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Neighborhood collective efficacy and children and adolescents’ externalizing behaviors across development: A systematic review

Objective To synthesize and describe the relationship between neighborhood collective efficacy (NCE) and children and adolescents’ externalizing behaviors to inform practice and policy decisions. Study design Data sources including PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL were searched in November 2024 using the PRISMA guidelines. Literature that addressed the main predictor (neighborhood collective efficacy) and outcome (child externalizing behaviors) were included. Two authors independently evaluated the studies using the guidelines from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHBLI) Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-sectional studies. We developed an extraction table to categorize and analyze each study. Results We screened 294 abstracts and included 17 studies with a total of 28,957 caregiver-child (or children) dyads and 592 adolescents in November 2024 via database searches through PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Consistent with previous literature highlighting the importance of neighborhood environment on child behavioral health outcomes, most studies demonstrated significant relationship between neighborhood collective efficacy and child externalizing behaviors across diverse developmental periods. Furthermore, studies focusing on early childhood yielded the most consistent evidence for the relationship between neighborhood collective efficacy and externalizing behaviors as compared to studies of older developmental periods. In addition, studies resulting from US-based participants were more likely to be significant than studies in other contexts. We also found limited evidence for mediating effects of corporal punishment, parenting, and adverse childhood experiences between neighborhood collective efficacy and child externalizing behaviors. Conclusions There is a significant inverse relationship between neighborhood collective efficacy and child externalizing behaviors across diverse developmental stages, populations, and study approaches.

The effects of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and ten-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk score on mental health status

The role of obesity and Type 2 diabetes in lung health: A systematic review (2024)

Introduction Type 2 diabetes is associated with mild airways restriction, yet obstructive lung conditions are prevalent in people with diabetes. Obesity is a confounding factor and has been reported to be both protective and to enhance risk of lung disease independent of hyperglycaemia. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate how Type 2 diabetes and obesity affect lung function measurements in people with and without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Methods Ovid MEDLINE and Embase databases were methodically searched for studies published between 2011–2024. Ninety-three studies were included, with 35,891 participants. Included studies had data on Type 2 diabetes and/or obesity and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and/or forced vital capacity (FVC). All studies were assessed for quality (Newcastle-Ottawa scale) or risk of bias (Cochrane methodology). Data was extracted as combined means and standard deviation, and significance tested by Kruskal-Wallis. Multiple linear regression was conducted to account for the impact of age, BMI, Type 2 diabetes and geographical region. Results Those with Type 2 diabetes without a lung disease had mild airway restriction. However, outcomes for those with asthma and COPD in the presence of Type 2 diabetes were largely comparable to those who had either condition in the absence of Type 2 diabetes. A Type 2 diabetes diagnosis and being in the geographical region of Asia were significantly associated with decreased FEV1 and FVC, but obesity was not. The study is limited by the large number of cross-sectional studies using single time points from which conclusions on causality cannot be drawn. Conclusion Type 2 diabetes is independently associated with airways restriction suggesting that monitoring of lung function following a diabetes diagnosis may be warranted.

Enhancing red color performance in three-color electrophoretic displays using high-frequency voltage and low-voltage differential oscillation

Evaluation of rat pancreatic islets damage after siRNA microporation

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) can be used for the temporary inhibition of gene expression, and one possible delivery method is microporation. In this study, we evaluated whether microporation is a suitable technique for the transfection of pancreatic islets and whether the selected siRNA is recognized by islet cells as foreign, potentially triggering an inflammatory or cytotoxic response. Rat islets were transfected with siRNA by microporation 24 hours after isolation. Another 24 hours post-transfection, the islets were assessed for viability, function, and the expression of inflammatory markers. Microporation induced mild but, in some assays, statistically significant stress. Flow cytometry revealed 9.94% dead cells in the negative control, 16.33% in islets microporated without siRNA, and 14.50% in islets microporated with siRNA. These results were confirmed by live/dead staining using Propidium iodide and Acridine orange. In contrast, caspase 3/7 staining, insulin secretion assays, and qRT-PCR analysis of inflammatory markers showed no statistically significant differences between the negative control and microporated groups. In addition, there were no significant differences in any of the assays between islets microporated with or without siRNA, or between the siRNA-only group and the negative control. These findings indicate that the selected siRNA is non-toxic to pancreatic islets and does not elicit an inflammatory response. Although microporation induces mild cellular stress and increased cell death, it may still be considered as a possible method for the transfection of pancreatic islets.

Multicohort assessment of plasma metabolic signatures of tuberculosis disease in children: a retrospective cross-sectional study

Revisiting the excess volatility puzzle through the lens of the Chiarella model

We amend and extend the Chiarella model of financial markets to deal with arbitrary drift in long-term value in a consistent way. This allows us to improve upon existing calibration schemes, opening the possibility of calibrating individual monthly time series instead of classes of time series. The technique is employed on spot prices of four asset classes from ca. 1800 onward (stock indices, bonds, commodities, currencies). The so-called fundamental value is a direct output of the calibration, which allows us to (a) quantify the amount of excess volatility in these markets, which we find to be large (e.g. a factor ≈ 4 for stock indices) and consistent with previous estimates; and (b) determine the distribution of mispricings (i.e. the log-difference between market price and value), which we find in many cases to be bimodal. Both findings are strongly at odds with the Efficient Market Hypothesis. We also study in detail the ‘sloppiness’ of the calibration, that is, the directions in parameter space that are weakly constrained by data. The main conclusions of our study are remarkably consistent across different asset classes, and reinforce the hypothesis that the medium-term fate of financial markets is determined by a tug-of-war between trend followers and fundamentalists.

HIV Vpr induces demethylation of the SNCA antisense promoter, leading to neurocognitive impairment

Abstract Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) aggregation is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. Accumulation and aggregation of α-Syn are often observed in individuals with HIV-1 cognitive impairments. The direct mechanistic link between α-Syn dysregulation and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) remains unclear. Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetic changes, particularly deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) demethylation, influence α-Syn regulation. We show that the HIV-1 protein viral protein R (Vpr) demethylates the antisense promoter within intron 1 of the alpha-synuclein gene ( SNCA ), potentially contributing to increased α-Syn expression. Elevated α-Syn promotes aggregation, causing synaptic dysfunction and impaired mitochondrial transport. These processes contribute to the development of HAND. Furthermore, we find that Vpr’s activation of the SNCA antisense promoter depends on demethylation; dimethyloxaloylglycine (DMOG), a ten-eleven translocation (Tet) inhibitor, reverses this demethylation and reduces Vpr-induced SNCA antisense activation. Our findings suggest that α-Syn dysregulation plays a role in cognitive decline among people living with HIV and that targeting α-Syn regulatory pathways could help reduce HIV-related neurodegeneration. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that an HIV protein epigenetically activates the SNCA antisense promoter, linking viral infection to α-synuclein deregulation. Future research should explore how SNCA antisense promoter demethylation leads to neuronal dysfunction and examine the broader impact of α-Syn dysregulation on neuronal health.

Embedding trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and compassionate care training in health and social care curricula: Evaluation of a multidisciplinary student intervention utilizing a pre- post-test survey design

Introduction There were an estimated 281 million international migrants across the globe in 2020. Additionally, 30.5% of people globally have been exposed to four or more traumatic events. Providing equitable, trauma aware, culturally sensitive, and compassionate healthcare services is a priority to meet evolving health and social care requirements. This study aimed to evaluate trauma aware, culturally sensitive, and compassionate care training for health and social care students. Methods We previously co-produced and evaluated trauma aware, culturally sensitive, and compassionate care training among midwives, with positive results across three European countries. We adapted this training for a wider range of healthcare professionals and delivered it to 1,400 students from midwifery, nursing, and other health and social care disciplines. A pre-test post-test study design using pre- and post-seminar questionnaires and a reflective paragraph submitted two months after the training evaluated the training and its impact on practice. Descriptive statistics and Mann Whitney U-tests were undertaken on quantitative data and simple content analysis on qualitative data. Results Significant improvements were seen between mean pre- and post-seminar scores in all domains of students’ self-perceived capability including providing culturally sensitive care (p < 0.001), trauma aware care (p < 0.001), and compassionate care (p = 0.001). Open ended responses revealed three themes. Students identified “enhanced knowledge”, alongside “contextual influences” which acted as barriers and facilitators that impacted on “reflection and implementation in practice”. Conclusion Training in trauma aware, culturally sensitive, and compassionate care improved students’ confidence and competence, with positive evaluations and opportunities to directly put learning into clinical practice. Incorporating such training into undergraduate curricula is essential to equip health and social care professionals for the complexities of everyday practice. Future research should place particular emphasis on evaluating students’ actual implementation of the training into practice, for example through video-taped mock clinical encounters, as well as determine the impact of training on patient clinical outcomes and experiences of care.

The photolytic and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 doped Zn₄O(BDC)₃ nano MOF for removing cyprodinil fungicide residues from hard water

Pharmacokinetics of Dolutegravir, nucleoside analogues, and intracellular metabolites using plasma separation cards: A comparative analysis with traditional sampling methods in healthy volunteers

Objectives Adherence to antiretroviral therapy is essential for achieving viral suppression. Plasma separation cards (HemaSep; HS-DBS) provide advantages for pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis and adherence monitoring, including simplified sample collection. This study compared the PK of dolutegravir (DTG), nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and their intracellular metabolites in the dried plasma and cellular fractions of HS-DBS against the appropriate gold-standard matrices: liquid plasma for parent drugs and Whatman DBS (WM-DBS) for NRTI metabolites. Methods The APT-POCT-01 clinical trial (NCT04302896) is an open-label study assessing drug concentrations following cessation in healthy volunteers. Participants were randomized (1:1) to receive DTG/FTC/TAF or DTG/3TC/TDF for 15 days. Paired liquid plasma (L-pL), HS-DBS, and WM-DBS samples were collected on Day 15 and following treatment cessation (0–336 hours post-final dose). Results 29 individuals were included in the PK analysis (15-TDF/14-TAF). Tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) was quantifiable up to 14 days post-cessation in HS-DBS (TAF/TDF) and WM-DBS (TDF) (HS-DBS t½ > 17 days, WM-DBS t½ = 15 days). 3TC-TP and FTC-TP were eliminated more rapidly. Nucleoside di/triphosphate concentrations were 3–7-fold higher, with prolonged half-lives (TFV-DP, FTC-TP), compared with WM-DBS. TFV-DP levels were ~12-fold higher with TDF compared to TAF. For NRTI and DTG, HS-plasma resulted in 1.8-fold higher exposures compared to L-pL. Measurable HS-DBS concentrations were correlated with L-pL and WM-DBS, with Bland-Altman analysis indicating agreement between methods. Conclusions This study provides important insights into the elimination kinetics of NRTI, their intracellular metabolites and DTG. Plasma separation cards are a promising alternative for adherence monitoring, enabling simultaneous quantification of parent and intracellular moieties from a single sample. Differences in TFV-DP levels between TDF and TAF regimens, and DBS sampling method, underscore the need for matrix and regimen-specific interpretation to validate adherence benchmarks.

Curcumin attenuates the progression of hemorrhoids through the inhibition of angiogenesis via miR-190a-5p/TGFBR2

Wearable devices and ecological momentary assessment EMA in the workplace: A study protocol on work stress assessment

Work-related stress (WRS) remains a significant concern in occupational health. Despite its significance, measuring WRS presents methodological challenges. Advancements in real-time data collection methods offer new opportunities to enhance the accuracy of WRS assessment. This study proposes an innovative, participatory protocol for assessing WRS. The approach integrates subjective self-reported measures, collected through ecological momentary assessment (EMA), and physiological monitoring via wearable smartwatches. By combining time-contingent and event-contingent sampling, the methodology enables continuous tracking of stress responses throughout the workday, providing a more dynamic and context-sensitive understanding of workplace stress. A key objective of this research is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of implementing this protocol in real-world organizational settings. By incorporating participatory design principles, the methodology actively involves workers in the assessment process, ensuring that the tools and procedures are both effective and user-friendly. This participatory approach fosters engagement and compliance, ultimately improving the quality of collected data. This study contributes to developing more robust and ecologically valid stress assessment methods. Integrating real-time monitoring with self-reported data represents a promising direction for occupational health research, paving the way for more targeted and evidence-based interventions to mitigate workplace stress.

Cross-domain continuous-scale remote sensing image super-resolution via meta-weight learning

Linear convergence of the NQZ algorithm for finding the H-spectral radius of nonnegative tensors

The R -linear convergence of the NQZ algorithm for computing the H -spectral radius of a class of weakly irreducible nonnegative tensors is established by utilizing the directed graphs of tensors. Meanwhile, an upper bound for the root convergence factor R is derived and a general condition ensuring the linear convergence of the NQZ algorithm is provided.

Identification of frame geometry and boundary conditions from free-vibration modal signatures

Developing count regression techniques for predicting the number of new type 2 diabetes cases in Saudi Arabia

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic condition affecting millions globally. A robust predictive model to estimate the number of new cases of T2D can facilitate precise monitoring and effective intervention strategies. This study aims to predict the number of new T2D cases per month in Saudi Arabia and identify the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) associated with T2D, using count regression models, Poisson Regression (PR), Negative Binomial Regression (NBR), Poisson Inverse Gaussian Regression (PIGR), and Bell Regression (BR). De-identified data from 1,000 patients with T2D in Saudi Arabia were used to develop the models. The performance of the full models, which include recommended Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), is compared using metrics such as the coefficient of determination (R 2 ), root mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), 10-fold cross-validation (CV-10), Akaike information criterion (AIC), and Bayesian information criterion (BIC). The most significant KPIs identified by the full models were utilized to develop the reduced models. The full NBR model outperformed other models, achieving R² of 0.88, RMSE of 0.93, MAE of 0.69, CV-10 of 1.21, AIC = 873.23, and BIC = 880. The reduced NBR model, focusing solely on the five most influential variables (marital status, age, body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol (TC), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)), with R² = 0.84, RMSE = 1.10, MAE = 0.86, CV-10 = 1.37, AIC = 899, and BIC = 910, also outperformed other reduced models. The Likelihood Ratio Test (LRT) did not show a significant difference between the full and reduced NBR models (p = 0.694), supporting the adequacy of the reduced model. The proposed reduced model, utilizing only five significant KPIs, can help healthcare providers develop effective, targeted strategies by monitoring a smaller number of KPIs to reduce the rising number of T2D cases in Saudi Arabia.

Correlation between lung ultrasound B lines and clinical as well as echocardiographic parameters in patients on maintenance hemodialysis

HbA1c underperforms in identifying abnormal glucose tolerance in the presence of G6PD deficiency: Insight from the Africans in America study

G6PD deficiency (G6PD-D) variants are associated with lower hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) concentrations, raising concerns about the diagnostic efficacy of HbA1c for abnormal glucose tolerance (Abnl-GT) in Africans, in whom risk of G6PD-D and Abnl-GT is high. G6PD-D is assessed using genotyping or an enzymatic assay, but because G6PD-D is X-linked, the enzymatic assay is necessary for determining status for women heterozygous for deficiency variants. We assessed: 1) ability of HbA1c to detect Abnl-GT by G6PD-D; 2) concordance of genotyping and enzymatic assay for G6PD-D in sub-Saharan Africans living in the US. 534 participants of the Africans in America study were included, with HbA1c ranging from 3.1–11.3%. Abnl-GT determined by HbA1c (≥5.7%) was compared to the diagnostic standard, the oral glucose tolerance test (fasting glucose≥100 mg/dL and/or 2h glucose≥140 mg/dL). G6PD-D status was determined by genotype (n = 263), enzymatic assay (n = 83), or both (n = 188). G6PD-D could not be determined for 13 women heterozygotes with only genotype data. In the remaining participants, HbA1c was 0.9% lower among those with G6PD-D (4.6 ± 0.5; range 3.1–5.6) compared to those with normal G6PD activity (5.5 ± 0.6; range 4.2–11.3; P  < 0.001). Glucose concentrations did not differ between groups. HbA1c sensitivity and specificity for Abnl-GT were 0% (0/17) and 100% (37/37) among those with G6PD-D, and 50% (98/195) and 80% (217/272) among those with normal activity. After excluding women heterozygotes, concordance for G6PD-D detection by genotype and the enzymatic assay was 100%. G6PD-D was associated with ~0.9% lower HbA1c in this study, leading to a failure of HbA1c to identify Abnl-GT in these participants. Such a dramatic difference in a screening tool could have consequences in practice, including late diagnosis, undertreatment, and increased complications among those with G6PD-D. Additionally, the results for the enzymatic assay were perfectly concordant with the genotype results for G6PD-D. However, as genotype alone cannot predict G6PD-D in heterozygous women, the enzymatic assay was more informative.

Clinical implications of systolic blood pressure for diabetic retinopathy across HbA1c levels in a Japanese population

Abstract This study evaluated the association between systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) across different glycemic levels in a Japanese population. We analyzed data from 1,049 residents aged ≥ 40 years with diabetes who underwent ophthalmic screening in Chikusei City. Participants were stratified into four groups by glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level (< 7% or ≥ 7%) and SBP (< 140 or ≥ 140 mmHg). Logistic regression was used to examine associations between SBP and prevalent DR within HbA1c strata. DR was present in 136 participants (13.0%), including 82 (7.8%) with mild-to-moderate nonproliferative DR (NPDR) and 54 (5.1%) with severe NPDR or proliferative DR (PDR). Among participants with lower HbA1c levels, higher SBP was significantly associated with greater odds of DR (odds ratio, 2.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.16–4.23). A similar association was observed among those with mild-to-moderate NPDR, but not among participants with higher HbA1c levels. SBP was not significantly associated with severe NPDR or PDR in any group. These findings suggest that elevated SBP may contribute to the development of early-stage DR even in individuals with well-controlled blood glucose levels, underscoring the importance of blood pressure management in DR prevention strategies.