical scavenging was used. The agar-well diffusion technique was used to assay the antimicrobial activity against four pathogenic microorganisms. The results showed that the plants contained alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and carbohydrates. The total flavonoid content of the plants varied from 64.91 to 95.87 mg CE/g extract, whereas the total phenolic content ranged from 76.93 to 115.58 mg GAE/g extract. The antimicrobial assay revealed that at specific concentrations, the plants samples were able to inhibit the tested microorganisms. The five plants inhibited DPPH free radicals with IC50 values ranging from 47.22 to 77.6 ppm. The findings of this study demonstrated that the five plants possess antioxidant activity as scientific evidence of therapeutic properties of orangutan food plants.
The Effect of Concentration of Nano Empty Palm Oil Fruit Bunch Ash Nano-fertilizer on Growth and Production of Wounded Cassava Inoculated with Mycorrhiza
Authors: Astuti A. , Mulyono  , Pramesti NNSP.
Published: December 2023

Innovation on cassava cultivation technology by through inoculation with mycorrhiza and wounded cassava have been proven to increase root number and cassava tubers, even though that tuber filling was not maximally reached which may be due to the less availability of potassium for the plant. It is of interesting, therefore, to explore the use potassium fertilizer through leaves spray. This study was aimed at determining the best concentration of nano empty palm oil fruit bunch ash nano-fertilizer (EPOFB nano-fertilizer) through spraying technique. The study was performed by using Completely Randomised Design, with a single experimental factor of EPOFB nano-fertilizer concentrations, consisting of control, treatment with 0.20% of EPOFB nano-fertilizer at 30 g/plant, treatment with 0.40% of EPOFB nano-fertilizer at 60 g/plant, and treatment with 0.60% of EPOFB nano-fertilizer at 90 g/plant. Growth variables paramaters analyzed were mycorrhizal development, root development, plant growth, and cassava production. The results of this study demonstrated that foliar spraying using nano EPOFB ash nano-fertilizer increased the number of mycorrhizal spores’ number, root proliferation, length of tubers, and cassava production. The best concentration of EPOFB nano-fertilizer was found at 0.40% (at 60g/plant), which increased cassava production by 27.11% compared to control treatment.
Rare earth (Tm, Y, Gd, and Eu) doped ZnS monolayer: a comparative first-principles study
Authors: Es-Smairi Adil , Fazouan Nejma , Maskar E , Bziz Ibrahim , Sabil Mohammed , Banik Ayan , Rai D P
Published: December 2023

In this current study, we used the density functional theory method to examine the physical properties of ZnS nanosheets doped with Tm, Y, Gd, and Eu at a concentration of 6.25%. The non-magnetic phase is energetically stable when doped with Y and Tm. However, the ferromagnetic state is thermodynamically stable when doped with Eu and Gd, show negative formation energy. The optimised structure is a planar structure for all doped systems, with an increase in the lattice parameter and bond length. On doping, the Fermi level is pushed into the conduction band, narrowing the band gap and exhibiting typical n-type semiconducting behaviour. In a wider optical window, Tm and Y-doped systems have lower reflectance and more excellent transmittance than Gd and Eu-doped systems in the visible light spectrum. The electrical conductivity has been calculated using the BoltzTrap package. The electrical conductivity has been enhanced by doping, making it suitable for optoelectronic, solar cells, spintronics, and thermoelectrics applications.
The Harmonic Map Compactification of Teichmüller Spaces for Punctured Riemann Surfaces
Authors: Sakai Kento
Published: December 2023

In the paper [The Teichmüller theory of harmonic maps, J. Differential Geom. 29 (1989), no. 2, 449–479], Wolf provided a global coordinate system of the Teichmüller space of a closed oriented surface

S
S

with the vector space of holomorphic quadratic differentials on a Riemann surface

X
X

homeomorphic to

S
S

. This coordinate system is via harmonic maps from the Riemann surface

X
X

to hyperbolic surfaces. Moreover, he gave a compactification of the Teichmüller space by adding a point at infinity to each endpoint of harmonic map rays starting from

X
X

in the space. Wolf also showed this compactification coincides with the Thurston compactification.

In this paper, we extend the harmonic map ray compactification to the case of punctured Riemann surfaces and show that it still coincides with the Thurston compactification.
Disruption of circadian rhythms promotes alcohol use: a systematic review
Authors: Nelson Morgan J , Soliman Paul S , Rhew Ryan , Cassidy Rachel N , Haass-Koffler Carolina L
Published: December 2023

This systematic review investigates the bidirectional relationship between alcohol consumption and disrupted circadian rhythms. The goal of this study was to identify (i) the types of circadian rhythm disruptors (i.e. social jet lag, extreme chronotypes, and night shift work) associated with altered alcohol use and (ii) whether sex differences in the consequences of circadian disruption exist. We conducted a search of PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO exclusively on human research. We identified 177 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Our analyses revealed that social jet lag and the extreme chronotype referred to as eveningness were consistently associated with increased alcohol consumption. Relationships between night shift work and alcohol consumption were variable; half of articles reported no effect of night shift work on alcohol consumption. Both sexes were included as participants in the majority of the chronotype and social jet lag papers, with no sex difference apparent in alcohol consumption. The night shift research, however, contained fewer studies that included both sexes. Not all forms of circadian disruption are associated with comparable patterns of alcohol use. The most at-risk individuals for increased alcohol consumption are those with social jet lag or those of an eveningness chronotype. Direct testing of the associations in this review should be conducted to evaluate the relationships among circadian disruption, alcohol intake, and sex differences to provide insight into temporal risk factors associated with development of alcohol use disorder.
A structural tonk
Authors: Fiore Camillo
Published: December 2023

When logicians work with multiple-conclusion systems, they use a metalinguistic comma ‘,’ to aggregate premisses and/or conclusions. In this note, I present an analogy between this comma and Prior’s infamous connective tonk. The analogy reveals that these expressions have much in common. I argue that, indeed, the comma can be seen as a structural incarnation of tonk. The upshot is that, whatever story one has to tell about tonk, there are good reasons to tell a similar story about the comma in typical multiple-conclusion systems, and vice versa.
Augmented Safety Profile of Ultrasound-Guided Gluteal Fat Transfer: Retrospective Study With 1815 Patients
Authors: Vidal-Laureano Natalia , Huerta Carlos T , Perez Eduardo A , Earle Steven Alexander
Published: December 2023

Background

Gluteal augmentation with autologous fat transfer is one of the fastest growing aesthetic surgical procedures worldwide over the past decade. However, this procedure can be associated with high mortality from fatal pulmonary fat embolism events caused by intramuscular injection of fat. Ultrasound-guided fat grafting allows visualization of the transfer in the subcutaneous space, avoiding intramuscular injection.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of gluteal fat grafting performed with ultrasound-guided cannulation.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of all patients undergoing ultrasound-guided gluteal fat grafting at the authors’ center between 2019 and 2022 was performed. All cases were performed by board-certified and board-eligible plastic surgeons under general anesthesia in ASA Class I or II patients. Fat was only transferred to the subcutaneous plane when over the gluteal muscle. Patients underwent postoperative follow-up from a minimum of 3 months up to 2 years. Results were analyzed with standard statistical tests.

Results

The study encompassed 1815 female patients with a median age of 34 years. Controlled medical comorbidities were present in 14%, with the most frequent being hypothyroidism (0.7%), polycystic ovarian syndrome (0.7%), anxiety (0.6%), and asthma (0.6%). Postoperative complications occurred in 4% of the total cohort, with the most common being seroma (1.2%), local skin ischemia (1.2%), and surgical site infection (0.8%). There were no macroscopic fat emboli complications or mortalities.

Conclusions

These data suggest that direct visualization of anatomic plane injection through ultrasound guidance is associated with a low rate of complications. Ultrasound guidance is an efficacious adjunct to gluteal fat grafting and is associated with an improved safety profile that should be considered by every surgeon performing this procedure.

Level of Evidence: 3
Extracellular vesicles of Weizmannia coagulans lilac-01 reduced cell death of primary microglia and increased mitochondrial content in dermal fibroblasts in vitro
Authors: Minamida Kimiko , Taira Toshio , Sasaki Masato , Higuchi Ohki , Meng Xian-Ying , Kamagata Yoichi , Miwa Kazunori
Published: December 2023

We investigated the properties of extracellular vesicles from the probiotic Weizmannia coagulans lilac-01 (Lilac-01EVs). The phospholipids in the Lilac-01EV membrane were phosphatidylglycerol and mitochondria-specific cardiolipin. We found that applying Lilac-01EVs to primary rat microglia in vitro resulted in a reduction in primary microglial cell death (P < .05). Lilac-01EVs, which contain cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol, may have the potential to inhibit cell death in primary microglia. The addition of Lilac-01EVs to senescent human dermal fibroblasts suggested that Lilac-01 EVs increase the mitochondrial content without affecting their membrane potential in these cells.
Scalable kernel balancing weights in a nationwide observational study of hospital profit status and heart attack outcomes
Authors: Kim Kwangho , Niknam Bijan A , Zubizarreta José R
Published: December 2023

Weighting is a general and often-used method for statistical adjustment. Weighting has two objectives: first, to balance covariate distributions, and second, to ensure that the weights have minimal dispersion and thus produce a more stable estimator. A recent, increasingly common approach directly optimizes the weights toward these two objectives. However, this approach has not yet been feasible in large-scale datasets when investigators wish to flexibly balance general basis functions in an extended feature space. To address this practical problem, we describe a scalable and flexible approach to weighting that integrates a basis expansion in a reproducing kernel Hilbert space with state-of-the-art convex optimization techniques. Specifically, we use the rank-restricted Nyström method to efficiently compute a kernel basis for balancing in nearly linear time and space, and then use the specialized first-order alternating direction method of multipliers to rapidly find the optimal weights. In an extensive simulation study, we provide new insights into the performance of weighting estimators in large datasets, showing that the proposed approach substantially outperforms others in terms of accuracy and speed. Finally, we use this weighting approach to conduct a national study of the relationship between hospital profit status and heart attack outcomes in a comprehensive dataset of 1.27 million patients. We find that for-profit hospitals use interventional cardiology to treat heart attacks at similar rates as other hospitals but have higher mortality and readmission rates.
Two blue nodules on the right leg
Authors: Oraloğlu Göktürk , Duman Nilay , Yaman Banu , Karaarslan Işıl
Published: December 2023

Hidradenoma is an asymptomatic benign sweat gland tumour with apocrine or eccrine differentiation. The most common dermoscopic features are bluish or pinkish homogeneous areas, white structures and vascular structures such as arborizing telangiectasias and polymorphous atypical vessels, mimicking other malignant tumours such as basal cell carcinoma and melanoma. As this tumour is a great masquerader, one should keep in mind hidradenoma in the differential diagnosis, when a blue colour is seen on dermoscopy. Owing to the risk of hidradenocarcinoma development on a pre-existing hidradenoma, the management of this tumour is surgical excision.
Closeness Centralities of Lollipop Graphs
Authors: Dangalchev Chavdar
Published: December 2023

Closeness is one of the most studied characteristics of networks. Residual closeness is a very sensitive measure of graphs robustness. Additional closeness is a measure of growth potentials of networks. In this article, we calculate the closeness, vertex residual closeness, link residual closeness and additional closeness of lollipop graphs.
Early access to language supports number mapping skills in deaf children
Authors: Walker Kristin , Carrigan Emily , Coppola Marie
Published: December 2023

The ability to associate different types of number representations referring to the same quantity (symbolic Arabic numerals, signed/spoken number words, and nonsymbolic quantities), is an important predictor of overall mathematical success. This foundational skill—mapping—has not been examined in deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children. To address this gap, we studied 188 4 1/2 to 9-year-old DHH and hearing children and systematically examined the relationship between their language experiences and mapping skills. We asked whether the timing of children’s language exposure (early vs. later), the modality of their language (signed vs. spoken), and their rote counting abilities related to mapping performance. We found that language modality did not significantly relate to mapping performance, but timing of language exposure and counting skills did. These findings suggest that early access to language, whether spoken or signed, supports the development of age-typical mapping skills and that knowledge of number words is critical for this development.
Scoring Indices for Perianal Fistulising Crohn’s Disease: A Systematic Review
Authors: Vuyyuru Sudheer K , Solitano Virginia , Singh Siddharth , Hanzel Jurij , Macdonald John K , Danese Silvio , Peyrin Biroulet Laurent , Ma Christopher , Jairath Vipul
Published: December 2023

Background and Aims

In this systematic review we summarise existing scoring indices for assessing disease activity and quality of life in perianal fistulising Crohn’s disease [PFCD], and highlight gaps in the literature.

Methods

MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were searched from August 24, 2022, to identify studies evaluating clinical, radiological, or patient-reported outcome measures [PROMS] in PFCD. The primary objective was to identify all available scoring indices and describe the operating properties of these indices.

Results

A total of 53 studies reported on the use of one clinical index [Perianal Disease Activity Index: PDAI], three PROMs, and 10 radiological indices; 25 studies evaluated the operating properties of these indices. The PDAI demonstrated content validity, construct validity, and responsiveness but criterion validity or reliability were not assessed. The Van Assche Index [VAI], modified VAI, and the Magnetic Resonance Index for Assessing Fistulas in Patients with CD [MAGNIFI-CD] were the most studied radiological indices. These indices demonstrated responsiveness and reliability. The VAI and MAGNIFI-CD demonstrated construct validity; criterion and content validity and feasibility have not been assessed. Among the three PROMs, the Crohn’s Anal Fistula Quality of Life index demonstrated content and construct validity, inter-observer reliability, and responsiveness; criterion validity, intra-observer reliability, and feasibility have not been assessed for this index.

Conclusions

There are no fully valid, reliable, and responsive clinical disease or radiological indices for PFCD. Although the radiological indices demonstrated responsiveness and reliability, well-defined cut-offs for response and remission are lacking. Future research should focus on establishing standardised definitions and thresholds for outcomes.
Patients' perspective on the medical pathway from first symptoms to diagnosis in genetic lipodystrophy
Authors: Mosbah Héléna , Vatier Camille , Andriss Béatrice , Belalem Inès , Delemer Brigitte , Janmaat Sonja , Jéru Isabelle , Le Collen Lauriane , Maiter Dominique , Nobécourt Estelle , Vantyghem Marie-Christine ,   Network « Pathologies Rares de l’Insulino-Sécrétion et de l’Insulino-Sensibilité » (PRISIS), Béliard Sophie , Briet Claire , Donadille Bruno , Dubois Noémie , Gilly Olivier , Jelliman Stéphanie , Maître Julie , Reznik Yves , Rimareix Frédérique , Vergès Bruno , Vigouroux Corinne , Dumas Agnes
Published: December 2023

Objective

Underdiagnosis is an important issue in genetic lipodystrophies, which are rare diseases with metabolic, cardiovascular, gynecological, and psychological complications. We aimed to characterize the diagnostic pathway in these diseases from the patients' perspective.

Design

Cross-sectional study conducted through a self-reported patient questionnaire.

Methods

Patients with genetic lipodystrophy were recruited throughout the French national reference network for rare diseases of insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity. Patients completed a self-reported questionnaire on disease symptoms, steps leading to the diagnosis, and healthcare professionals involved. Descriptive analyses were conducted.

Results

Out of 175 eligible patients, 109 patients (84% women) were included; 93 had partial familial lipodystrophy and 16 congenital generalized lipodystrophy. Metabolic comorbidities (diabetes 68%, hypertriglyceridemia 66%, hepatic steatosis 57%), cardiovascular (hypertension 54%), and gynecologic complications (irregular menstruation 60%) were frequently reported. Median age at diagnosis was 30 years (interquartile range [IQR] 23-47). The overall diagnostic process was perceived as “very difficult” for many patients. It extended over 12 years (IQR 5-25) with more than five different physicians consulted by 36% of respondents, before diagnosis, for lipodystrophy-related symptoms. The endocrinologist made the diagnosis for 77% of the patients. Changes in morphotype were reported as the first symptoms by the majority of respondents.

Conclusions

Diagnostic pathway in patients with genetic lipodystrophy is rendered difficult by the multisystemic features of the disease and the lack of knowledge of non-specialized physicians. Training physicians to systematically include adipose tissue examination in routine clinical evaluation should improve diagnosis and management of lipodystrophy and lipodystrophy-associated comorbidities.
Systematical explorations of forensic feature and population genetic diversity of the Chinese Mongolian group from northwest China via a self-constructed InDel panel
Authors: Chen Xuebing , Xu Hui , Cui Wei , Zhao Ming , Zhu Bofeng
Published: December 2023

This study aimed to investigate the genetic polymorphisms and population characteristics of Chinese Mongolian group from northwest China (NCM) through a self-developed panel including 43 autosomal insertion/deletion (A-InDel) polymorphism genetic markers. Herein, 288 unrelated healthy individuals from the NCM group were employed to obtain the genetic data of 43 A-InDels through multiplex PCR amplification and InDel genotyping using capillary electrophoresis platform. In addition, multiplex population genetic analyses were performed between the NCM group and 27 reference populations. There were no deviations at 43 loci from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in the NCM group. The observed heterozygosity (Ho) values ranged from 0.312 8 to 0.559 2, and the combined power of discrimination (CPD) and cumulative probability of exclusion (CPE) values in the NCM group were 0.999 999 999 999 999 998 77 and 0.999 814, respectively. The forensic parameter values indicated that this panel was polymorphic and informative in the NCM group and could be used as an effective tool for forensic personal identification. Furthermore, the results of pairwise genetic distances, principal component analysis, multidimensional scaling analysis, phylogenetic tree construction, and admixture analysis among the NCM group and 27 reference populations revealed that there were closer genetic relationships between the NCM group and East Asian populations, especially Chinese Hui group (CHH) from the northwest China, which is consistent with the geographical location. These present findings contributed to the ongoing genetic explorations and insights into the genetic architecture of the NCM group.
STATE-LEVEL EDUCATION CONTEXT AS A MODERATOR OF GENETIC RISK FOR POOR COGNITIVE FUNCTION ACROSS GENDER AND COHORT
Authors: Kerr Eleanor , Herd Pamela , Walsemann Katrina
Published: December 2023

APOE, specifically the e4 allele, is the strongest known genetic risk factor for late-onset dementia. Individuals with at least one copy of the e4 allele have a 3-15 times higher risk for dementia, and faster rates of cognitive decline, than those without it. Although education has been shown to moderate this relationship, the quality of U.S. education improved significantly over the first seven decades of the 20th century and saw greater access to educational opportunities among women. In this historical context, it is important to consider if genetic risk for poor cognitive function changes across successive cohorts and if it does so differentially by gender. Consequently, we use genetic and cognition data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) linked to state-level data on educational quality available from 1920-1974. Given well-known differences in the effect of APOE genotype on dementia risk based on global and local ancestry, we restrict our sample to non-Hispanic White men (n=5,256) and women (n=6,857) who provided at least one observation on cognitive function from 2006 – 2018. We examine the relationship across three measures of cognition – global functioning, episodic memory, and numeracy. We estimate gender and cohort stratified linear mixed models and determine if states with well-resourced education systems mitigate the genetic risk on cognitive health associated with the e4 allele and compare this relationship across cohorts for men and women. These results can help inform our understanding about how early life education can differentially shape genetic risk for cognitive decline in later life.
AGE-FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT PROMOTES WELL-BEING IN PEOPLE WITH SUBJECTIVE MEMORY IMPAIRMENT
Authors: Saad Odelyah
Published: December 2023

Objectives Older people with cognitive impairment are more likely to feel lonely and to have lower well-being compared to others (Shankar et al., 2017). One way to overcome difficulties and loneliness is to live in an Age Friendly Environment (AFE) (Gibney et al., 2020). Living in an AFE enables older people to stay active even when function deteriorates (Cramm et al., 2018) and thus- maintain low loneliness and high well-being (Domènech-Abella et al., 2021). Approximately 18%-25% of people aged 60 and over whose objective cognitive function is normal report a subjective cognitive impairment (Röhr et al., 2020; Zullo et al., 2021). They are less active (Parikh et al., 2016) and so, they are lonelier (Montejo Carrasco et al., 2020). The aim of this study was to examine whether living in an AFE enables people coping with subjective memory impairment to maintain higher well-being than those who don’t. Methods Applying a correlational study design, 105 community dwelling older adults (mean age 74.5; SD-6.54), 62% of whom were women, were recruited. Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 7) assessed relationships between socio-demographic data, subjective social support (SS), loneliness, a sense of belonging, AFE, active ageing and negative affect (NA). Results Findings demonstrated a significant indirect association between age-friendly environments and negative affect, which was moderated by subjective memory impairment. Moreover, we found an interaction between AFE and memory.. Those with SMI experienced less loneliness in an AFE In conclusion, AFE is crucial for individuals with SMI to reduce loneliness and negative affect. Conclusion This study is the first to show that when AFE is low, people with subjective memory impairment cope with more loneliness compared to those without it, but when AFE is high then there is no difference in the level of loneliness between people with or without subjective memory impairment. Hence, AFE is especially significant for those coping with subjective memory impairment for reducing loneliness and negative affect. Authorities should strive to create AFE to promote active aging and high WB of older people living in the community.
NEIGHBORHOODS AS A SPACE AND PLACE FOR HEALTHY AGING: NOVEL APPROACHES AND A VIEW OF THE FUTURE
Authors: Rosso Andrea , Carlson Michelle , Michael Yvonne
Published: December 2023

The importance of neighborhood environments for health outcomes has gained increasing recognition in the past two decades. Both space (physical environment) and place (social environment) have implications for health behaviors and risk for acute events and chronic diseases. This symposium brings together a series of talks that address space (walkability, physical activity destinations) and place (racial and socioeconomic polarization) for falls and fear of falling (Pam Dunlap), physical activity behaviors (Pat Donahue), and blood pressure (Hoda Magid). The talks also advance methodology and conceptualization of space and place through use of novel exposure measurements (e.g., Google StreetView audits, spatial polarization) and more nuanced characterization of outcomes (e.g., considering risk stratification and various behavioral aspects of physical activity). Finally, we end with two talks demonstrating ways to advance methods, including the use of longitudinal data to understand long-term neighborhood exposures in relation to outcomes in older adults (Michael Desjardins) and incorporation of novel measures into existing cohorts (Jana Hirsch). These talks leverage data from a diverse range of studies including long-standing cohorts (CHS, MESA), an intervention trial, and VA nursing home data. Together, these talks further our understanding of how neighborhood environments relate to health at older ages and demonstrate the ways in which the field can advance our conceptualization of space and place as both barriers and promoters of health. Yvonne Michael will lead a discussion with the panel and audience on future directions and methodological needs for the field.
IMPROVING LONGITUDINAL STUDIES OF AGING IN GEOSPATIAL HEALTH: AN AGENDA
Authors: Desjardins Michael , Moored Kyle , Murray Emily , Baranyi Gergő , Hobbs Matthew , Curtis Sarah , Carlson Michelle
Published: December 2023

Recent decades have seen a vast demographic shift in ageing populations worldwide, where over 1.4 billion people will be aged 60 years and older by 2030. Given specific populations may be more vulnerable to medical conditions with ageing, identifying high-risk locations are essential for allocating resources and promoting healthy ageing to mitigate population-level financial- and health-associated burdens. All aspects of public health research on ageing require longitudinal analyses to fully capture the dynamics of outcomes and risk factors such as human mobility, climate change, non-communicable diseases, and endemic, emerging, and re-emerging infectious diseases. Incorporating geospatial approaches in longitudinal health research can facilitate targeted interventions and improve public health policy and decision-making. Furthermore, geospatial approaches can identify where at-risk populations are located and what influences disease risk and exposure, particularly the ‘wider determinants’ of health across the lifecourse. However, studies in geospatial health are often limited to spatial and temporal cross sections. This generates uncertainty in the timing of exposures and behaviors. Geospatial longitudinal studies can better capture spatiotemporal dynamics of ageing. Here, we outline a research agenda, including key challenges and opportunities of working with longitudinal geospatial health data. Examples include accounting for residential and human mobility, recruiting new birth cohorts, geoimputation, international and interdisciplinary collaborations, spatial lifecourse studies, and qualitative and mixed-methods approaches. As a proof of concept, we present several case studies that better capture longitudinal exposures for the Cardiovascular Health Study cohort, which previously incorporated erroneous spatial indicators of neighborhood-level exposures across baseline and follow-up measures.
AGING AND FOREIGN POLICY: EXPERIENCING THE GLOBAL TRACK OF THE HEALTH AND AGING POLICY FELLOWSHIP
Authors: Cohen Jonathan
Published: December 2023

The Health and Aging Policy Fellowship includes a Global Track that provides fellows with the opportunity to shape global policy or U.S. foreign policy for an aging society. The author, a global health expert and 2022-2023 fellow, sought a fellowship placement with a member of Congress with jurisdiction over U.S. global health policy. Although global health is a significant foreign policy priority for the U.S. government, U.S. global health programs do not include dedicated funding for activities designed to benefit older adults or help development partners adapt to population aging. The result is that US-funded programs on issues from infectious disease to health systems strengthening to disaster relief lack a focus on older adults, despite their many links to this growing population. To help address this policy gap, the author secured a fellowship placement with Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) and Chair of the SFRC Subcommittee overseeing the State Department, US Agency for International Development, and bilateral development assistance. With his track record of legislation and oversight on issues such as Medicare, health disparities, medical research, oral health, health systems strengthening, and retirement security, Senator Cardin is well positioned to help integrate the needs of older adults into U.S. development assistance. The author used his fellowship year to help advance the global health-related legislative priorities of Senator Cardin and his Health Team, bringing his expertise and perspective on aging to the policy table while gaining invaluable skills in the policy process.
NOT KNOWING OTHER AFRICAN AMERICAN BEREAVED DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS: SEMISTRUCTURED INTERVIEW RESULTS
Authors: Millenbah Ashley , Frazier Robbin , Fairbanks Sheryl , Wolfe Warren , Baker Zachary
Published: December 2023

Semi-structured interviews focused on African American bereaved dementia caregivers and the individual who may serve them in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. The four questions that drove these interviews were linear in nature: 1. What needs exist among African American bereaved dementia caregivers in the Twin Cities? 2. What services exist to help these individuals meet their needs? 3. If unmet needs exist, would the group support model meet those needs? and, 4. If this model is promising, what adaptations might it need to best serve African American bereaved dementia caregivers? Interviews showed that needs exist at points before and after caregiving ends to increase education and destigmatize dementia in African American communities to facilitate understanding, acceptance, and validation during and after caregiving. Support from those who have gone through similar situations is increasingly important both during and after dementia caregiving, but identifying those in similar situations is difficult (few could identify any other African American Bereaved Dementia Caregivers besides themselves). While a culturally specific support group model was of interest to some to create a feeling of comfort, others emphasized that the main importance was a bonding over shared experiences, regardless of cultural background. A former dementia caregiver support group might be held in various locations and hosted by varying individuals, including at a church, hair salon, or even a grocery store. Overall, it was seen as important for there to be a specific meaning, purpose, and goals for a group of African American former dementia caregivers.
DETECTING COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT FROM DIGITAL VOICE RECORDINGS OF A REPETITION TASK
Authors: Andersen Stacy , Roth Nicole , Park Seho , Perls Thomas , Cosentino Stephanie , Au Rhoda , Sebastiani Paola
Published: December 2023

Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease is needed but cognitive screeners, used widely in research and clinical settings, suffer from poor sensitivity and specificity. Acoustic features of speech are altered in Alzheimer’s disease and may aid detection of cognitive impairment. We sought to test whether acoustic metrics from a cognitive screener differentiate individuals with cognitive impairment from those who are cognitively normal. We extracted 38 acoustic features from digital voice recordings of the Mini-Mental Status Examination repetition task from Long Life Family Study participants using the openSMILE toolkit. Highly correlated features (r>0.9) were removed. Cognitive status (impaired versus cognitively normal) was determined through consensus review of neuropsychological testing and informant interviews. Bayesian Information Criterion-based stepwise regression including 24 acoustic variables and retaining age, sex, education, and MMSE score in all models was used to identify predictors of cognitive status. Acoustic features from preliminary data included 277 participants (mean age 74.8±12.3 years old, 57% females, 34% cognitively impaired due to oversampling). Stepwise selection identified greater loudness (i.e., signal intensity; p<0.001), smaller pitch changes (p=0.007), and lower Harmonics-to-Noise Ratio (i.e., a metric of voice quality; p=0.017) as significantly associated with cognitive impairment. A model with MMSE, demographics, and acoustics had a higher discriminative value for cognitive status (AUC 0.95, sensitivity=0.97, specificity=0.73) than the model without acoustics (AUC = 0.94, sensitivity=0.97, specificity=0.63). Overall, acoustic features from a brief (i.e., 3 second) repetition task were associated with cognitive impairment and added information beyond traditional scoring that increased the specificity of a cognitive screener.
LINGUISTIC PROFILES OF PARAGRAPH RECALL PREDICT DEPRESSION IN OLDER ADULTS
Authors: Park Seho , Roth Nicole , Sebastiani Paola , Cosentino Stephanie , Andersen Stacy
Published: December 2023

Our previous work identified linguistic markers from paragraph recall that predicted cognitive impairment. However, many features were related to psychological constructs, and mood disorders, such as depression, are also associated with cognitive impairment. Therefore, we aimed to identify linguistic markers that are associated with depression and examine their overlap with those for cognitive impairment. We used Linguistic Inquiry Word Count, a natural language processing tool, on Logical Memory transcriptions from the Long Life Family Study. Depression status was positive for participants with a self-reported depression diagnosis or high depressive symptoms (i.e., a CESD-10 score≥10) at testing. We used logistic regression models with Generalized Estimating Equations adjusted by age, sex, education, and within-family relatedness to identify linguistic features associated with depression status (Bonferroni-corrected threshold of p<.001). The sample included 61 participants with evidence of depression and 539 participants without (mean age=72.1±10.9 years, female=63%). A lower percentage of verb use in delayed recall was significantly associated with depression (Odds Ratio [OR]=0.71, CI 0.55-0.93, p=.0001). Additionally, 3 immediate recall features (verbs, OR=0.71; prepositions, OR=1.30; differentiation words, OR=1.30) and 5 delayed recall features (function words, OR=0.68; prepositions, OR=1.50; future tense, OR=0.48; cognitive process words, OR=0.78; past tense, OR=0.74) were significant at a nominal level (p=.009 to p=.035). We identified linguistic features from paragraph recall responses that predict depression and were largely distinct from those associated with cognitive impairment as only two features overlapped. Linguistic analyses of spoken responses may help us understand contributors to test performance and distinguish between cognitive impairment and depression.
POPULATION ATTRIBUTABLE FRACTION OF POOR ORAL HEALTH FOR THE INCIDENCE OF DEMENTIA: A POPULATION-BASED COHORT STUDY
Authors: Qi Xiang , Wu Bei
Published: December 2023

Emerging evidence indicates a positive association between suboptimal oral health and increased risks of dementia. Despite the preventable and treatable nature of many oral health problems, oral health has not been considered in the risk factors for dementia that shape public health policy and research priorities. We aimed to quantify and compare the fractions of incident dementia attributable to poor oral health and other modifiable risk factors. The research included a nationally-representative sample of 15,474 cognitively intact adults aged≥50 from the Health and Retirement Study, with the outcome of incident dementia between 2006 to 2016. We estimated the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) and population attributable fraction (PAF) of edentulism and nine risk additional dementia factors. Additional analyses were conducted on 1,239 individuals who completed the “Dental Health Module” in 2008, examining oral health problems as an exposure. Edentulism was associated with a higher risk of dementia for both men (HR,1.38; 95%CI, 1.15-1.66) and women (HR, 1.32; 95%CI, 1.16-1.51). The PAF of edentulism for dementia was 4.64%, which exceeded that of hearing impairment (3.58%) and hypertension (2.90%). Oral health problems were also a significant factor for men (HR, 2.01; 95%CI, 1.49-3.39) and women (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.02-1.30), with a PAF of 11.84% among men, the second-largest following less education (22.60%). The substantial estimated proportion of dementia attributed to poor oral health in the aging population, particularly in men, warrants more attention. Dental care should be an integral component of a comprehensive approach to promoting cognitive health.
CORRELATES OF DENTAL CARE UTILIZATION AMONG US INFORMAL DEMENTIA CAREGIVERS
Authors: Mao Weiyu , Wu Bei , Yang Wei
Published: December 2023

Informal dementia caregivers tend to report more negative health impacts from the caregiving role, higher levels of unmet needs, and lower levels of service utilization compared to caregivers of persons with other types of illnesses. There remains a gap in knowledge of understanding unique correlates of dental care utilization among informal dementia caregivers. As guided by the Andersen model, this study examined correlates of dental care utilization among U.S. informal dementia caregivers. Data came from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System collected in 2016, 2018, and 2020 (n=2,931). Respondents were selected when they reported providing regular care or assistance to a friend or family member who has Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or other cognitive impairment disorder. Dental care utilization was dichotomized into “yes” versus “no” within the past year. Caregiving-related characteristics included caregiver role (e.g., spouse, adult child, other relative, and friend), intensity of care, duration of care, and type of care. Other correlates included caregiver characteristics, health behaviors, and physical and oral health needs. Findings from stepwise logistic regression models demonstrate that being a spousal caregiver, providing more than 20 hours of care per week, being male, having high school or less education, being low-income, unemployed, current smoker, having no health insurance, no current alcohol use, or less than adequate sleep was associated with a lower likelihood of vising a dentist within the past year. The findings suggest targeting spousal caregivers and those who provide intensive care to improve dental care-seeking behaviors in dementia caregiver support intervention strategies.