bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative flood hazard assessment methods: A review
Authors: Maranzoni Andrea , D'Oria Marco , Rizzo Carmine
Published: October 2022

Flood hazard assessment is a fundamental step in flood risk mapping. Quantitative assessment requires hydrodynamic modelling of the flooding process in order to calculate the spatial distribution of suitable flood hazard indicators representative of flooding intensity and frequency, hence its potential to result in harm. Flood hazard indicators are usually defined by combining relevant flooding parameters, mainly flood depth and flow velocity, but also flooding arrival time, flooding duration, sediment or contamination load, and so forth. A flood hazard classification is commonly introduced to assign a hazard level to areas potentially subject to flooding. This article presents a systematic review of quantitative methods proposed in the scientific literature or prescribed by government authorities to assess the hazard associated with natural or anthropic flooding. Flood hazard classification methods are listed and compared by specifying their underlying approach (heuristic, conceptual, empirical), the exposed element which they were designed for (people, buildings, vehicles, etc.), and their fields of application (river overflow, dam‐break, levee breach, debris flow). Perspectives and future challenges in quantitative flood hazard analysis are also discussed. This review aims to help modellers and practitioners to select the most suitable flood hazard assessment method for the case study of interest.
Association of pulse pressure with all‐cause mortality in older Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A observational cohort study
Authors: Fukunaga Naoko , Tamakoshi Koji , Hayashi Toshio
Published: October 2022

Aim

Although systolic and diastolic blood pressures as well as blood glucose are monitored when nurses care for patients with type 2 diabetes, the same is not true for pulse pressure. We aimed to determine the association between pulse pressure and all‐cause mortality.

Methods

We conducted a longitudinal study of outpatients with type 2 diabetes aged 65 years and older at diabetes‐specialized hospitals in Japan from September 2004 to December 2016. Descriptive data, blood pressure measurements, blood analysis data, and information on life and death were obtained from medical records. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the relative risks with 95% confidence intervals for all‐cause mortality.

Results

We analyzed 357 of the 383 recruited patients (mean age, 74.9 years; 175 men and 182 women; average follow‐up, 7.7 years), and 50 patients died. After adjusting for covariates, the relative risks for pulse pressures of 55 to <65, 65 to <75, and ≥75 mmHg (reference: <55 mmHg) were 1.77 (95% confidence interval: [0.59, 5.28]), 2.66 (95% confidence interval: [0.93, 7.56]), and 3.23 (95% confidence interval: [1.16, 8.99]), respectively. The relative risk for the 65 mmHg or higher group (reference: <65 mmHg) was 2.08 (95% confidence interval: [1.11, 3.92]). Neither systolic blood pressure nor diastolic blood pressure alone were significantly associated with mortality.

Conclusions

In older patients with type 2 diabetes, a wide pulse pressure was associated with a higher risk of all‐cause mortality. Nurses caring for older people with diabetes should also monitor pulse pressure.
National survey of abnormal uterine bleeding according to the FIGO classification in Japan
Authors: Kitahara Yoshikazu , Hiraike Osamu , Ishikawa Hiroshi , Kugu Koji , Takai Yasushi , Yoshino Osamu , Ono Masanori , Maekawa Ryo , Ota Ikuko , Iwase Akira
Published: October 2022

Aim

To investigate the status of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) in Japan using the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) classification (AUB system 1 and 2; PALM‐COEIN) and to clarify the relationship between AUB symptoms and the diseases causing AUB.

Methods

In a nationwide study, we enrolled first‐time patients who visited target facilities during two consecutive weeks from December 1, 2019 to January 31, 2020. The FIGO classification was used to investigate patients with symptoms and causative diseases of AUB. Based on the proportion of patients in the nationwide study, 373 cases were included in the detailed survey. Survey items included symptoms of AUB according to AUB system 1, examination details, and causative diseases according to the PALM‐COEIN classification.

Results

Within the study period, we encountered 61 740 first‐time patients, of which 8081 (13.1%) were diagnosed with AUB. Among them, 39.9% had abnormal menstrual cycles and 56.9% had abnormal menstrual bleeding. In the survey, PALM had the highest percentage of AUB‐L and COEIN had the highest percentage of AUB‐O. Correspondence analysis showed that COEIN was strongly associated with abnormal menstrual cycles and PALM with abnormal menstrual bleeding.

Conclusion

We conducted the first nationwide survey of AUB in Japan. The FIGO classification was a useful tool for the diagnosis of AUB, with a strong correlation between symptoms of AUB by AUB system 1 and the causative disease of AUB by PALM‐COEIN. Conversely, a high percentage of AUB‐N and AUB‐E suggests that AUB system 1 and PALM‐COEIN are ambiguous as diagnostic tools.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle success in patients under 35 years old with diminished ovarian reserve plus severe male factor
Authors: Özmen Sevinc , Tola Esra Nur , Karahasanoğlu Ayse
Published: October 2022

Objective

We aimed to evaluate intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes in young patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) plus severe male factor (SMF) compared with age‐matched controls with DOR.

Study design

A total of 189 infertile women under 35 years with DOR undergoing ICSI procedures were included retrospectively. Participants whose partners' sperm analysis was normal considered as the DOR group (n = 154) and whose partners' had SMF considered asthe DOR + SMF group(n = 35). The two groups were compared regarding cycle characteristics and pregnancy outcomes.

Results

Demographic features except infertility duration were similar between two groups. The duration of infertility was significantly longer in the DOR + SMF group compared to the DOR group (p = 0.02). Ovarian stimulation characteristics, oocyte retrieval parameters, fertilization rate, quality of embryos, embryo cancellation rate, and development up to blastocyst stage were found similar between two groups. Implantation, clinical pregnancy, abortion, and live birth rate, multiple pregnancy rate per cycle were distributed homogenously between the DOR and DOR + SMF groups.

Regarding perinatal and neonatal outcomes of groups, fetal height and weight were significantly lower in DOR + SMF group than in DOR group (p = 0.001 and 0.01, respectively). Gestational week at delivery was lower in the DOR + SMF group compared to the DOR group (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Fetal anthropometric measures were lower regarding to preterm delivery in the DOR + SMF group than the DOR group. Large sample‐sized studies should be performed to explain the decreased gestational week at the time of delivery in the DOR + SMF group.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging, deep learning, and Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review
Authors: Warren Samuel L. , Moustafa Ahmed A.
Published: October 2022

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is currently diagnosed using a mixture of psychological tests and clinical observations. However, these diagnoses are not perfect, and additional diagnostic tools (e.g., MRI) can help improve our understanding of AD as well as our ability to detect the disease. Accordingly, a large amount of research has been invested into innovative diagnostic methods for AD. Functional MRI (fMRI) is a form of neuroimaging technology that has been used to diagnose AD; however, fMRI is incredibly noisy, complex, and thus lacks clinical use. Nonetheless, recent innovations in deep learning technology could enable the simplified and streamlined analysis of fMRI. Deep learning is a form of artificial intelligence that uses computer algorithms based on human neural networks to solve complex problems. For example, in fMRI research, deep learning models can automatically denoise images and classify AD by detecting patterns in participants’ brain scans. In this systematic review, we investigate how fMRI (specifically resting‐state fMRI) and deep learning methods are used to diagnose AD. In turn, we outline the common deep neural network, preprocessing, and classification methods used in the literature. We also discuss the accuracy, strengths, limitations, and future direction of fMRI deep learning methods. In turn, we aim to summarize the current field for new researchers, suggest specific areas for future research, and highlight the potential of fMRI to aid AD diagnoses.
Between Treatment and Enhancement: Islamic Discourses on the Boundaries of Human Genetic Modification
Authors: Shabana Ayman
Published: October 2022

Recent developments in genomic technology, especially those enabling gene editing, promise to put an end to hitherto intractable medical problems and to usher us into the age of personalized medicine. These technologies, however, raise a number of serious ethical challenges. Given the global impact of this technology, recent international regulations emphasize the need for intercultural dialogue on these ethical issues. This paper concentrates on Islamic perspectives on human genetic modification. It examines Islamic juristic discourses on the issue of genetic modification and highlights the different layers within these discourses. The paper identifies the main positions regarding human genetic modification along with the underlying arguments for each of them. In general, these positions are articulated in light of the nature as well as the intended objectives of the different procedures. The paper devotes special attention to the treatment‐enhancement distinction and argues that within Islamic discourses this distinction is quite nuanced. The paper points out important substantive and methodological gaps and emphasizes the evolving nature of Islamic discourses on this issue.
Social network geometry, linguistic ideologies, and identity negotiation among Latinx English speakers in New Orleans
Authors: Lewis Tom
Published: October 2022

This article presents an analysis of the role of social networks in shaping patterns of /æ/ realization among Latinxs in Post‐Katrina New Orleans. Social network metrics are shown to be statistically significant predictors of pre‐nasal /æ/ tensing. I argue that social network metrics operationalize important aspects of the sociolinguistic context and contribute to our understanding of factors influencing how Latinx speakers recruit locally significant sociolinguistic variables in linguistic performance. The data and analysis strongly argue against distinctiveness approaches to studies of language and ethnicity, where “racial categories are equated with empirically distinctive sets of linguistic features” (Rosa & Flores, 2017), by demonstrating that Latinx speakers participate in a local change‐in‐progress in ways that are shaped by the same types of sociolinguistic factors that shape linguistic variation generally. The analysis is based on excerpts from a series of interviews conducted with Latinxs in the city (n = 33) in 2017–2018. The interviews were transcribed and coded for tokens of /æ/. Participants were categorized into one of three systems of /æ/ realizations, and tokens of /æ/ were further analyzed using inferential statistics to determine which independent variables were significant predictors of pre‐nasal /æ/ tensing. This research contributes to a growing body of work rejecting distinctiveness approaches to the linguistic performance of minoritized speakers, focusing instead on the ways in which individual speakers recruit linguistic features in the negotiation of identity (Eckert, 2008, 2018; Rosa & Flores, 2017; King 2016, 2018) and helps advance our understanding of how linguistic ideologies and articulations of ethnicity shape linguistic performance.
The care of infants with rapid weight gain: Should we be doing more?
Authors: Fangupo Louise , Daniels Lisa , Taylor Rachael , Glover Marewa , Taungapeau Finau , Sa'u Sellina , Cutfield Wayne , Taylor Barry
Published: October 2022

Rapid weight gain (RWG) during infancy is a known risk factor for later childhood obesity. It can be measured using a range of definitions across various time periods in the first 2 years of life. In recent years, some early childhood obesity prevention trials have included a focus on preventing RWG during infancy, with modest success. Overall, RWG during infancy remains common, yet little work has examined whether infants with this growth pattern should receive additional care when it is identified in health‐care settings. In this viewpoint, we contend that RWG during infancy should be routinely screened for in health‐care settings, and when identified, viewed as an opportunity for health‐care professionals to instigate non‐stigmatising discussions with families about RWG and general healthy practices for their infants. If families wish to engage, we suggest that six topics from early life obesity prevention studies (breastfeeding, formula feeding, complementary feeding, sleep, responsive parenting, and education around growth charts and monitoring) could form the foundations of conversations to help them establish and maintain healthy habits to support their infant's health and well‐being and potentially lower the risk of later obesity. However, further work is needed to develop definitive guidelines in this area, and to address other gaps in the literature, such as the current lack of a standardised definition for RWG during infancy and a clear understanding of the time points over which it should be measured.
Clinical performance of theIMMYcryptococcal antigen lateral flow assay in dogs and cats
Authors: Langner Kathrin F. A. , Yang Wen‐Jie
Published: October 2022

Background

Cryptococcal lateral flow antigen assays (CLFAs) have been assessed in comparison to the latex cryptococcal antigen agglutination test but their clinical performance is unknown.

Objective

Determine clinical performance of IMMY CLFA (Immuno‐Mycologics Inc, Oklahoma) using patients with and without cryptococcosis as the reference standard.

Animals

One‐hundred ninety‐seven serum samples from client‐owned dogs and cats.

Methods

Review of medical records of a referral population of dogs and cats that had CLFA performed between 2012 and 2020. Animals were classified as cryptococcosis positive (Cr+) or negative (Cr−) based on clinical information. Clinical diagnosis was used to calculate positive and negative percent agreement of the CLFA.

Results

Twelve specimens (4 canine, 8 feline) were obtained from Cr+ animals and had positive CLFA results. One‐hundred eighty‐five specimens (139 canine, 46 feline) were collected from Cr− animals. Negative CLFA results were recorded in 129 canine and 44 feline Cr− samples. Positive CLFA results were noted for 10 canine and 2 feline Cr− samples. Positive percent agreement of CLFA was 100% (confidence interval [CI], 39.8%‐100% dogs; 63.1%‐100% cats). Negative percent agreements were 92.8% (CI, 87.2%‐96.5%) for dogs and 95.7% (CI, 85.2%‐99.5%) for cats.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

A negative IMMY CLFA result enables reliable exclusion of cryptococcal infection in dogs and cats. By contrast, a positive result must be interpreted cautiously and further testing should be performed to verify a diagnosis of cryptococcosis.
Evaluation of a machine learning tool to screen for hypoadrenocorticism in dogs presenting to a teaching hospital
Authors: Reagan Krystle L. , Pires Jully , Quach Nina , Gilor Chen
Published: October 2022

Background

Dogs with hypoadrenocorticism (HA) have clinical signs and clinicopathologic abnormalities that can be mistaken as other diseases. In dogs with a differential diagnosis of HA, a machine learning model (MLM) has been validated to discriminate between HA and other diseases. This MLM has not been evaluated as a screening tool for a broader group of dogs.

Hypothesis

An MLM can accurately screen dogs for HA.

Animals

Dogs (n = 1025) examined at a veterinary hospital.

Methods

Dogs that presented to a tertiary referral hospital that had a CBC and serum chemistry panel were enrolled. A trained MLM was applied to clinicopathologic data and in dogs that were MLM positive for HA, diagnosis was confirmed by measurement of serum cortisol.

Results

Twelve dogs were MLM positive for HA and had further cortisol testing. Five had HA confirmed (true positive), 4 of which were treated for mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid deficiency, and 1 was treated for glucocorticoid deficiency alone. Three MLM positive dogs had baseline cortisol ≤2 μg/dL but were euthanized or administered glucocorticoid treatment without confirming the diagnosis with an ACTH‐stimulation test (classified as “undetermined”), and in 4, HA was ruled out (false positives). The positive likelihood ratio of the MLM was 145 to 254. All dogs diagnosed with HA by attending clinicians tested positive by the MLM.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

This MLM can robustly predict HA status when indiscriminately screening all dogs with blood work. In this group of dogs with a low prevalence of HA, the false positive rates were clinically acceptable.
Stemborer‐induced rice plant volatiles boost direct and indirect resistance in neighboring plants
Authors: Yao Chengcheng , Du Lixiao , Liu Qingsong , Hu Xiaoyun , Ye Wenfeng , Turlings Ted C. J. , Li Yunhe
Published: October 2022

Herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) are known to be perceived by neighboring plants, resulting in induction or priming of chemical defenses. There is little information on the defense responses that are triggered by these plant–plant interactions, and the phenomenon has rarely been studied in rice.

Using chemical and molecular analyses in combination with insect behavioral and performance experiments, we studied how volatiles emitted by rice plants infested by the striped stemborer (SSB) Chilo suppressalis affect defenses against this pest in conspecific plants.

Compared with rice plants exposed to the volatiles from uninfested plants, plants exposed to SSB‐induced volatiles showed enhanced direct and indirect resistance to SSB. When subjected to caterpillar damage, the HIPV‐exposed plants showed increased expression of jasmonic acid (JA) signaling genes, resulting in JA accumulation and higher levels of defensive proteinase inhibitors. Moreover, plants exposed to SSB‐induced volatiles emitted larger amounts of inducible volatiles and were more attractive to the parasitoid Cotesia chilonis.

By unraveling the factors involved in HIPV‐mediated defense priming in rice, we reveal a key defensive role for proteinase inhibitors. These findings pave the way for novel rice management strategies to enhance the plant's resistance to one of its most devastating pests.
Sedentary time and the risk of metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and dose–response meta‐analysis
Authors: Wu Jingjie , Zhang Hui , Yang Lili , Shao Jing , Chen Dandan , Cui Nianqi , Tang Leiwen , Fu Yujia , Xue Erxu , Lai Chuyang , Ye Zhihong
Published: October 2022

The dose–response association between sedentary time and the risk of metabolic syndrome is unclear, which indicates an important knowledge gap in public health. The objective of this study was to determine the categorical and continuous dose–response associations between sedentary time and the risk of metabolic syndrome. A systematic literature search of English articles published in PubMed, CINHAL, Embase, and Web of Science Core Collection prior to June 2022 was conducted. All cohort and cross‐sectional studies that examined the association between sedentary time and the risk of metabolic syndrome were considered, and duplicate and non‐related studies were excluded. Data extraction using a standardized chart and quality assessment using two appraisal tools were also performed. Two independent reviewers were involved in these processes. In categorical meta‐analyses, the pooled effect sizes for metabolic syndrome associated with different categories of sedentary time were calculated by comparing the highest and intermediate with the lowest categories. In continuous meta‐analyses, the linear and nonlinear dose–response associations were estimated using generalized least squares and restricted cubic spline models, respectively. Data were collected and analyzed from March to June 2022. Four prospective cohort studies and 22 cross‐sectional studies with 105,239 participants and 16,185 MetS cases were included in this study. In categorical analyses, both intermediate (median duration: 4.11 h/day; pooled OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.08–1.26, P < 0.001) and high levels (median duration: 7.26 h/day; pooled OR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.43–2.04, P < 0.001) of total sedentary time were significantly associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome. Similarly, a significant association between screen time and the risk of metabolic syndrome was also found in intermediate (median duration: 2.22 h/day; pooled OR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.10–1.32, P < 0.001) and high levels (median duration: 3.40 h/day; pooled OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.44–1.86, P < 0.001) of exposure. Of note, these associations were significantly stronger in women. Different patterns of the behavior‐disease association were not observed in children, adolescents, and adults. The findings of continuous meta‐analyses could not provide solid evidence for the linearity and nonlinearity of the behavior‐disease association. This study demonstrated that long‐time sedentary behavior was associated with a higher risk of MetS independent of physical activity and the patterns of association varied by gender instead of age. These findings have implications for future guideline recommendations on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and prevention of metabolic syndrome.
Manganese suppresses the development of oral leukoplakia by activating the immune response
Authors: Shi Yujie , Su Chongying , Ding Tingting , Zhao Hang , Wang Ying , Ren Yuan , Wu Lanyan , Zhang Qiyue , Liang Jing , Sun Silu , Wang Jiongke , Li Jing , Zeng Xin
Published: October 2022

Objective

Manganese ion (Mn2+) is reported to promote the antitumor immune response by activating the cGAS‐STING pathway, but it is unknown whether Mn2+ can prevent the malignant transformation of precancerous lesions. The effects of Mn2+ in treating oral leukoplakia (OLK) were explored in this work.

Methods

Peripheral blood Mn analysis of the patients was performed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP–AES). A coculture model of dendritic cells (DCs)/macrophages, CD8+ T cells, and dysplastic oral keratinocytes (DOKs) was employed to analyze the role and mechanism of Mn2+ in a simulated OLK immune microenvironment. Western blot, RT–PCR, flow cytometry, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays were adopted to detect the mechanism of Mn2+ in this model. 4‐nitroquinoline oxide (4NQO)‐induced OLK mice were used to assess the role of Mn2+ in suppressing OLK progression, and a novel Mn2+‐loaded guanosine‐tannic acid hydrogel (G‐TA@Mn2+ hydrogel) was fabricated and evaluated for its advantages in OLK therapy.

Results

The content of Mn in patients' peripheral blood was negatively related to the progression of OLK. Mn2+ promoted the maturation and antigen presentation of DCs and macrophages and enhanced the activation of CD8+ T cells in the coculture model, resulting in effective killing of DOKs. Mechanistic analysis found that Mn2+ enhanced the anti‐OLK immune response by activating the cGAS‐STING pathway. Moreover, Mn2+ suppressed the development of 4NQO–induced carcinogenesis in the mouse model. In addition, the G‐TA@Mn2+ hydrogel had better anti‐OLK effects.

Conclusions

Mn2+ enhanced the anti‐OLK immune response by activating the cGAS‐STING pathway, and the G‐TA@Mn2+ hydrogel is a potential novel therapeutic approach for OLK treatment.
Administrative characteristics and timing of governments' crisis responses: A global study of early reactions to COVID‐19
Authors: Jugl Marlene
Published: October 2022

In a crisis, fast reaction is key. But what can public administration tell us about this? This study develops a theoretical framework explaining how administrative characteristics, including fragmentation, capacities, legacies and learning, affect governments' response timing. The COVID‐19 pandemic is exploited as a unique empirical setting to test this framework and its scope conditions. Region fixed‐effects models and survival analysis of partly hand collected data for more than 150 national governments confirm some limited predictive power of administrative structures and traditions: Especially in developing countries, governments with a separate ministry of health adopted binding containment measures faster. Countries with hierarchical administrative traditions, for example, socialist, adopted some interventions like school closures faster than more liberal traditions, for example, Anglo‐American. These characteristics increase threat perception and availability of a response, respectively. Results also suggest that intracrisis and intercrisis learning supply governments with response options. The study advances comparative public administration and crisis research.
A unified framework for automated registration of point clouds, mesh surfaces and 3D models by using planar surfaces
Authors: Zhao Yuan , Zhao Hang , Radanovic Marko , Khoshelham Kourosh
Published: October 2022

Registration of 3D spatial data and models is a fundamental task in applications such as mapping, positioning and virtual/augmented reality. Most of the existing 3D registration methods such as iterative closest point (ICP) and recent learning‐based methods are dedicated to point cloud registration, and rely heavily on point‐wise correspondences, which limits their ability to address registration problems across different data types. Since man‐made objects and buildings usually contain many planar surfaces, it is possible to use the planes for accurate registration of different data and models. In this paper, a unified registration framework is proposed consisting of a plane extraction module, which can extract planes from various forms of spatial data such as point clouds or surface‐based 3D models, and a registration module, which performs automatic registration based on the extracted planes. Tests show that the proposed method can handle small‐overlap registration across all these data types with high success rates. The result of point cloud registration also indicates that the method achieves better accuracy as compared to ICP.
Does gendered representation in national legislatures promote substantive representation and human development? Evidence from the developing world
Authors: Tusalem Rollin F.
Published: October 2022

Despite the increase in the share of women in national legislatures in the developing world, scholars are still debating if gender‐diversified legislatures promote women‐friendly policies or negate women's empowerment attributed to intersectional demands, the absence of a critical mass, and continued gendered patriarchy. Previous studies also lack generalizability as they are based on single‐country studies or cross‐national research with samples restricted by region or constrained to affluent nation‐states. To resolve the conundrum pertaining to understanding the nature of substantive representation in the non‐Western world, a panel study of 64 developing countries from 2005–2019 is employed. The study finds evidence that increased legislative representation by women is positively associated with the implementation of policies that promote higher levels of gender equality, social inclusion, and human development. The results imply that women's legislative presence in the global south has significant contributions in terms of affecting policy outcomes that improve the human condition.

Related Articles

Green, David R. 2003. “The Effects of Member Gender and Constituency Characteristics on Southern Congressional Voting Behavior, 1972‐2000.”Politics & Policy31(1): 80–104.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.1998.tb00471.x.

Sahfie, David M. 2008. “Women and Representation at Major Party Conventions, 1972‐1992.”Politics & Policy26(1): 45–77.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2003.tb00888.x.

Whistler, Donald E., and Mark C. Ellickson. 2010. “A Rational Choice Approach to Explaining Policy Preferences and Concern for Representing Women among State Legislators.”Politics & Policy38(1): 25–51.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2009.00227.x.
A Bayesian Multivariate Hierarchical Growth Curve Model to Examine Cumulative Socio-Economic (Dis)Advantage among Childless Adults and Parents
Authors: Verkroost Florianne C. J.
Published: October 2022

Childlessness and socio-economic well-being interact dynamically throughout the life course, possibly resulting in an accumulation of socio-economic (dis)advantage. Methods commonly used to investigate this hypothesis are unable to simultaneously acknowledge that childlessness entails a heterogeneous and processual ‘non-event’ which interrelates with multiple life domains. I use Bayesian multivariate hierarchical growth curve modelling to facilitate synchronous incorporation of these substantive complexities. I construct prospective interdependent life course trajectories of socio-economic well-being for eventual parents and permanently childless adults; distinguishing voluntary, involuntary, circumstantial and indecisive childlessness. Using 1970 British Cohort Study data, I find that parents and voluntarily childless adults are more satisfied with life than non-voluntarily childless adults. Voluntarily and circumstantially childless women earn most and mothers least, while fathers outearn childless men. (Dis)advantage in economic and male subjective well-being accumulates throughout the life course. Group differences in partnerships, employment, education and health, more than childbearing behaviours themselves, explain the (growth of) these socio-economic differentials. The findings have implications for policies addressing socio-economic inequalities by both parental status and gender. The proposed approach provides valuable for assessing cumulative (dis)advantage in interrelated life domains via an unclearly marked heterogeneous process, not only in the context of childlessness but also other life course topics.
Derivation of Maternal Dietary Patterns Accounting for Regional Heterogeneity
Authors: Stephenson Briana J. K. , Herring Amy H. , Olshan Andrew F.
Published: October 2022

Latent class models are often used to characterise dietary patterns. Yet, when subtle variations exist across different sub-populations, overall population patterns can be masked and affect statistical inference on health outcomes. We address this concern with a flexible supervised clustering approach, introduced as Supervised Robust Profile Clustering, that identifies outcome-dependent population-based patterns, while partitioning out subpopulation pattern differences. Using dietary data from the 1997–2011 National Birth Defects Prevention Study, we determine how maternal dietary profiles associate with orofacial clefts among offspring. Results indicate mothers who consume a higher proportion of fruits and vegetables compared to land meats lower the proportion of progeny with orofacial cleft defect.
Embodied relational research: How can researchers' competences in exploring existential aspects be enhanced?
Authors: Damsgaard Janne Brammer , Pilegaard Morten , Brinkmann Svend
Published: October 2022

Background

This methodological essay discusses the following question: How can researchers' competences in exploring existential aspects related to healthcare be enhanced? Exploring this novel perspective on caring practice may help us better understand and communicate about experiences and issues that matter to others (e.g. patients/users). Two things are needed: firstly, a vocabulary mirroring an “aesthetic‐holistic” research approach allowing us to capture the essence of “what it is like” and secondly, the development of skills and competences allowing us to understand complex aspects of caring that are embodied, ethically sensitive and sustainable.

Aim

To identify personal competences and approaches underpinning research exploring “what it is like”—understanding human existence.

Discussion

The discussion addresses three questions: (A) What does human science exploring human existence search for? (B) Which researcher competences are required? (C) Which theoretical and practical approaches and dimensions may enhance the researchers' competences? We argue that we should find “ourselves” not only grasped through language and a qualitative research‐methodological approach but also in what is reflected in the relation between self, language (dialogue) and the other. It is crucial to listen to the world in an ontological way. Emotions, feelings and bodily sensed understandings can, in some situations, bar us from stepping further into meta‐physical listening and from adopting a being‐in‐the‐world stance. In this relational perspective, the researcher may adopt an attentive pace and aesthetical attunement that transcend what cannot be reached through the language of logical, rigorous, precise and rational words, tuning into the ontological mood that exists as the tacit backdrop of our existence. This approach we dub “Embodied Relational Research.”

Conclusion

Researchers who explore humanity may benefit from cultivating awareness, sensitivity and understanding while displaying openness towards the other (the patients' or users' experiences). In this context, contemplative and creative dimensions are important to apply.
A preliminary study on the association between social media at night and sleep quality: The relevance of FOMO, cognitive pre‐sleep arousal, and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation
Authors: Almeida Filipa , Marques Daniel R. , Gomes Ana A.
Published: October 2022

Research shows that nighttime social media is negatively associated with sleep quality and that it might be utilized to cope with aversive psychological states related to cognitive pre‐sleep arousal (i.e., transdiagnostic psychopathology variables, referring to maladaptive repetitive thought), namely Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). The use of nighttime social media to cope with other aversive cognitive states (i.e., worry/rumination), their relationship with FoMO, and these variables' association with sleep are not fully understood. This study explored the relationships between nighttime social media, sleep quality, FoMO, cognitive pre‐sleep arousal, and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation (i.e., worry/rumination). The present correlational study followed a cross‐sectional design. Participants were 525 university students, ranging in age from 18 to 64 (M = 22.39, SD = 5.62). Measures of sleep quality, morningness/eveningness, cognitive pre‐sleep arousal, worry, rumination, FoMO, nighttime screen, and social media use were collected online or in pencil‐paper format. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Nighttime social media and FoMO were associated with rumination, worry (H1) and cognitive pre‐sleep arousal. Both FoMO and worry predicted higher levels of cognitive pre‐sleep arousal (H2) and nighttime social media use (H3). Nighttime social media use independently predicted poor sleep quality (H4). These results suggest that worry and FoMO may potentially affect sleep quality by increasing cognitive pre‐sleep arousal and nighttime social media. A possible explanation for these findings is that nighttime social media might be used as a strategy to cope with aversive cognitive states. These conclusions may contribute to improving sleep intervention in this population.
Interpersonal synchrony is associated with infants’ reactions to subtle changes in caregiver‐infant interactions
Authors: Markova Gabriela , Nguyen Trinh
Published: October 2022

The present study examined the role of interpersonal synchrony between mothers and their 4‐month‐old infants (N = 40) in infant responses to a modified interaction where mothers continually looked and verbalised towards but did not engage with their children. During a natural interaction we observed behavioural synchrony and for a subsample of infants (n = 20) measured change in their salivary oxytocin from before to after the natural interaction. During the modified interaction we observed infant gaze, positive, and negative affect. We found that higher interpersonal synchrony was related to longer infants’ social gaze and shorter displays of negative affect during the modified interaction. Increase in infant oxytocin was also associated with longer gaze, but also longer negative and shorter positive affect during the modified interaction. Our results show that interpersonal synchrony allows infants to notice changes in interactions with others, but also helps them to regulate their emotions during such modified exchanges. These findings thus indicate the importance of synchrony experiences with caregivers for the development of early regulatory capacities.
Survey participation as a function of democratic engagement, trust in institutions, and perceptions of surveys
Authors: Silber Henning , Moy Patricia , Johnson Timothy P , Neumann Rico , Stadtmüller Sven , Repke Lydia
Published: October 2022

Objective

With response rates of large‐scale surveys having decreased significantly over the years and rebounds seeming unlikely, many studies now examine how response rates vary with methodological design and incentives. This investigation delves into how individual‐level factors shape survey participation. Specifically, we examine the influence of individuals’ democratic engagement and their trust in institutions on intent to participate in surveys, both directly and indirectly through their perceptions of surveys.

Methods

We collected survey data from a probability sample of adults (N = 1343) in Mannheim, Germany, from November 2019 to March 2020. Structural equation models were estimated to test the hypothesized relationships.

Results

The analyses support most, but not all, hypothesized relationships. Democratic engagement bolstered intent to participate, directly as well as indirectly through perceptions of surveys. Institutional trust, on the other hand, only influenced the outcome measure indirectly. Perceptions of surveys had a strong bearing overall effect on intent to participate.

Conclusion

The study's results suggest that the response rates and larger issues related to the perceived legitimacy of public opinion and survey research might be intertwined with orientations related to people's civic and political life. The article discusses potential ways survey researchers can counteract distrust in surveys.
Characterization of the novel KIR3DL1*01507 allele identified in a Chinese Han individual
Authors: Zhen Jianxin , Yang Zhichao , Chen Shangliang , Chen Hao , Deng Zhihui
Published: October 2022

The novel KIR3DL1*01507 allele differs from the closest allele KIR3DL1*01502 by a single synonymous mutation.
Is diagnostic stewardship possible in solid organ transplantation?
Authors: Husson Jennifer , Bork Jacqueline T. , Morgan Daniel , Baddley John W.
Published: October 2022

Background

Diagnostic stewardship in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients has the potential to help these vulnerable patients at risk for over‐testing and overtreatment.

Methods

Herein, we review potential targets for diagnostic stewardship in SOT, such as Clostridioides difficile testing, urine cultures, molecular diagnostics, as well as novel areas of diagnostic stewardship.

Results

Bundled interventions focused on appropriate C. difficile testing can result in a significant decrease in testing and clinical diagnosis of C. difficile infection without any harms related to delay in diagnosis. In otherwise stable renal transplant recipients after the first month of transplant, screening urine cultures have not been shown to improve outcomes. Novel targets that require additional study in the SOT population include noninvasive fungal diagnostics and cytomegalovirus testing strategies

Conclusions

Diagnostic stewardship is an innovative approach to improve diagnosis and limit unnecessary antimicrobial use. While there has been little direct exploration of diagnostic stewardship in the SOT population, there is great potential for benefit given frequent testing with diagnostics that have imperfect sensitivity and specificity, and sometimes great cost. Diagnostic stewardship in the SOT population is indeed possible but will require a multidisciplinary effort to ensure that appropriates tests and benefits are realized.
Neuronal activity patterns in microcircuits of the cerebellar cortical C3 zone during reaching
Authors: Cerminara Nadia L. , Garwicz Martin , Darch Henry , Houghton Conor , Marple‐Horvat Dilwyn E. , Apps Richard
Published: October 2022

The cerebellum is the largest sensorimotor structure in the brain. A fundamental organizational feature of its cortex is its division into a series of rostrocaudally elongated zones. These are defined by their inputs from specific parts of the inferior olive and Purkinje cell output to specific cerebellar and vestibular nuclei. However, little is known about how patterns of neuronal activity in zones, and their microcircuit subdivisions, microzones, are related to behaviour in awake animals. In the present study, we investigated the organization of microzones within the C3 zone and their activity during a skilled forelimb reaching task in cats. Neurons in different microzones of the C3 zone, functionally determined by receptive field characteristics, differed in their patterns of activity during movement. Groups of Purkinje cells belonging to different receptive field classes, and therefore belonging to different microzones, were found to collectively encode different aspects of the reach controlled by the C3 zone. Our results support the hypothesis that the cerebellar C3 zone is organized and operates within a microzonal frame of reference, with a specific relationship between the sensory input to each microzone and its motor output.

image

Key points

A defining feature of cerebellar organization is its division into a series of zones and smaller subunits termed microzones.

Much of how zones and microzones are organized has been determined in anaesthetized preparations, and little is known about their function in awake animals.

We recorded from neurons in the forelimb part of the C3 zone ‘in action’ by recording from single cerebellar cortical neurons located in different microzones defined by their peripheral receptive field properties during a forelimb reach–retrieval task in cats.

Neurons from individual microzones had characteristic patterns of activity during movement, indicating that function is organized in relation to microcomplexes.
Translation and Linguistic Validation of the Assessment of Physical Activity in Frail Older People into Simplified Chinese Using Cognitive Interviewing Methodology
Authors: Li YueLin , Lyu LinYu , Fan Xing , Xu LiJuan , Zhao RuoRan , Jiang YuBo , Seo Jisu , Li CaiFu , Song Rhayun
Published: October 2022

The Assessment of Physical Activity in Frail Older People (APAFOP) is a patient-reported outcome measure assessing physical activity among community-dwelling older adults. However, this instrument has not been verified in the Chinese context. Thus, we translated the APAFOP into Chinese and then linguistically validated the Chinese version of APAFOP (APAFOP-C) by following the guidelines developed by Beaton and Willis. The translation process took 6 months. We identified nine translation issues in the translation process, of which experiential equivalence issues were the most frequent. It took three rounds of cognitive interviews to achieve linguistic validity, and the most significant issues were related to the layout of the questionnaire identified during the cognitive interview. In conclusion, the items of the APAFOP-C were considered comprehensive and relevant to assessing the physical activities of frail older adults in China. This study has laid the foundation for future evaluation of its measurement properties.
Small extracellular vesicles from young adipose-derived stem cells prevent frailty, improve health span, and decrease epigenetic age in old mice
Authors: Sanz-Ros Jorge , Romero-García Nekane , Mas-Bargues Cristina , Monleón Daniel , Gordevicius Juozas , Brooke Robert T. , Dromant Mar , Díaz Ana , Derevyanko Aksinya , Guío-Carrión Ana , Román-Domínguez Aurora , Inglés Marta , Blasco María A. , Horvath Steve , Viña Jose , Borrás Consuelo
Published: October 2022

Aging is associated with an increased risk of frailty, disability, and mortality. Strategies to delay the degenerative changes associated with aging and frailty are particularly interesting. We treated old animals with small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) derived from adipose mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) of young animals, and we found an improvement in several parameters usually altered with aging, such as motor coordination, grip strength, fatigue resistance, fur regeneration, and renal function, as well as an important decrease in frailty. ADSC-sEVs induced proregenerative effects and a decrease in oxidative stress, inflammation, and senescence markers in muscle and kidney. Moreover, predicted epigenetic age was lower in tissues of old mice treated with ADSC-sEVs and their metabolome changed to a youth-like pattern. Last, we gained some insight into the microRNAs contained in sEVs that might be responsible for the observed effects. We propose that young sEV treatment can promote healthy aging.
Highly stretchable and self-healable polymer gels from physical entanglements of ultrahigh–molecular weight polymers
Authors: Kamiyama Yuji , Tamate Ryota , Hiroi Takashi , Samitsu Sadaki , Fujii Kenta , Ueki Takeshi
Published: October 2022

Highly stretchable and self-healing polymer gels formed solely by physical entanglements of ultrahigh–molecular weight (UHMW) polymers were fabricated through a facile one-step process. Radical polymerization of vinyl monomers in ionic liquids under very low initiator concentration conditions produced UHMW polymers of more than 10
6
g/mol with nearly 100% yield, resulting in the formation of physically entangled transparent polymer gels. The UHMW gels showed excellent properties, such as high stretchability, high ionic conductivity, and recyclability. Furthermore, the UHMW gel exhibited room temperature self-healing ability without any external stimuli. The tensile experiments and molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the nonequilibrium state of the fractured surfaces and microscopic interactions between the polymer chains and solvents play a vital role in the self-healing ability. This study provides a physical approach for fabricating stretchable and self-healing polymer gels based on UHMW polymers.
The metabolomics of human aging: Advances, challenges, and opportunities
Authors: Panyard Daniel J. , Yu Bing , Snyder Michael P.
Published: October 2022

As the global population becomes older, understanding the impact of aging on health and disease becomes paramount. Recent advancements in multiomic technology have allowed for the high-throughput molecular characterization of aging at the population level. Metabolomics studies that analyze the small molecules in the body can provide biological information across a diversity of aging processes. Here, we review the growing body of population-scale metabolomics research on aging in humans, identifying the major trends in the field, implicated biological pathways, and how these pathways relate to health and aging. We conclude by assessing the main challenges in the research to date, opportunities for advancing the field, and the outlook for precision health applications.
The original “I, Robot” featured a murderous robot and the Frankenstein complex
Authors: Murphy Robin R.
Published: October 2022

Eando Binder’s Adam Link series predates Isaac Asimov’s more famous robots, posing issues in trust, control, weaponization, and intellectual property.