Ambiguous Findings Research Articles

Antecedents and consequences of host nationals’ attitudes towards hybrid language in MNCs: the case of MNC-tone

Multiple language use in multinational corporations (MNCs) crossing linguistic boundaries can lead to code-switching and the creation of hybrid languages. Hybrid languages in MNCs can facilitate or impede organizational processes. The source of such ambiguous findings may lie in individuals’ attitudes toward hybrid languages. The sociolinguistics literature suggests that language attitudes impact individuals’ in- and out-group behavior and may explain mixed findings of hybrid language use. We conduct research in the context of MNC-tone—a hybrid English-Chinese language popular in MNCs in China, which has also spilled into Chinese society among non-MNC workers. We examine the attitudes of Chinese nationals toward MNC-tone, the geo-social antecedents that contribute to attitude formation, and the consequences of such attitudes on perceived organizational attractiveness and interpersonal guanxi (informal and positive relationship between individuals facilitating processes in organizations). With survey data collected from Chinese employees in two interconnected studies (N = 342 and 502), we find that individuals from a multilingual landscape with access to foreign media and a multilingual social network have positive attitudes toward the hybrid language. Individuals with positive attitudes are likely to be attracted to work in MNCs that use the language and exercise interpersonal guanxi with others that use the hybrid language.

Clinical Outcome of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Patients with Primary Antibody Deficiencies.

In 2019, the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, caused a worldwide pandemic, affecting more than 630 million individuals and causing 6.5 million deaths. In the general population, poorer outcomes have been associated with older age, chronic lung and cardiovascular diseases, and lymphopenia, highlighting the important role of cellular immunity in the immune response against SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 variants may have a significant impact on disease severity. There is a significant overlap with complications commonly found in inborn errors of immunity (IEI), such as primary antibody deficiencies. The results of various studies have provided ambiguous findings. Several studies identified risk factors in the general population with a minor impact on SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, other studies have found a significant contribution of underlying immunodeficiency and immune-system dysregulation to the disease course. This ambiguity probably reflects the demographic differences and viral evolution. Impaired antibody production was associated with prolonged viral shedding, suggesting a critical role of humoral immunity in controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection. This may explain the poorer outcomes in primary antibody deficiencies compared to other IEIs. Understanding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathogenesis and identifying risk factors may help us identify patients at high risk of severe COVID-19 for whom preventive measures should be introduced.

An elusive ghost: Searching for the Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) in the past of Britain

AbstractThe Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) is currently absent as a regular breeder in Britain and its status as a native species has been debated. Its occurrence in the Pleistocene of Britain is sparse but uncontroversial, whereas its Holocene presence rests on very few ambiguous findings. Of these, a specimen from Demen's Dale (Derbyshire) originally attributed to the Mesolithic period is the most important. A re‐evaluation of this bone (tarsometatarsus) is presented in this paper. Although its identification as an Eagle Owl is confirmed, radiocarbon dating suggests that the bird rather lived in the Late Pleistocene. On the basis of the current evidence, there are no Holocene remains of the Eagle Owl in the archaeological and fossil record of Britain and the native status of this species remains unconfirmed.

Moving toward standardization: physician reporting of sleep studies.

Lastra AC, Ingram D, Park J, etal. Moving toward standardization: physician reporting of sleep studies. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(3):595-603.

Subcellular compartmentalization of STIM1 for the distinction of Darier disease from Hailey-Hailey disease.

Darier disease (DD) and Hailey-Hailey disease (HHD) are rare disorders caused by mutations in the ATPase, Sarcoplasmic/Endoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ Transporting 2 (ATP2A2) and ATPase Ca2+ Transporting Type 2C, Member 1 (ATP2C1) gene, respectively, which lead to a disturbance of calcium metabolism in keratinocytes. Clinically, this is reflected by an impairment of keratinization. Histologically, acantholysis with variable degrees of dyskeratosis and parakeratosis is observed. Both diseases can usually be differentiated clinically, histopathologically and genetically. However, their routine distinction might be challenging since some patients do not harbor ATP2A2 or ATP2C1 mutations. To solve this diagnostic challenge, we studied the differential expression of two proteins of store-operated calcium entry (SOCE), stromal interaction molecule1 (STIM1) and calcium release-activated calcium modulator1 (ORAI1), by immunohistochemistry. Five individuals with ambiguous diagnostic findings and eight controls with an unambiguous diagnosis were studied clinically, histologically, genetically, and by immunohistochemistry for STIM1 and ORAI1. DD patients consistently showed a cytoplasmic STIM1 expression while patients with HHD revealed a membrane-associated staining pattern. In contrast, ORAI1 did not show a differential expression pattern. Our data suggest subcellular compartmentalization of STIM1 as novel biomarker for the distinction of the two disorders.

Effects of caffeinated beverage ingestion on salivary antimicrobial proteins responses to acute exercise in the heat.

Caffeine is commonly used by athletes as an energy supplement, but studies on its effects on salivary antimicrobial proteins (sAMPs) in humans during exercise are rare with ambiguous findings. It is also still controversial whether hot environments affect sAMPs. Using a double-blind, randomized crossover design, we examined 12 endurance-trained male collegiate athletes who completed the following two experiments: a caffeine experiment (CAF) and a placebo experiment (PLA). The participants acutely consumed caffeine-containing (6 mg/kg body weight) sports drink (3 ml/kg body weight) or an equivalent amount of placebo sports drink and subsequently performed cycling exercise for 40 min in the heat (33 ± 0.24°C, 64 ± 2.50% relative humidity) at 50% of maximum output power, maintaining a pedal frequency of 60 rpm. Saliva was collected at 60 min pre-exercise (T-60), the start of exercise (T0), 20 min of exercise (T20), and the end of the exercise (T40), and salivary α-amylase (sAA) and lactoferrin (sLac) were tested. The rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was measured at T0-T40, while core body temperature (T re ) and heart rate (HR) were monitored continuously. T re , HR, and RPE increased with time during the exercise (p < 0.01), with no difference in T re and HR between the CAF and PLA (p > 0.05), but RPE was higher in the PLA than in the CAF (p < 0.05). sLac concentrations were significantly higher at T20 and T40 than at T-60 (p < 0.01) and higher at T40 than at T0 and T20 (p < 0.01), with no difference between the CAF and PLA (p > 0.05). Compared with T-60, sAA activity was significantly increased at T0, T20, and T40 (p < 0.01). sAA activity was significantly higher at T40 than at T0 and T20 (p < 0.01), at T20 than at T0 (p < 0.05), and in the CAF than in the PLA (p < 0.01). Heat stress caused by acute exercise in hot environments did not impair the sAMPs parameters of the participants. Instead, the participants showed transient increase in sAA activity and unchanged sLac concentrations. Caffeine may increase salivary markers related to immune response during exercise.

Factors released by low and high-LET irradiated fibroblasts modulate migration and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells.

IntroductionRadiotherapy represents a major treatment option for patients with pancreatic cancer, however, its benefits remain limited also due to the ability of cancer cells to migrate to the surrounding tissues. Low-LET ionizing radiation is well known to promote tumor cell migration and invasion, nevertheless, little data provided by studies using high-LET radiation has led to ambiguous findings. What is hypothesized to be fundamental in the modulation of migration of tumor cells exposed to ionizing radiation is the influence of the microenvironment. Therefore, the properties of cells that populate the tumor stroma cannot be ignored when studying the influence of radiation on the migratory and invasive capacity of cancer cells. This is especially important in the case of pancreatic malignancies that are characterized by an abundance of stromal cells, including cancer-associated fibroblasts, which are known to orchestrate the cross-talk with tumor cells.AimThe current study aims to investigate whether the presence of factors released by irradiated fibroblasts affects the migratory and invasive capacity of pancreatic cancer cells exposed to different doses of photons or C-ions.Materials and methodsAsPC-1 and AG01522 cells were irradiated with the same dose of photons or C-ions at room temperature. Through Boyden chamber assay, we tested whether factors secreted by irradiated fibroblasts may influence tumor cell migration, while the invasiveness of AsPC-1 cells was assessed using matrigel precoated inserts in which medium collected from non-irradiated (0 Gy), photon and C-ion irradiated fibroblasts, was added. Data were analyzed by Student t-test using GraphPad software. The mean ± s.d. was determined with a significance level of p<0.05.ResultsIn the presence of conditioned medium collected from 1 Gy and 2 Gy photon irradiated fibroblasts, the number of migrated tumor cells increased (P<0.0360, P<0.0001) but decreased at 4 Gy dose (P<0.002). There was a trend of reduction in migration (P<0.0460, P<0.038, P<0.0024, P<0.0002), as well as a decrease in invasiveness (P<0.0525, P<0.0035, P<0.0868, P<0.0310) after exposure to 0.5 Gy, 1 Gy, 2 Gy and 4 Gy of C-ions.ConclusionsThe presence of irradiated fibroblasts affected the invasiveness capability of pancreatic cancer cells, probably by the reciprocal release of soluble factors whose production is differently modulated after high or low-LET radiation. Understanding the effects of irradiation on the metastatic potential of pancreatic cancer cells is of utmost importance for improving the outcome and tailoring the therapeutic approach. This challenging scenario requires a continuous and multidisciplinary approach that involves clinicians together with researcher experts in oncological and radiation treatment. In the last years, including preclinical experiences in a multidisciplinary approach has proved to be a winning strategy in clinical oncological research.

Automated Analysis vs. Expert Reading in Nuclear Cardiology: Correlations with the Angiographic Score.

Background and Objectives: Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) has an important role in the non-invasive investigation of coronary artery disease. The interpretation of MPI studies is mainly based on the visual evaluation of the reconstructed images, while automated quantitation methods may add useful data for each patient. However, little evidence is currently available regarding the actual incremental clinical diagnostic performance of automated MPI analysis. In the present study, we aimed to assess the correlation between automated measurements of Summed Stress Score (SSS), Summed Rest Score (SRS) and Summed Difference Score (SDS), with the corresponding expert reading values, using coronary angiography as the gold standard. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at the Nuclear Medicine Laboratory of the University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece, οver an one-year period (January 2019–January 2020). 306 patients, with known or suspected coronary artery disease, were enrolled in the study. Each participant underwent a coronary angiography, prior to or after the scintigraphic study (within a three-month period). Either symptom-limited treadmill test, or pharmacologic testing using adenosine or regadenoson, was performed in all participants, and the scintigraphic studies were carried out using technetium 99m (99mTc) tetrofosmin (one-day stress/rest protocol). Coronary angiographies were scored according to a 4-point scoring system (angiographic score; O: normal study, 1: one-vessel disease, 2: two-vessel disease, 3: three-vessel disease). Moreover, automated measurements of SSS, SRS and SDS were derived by three widely available software packages (Emory Cardiac Toolbox, Myovation, Quantitative Perfusion SPECT). Results: Interclass Correlation Coefficients of SSS, SRS and SDS between expert reading and software packages were moderate to excellent. Visually defined SSS, SRS and SDS were significantly correlated with the corresponding results of all software packages. However, visually defined SSS, SRS and SDS were more strongly correlated with the angiographic score, indicating a better performance of expert reading when compared to automated analysis. Conclusions: Based on our results, visual evaluation continues to have a crucial role for the interpretation of MPI images. Software packages can provide automated measurements of several parameters, particularly contributing to the investigation of cases with ambiguous scintigraphic findings.

Cultivating inclusive public space with urban gardens

ABSTRACT A promise of urban gardening (UG) is allowing individuals to shape and engage with the built environment, bringing people together in public space. Municipalities may promote UG in public space for a wide variety of reasons such as enabling integration, reducing crime, or promoting area attractivity. While there is a general sense that UG can contribute to inclusive public space in these efforts, previous research provides ambiguous findings. UG in public space requires balancing inclusive and exclusive practices to create common values, as a select group of engaged members inherently shape space in their interest. UG initiatives vary considerably with respect to their aims, organisational forms, and spatial contexts – affecting inclusion in public space in different manners. The article seeks to unpack how urban settings, organisational forms, and municipal enabling affect UG practices towards inclusion in public space. To do so, the article draws on the theory of urban commons and intertwines it with research on inclusion in public space. This provides an understanding of multi-faceted UG governance and its exclusionary aspects. A framework is not only developed and applied to critically, but also constructively, to review how municipalities enable UG. A comparative analysis of UG initiatives in three Northern European municipalities explores both municipal enabling and the co-production of inclusive public space. The research abductively refines the framework for understanding the co-production of inclusive public space in UG. We argue that the findings and resulting framework have implications for research and for municipal enabling of UG towards inclusive public space.

A CONCEPTUAL PAPER ON SUBJECTIVE POVERTY AS PERCEIVED LASTING SOCIOECONOMIC INSECURITY AMONG LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLD DURING MCO AND COVID 19 PANDEMIC

Studies into the relation between subjective perceptions of individuals and objective economic conditions have usually resulted in ambiguous empirical findings. Whilst most studies perceive subjective welfare as being operationalized by indicators of happiness or life satisfaction, this study narrow the approach to an economic domain of subjective , that is perceptions of poverty. Malaysia government is very committed in supporting and implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Having reduced absolute poverty to less than one per cent, Malaysia is now focusing on uplifting the quality of life of the bottom 40 per cent of households (B40). Nevertheless, the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) and the COVID-19 outbreaks have affected the financial 'immunity' of households, traders, and employers to survive this critical period. This made many feels poorer. Poverty rates in the country have been found to increase as many Malaysians easily fall into poverty after losing their jobs or having their pay cut due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Recently, economist adding the subjective poverty approach in understanding the poor. Poor people have their own understanding and interpretation of their social certainty, and this is often different to an outsider’s perspective. The paper aims to uncover subjective poverty as perceived lasting socioeconomic insecurity among the low-income household. Keywords: Low income household; Subjective poverty; Socioeconomic insecurity

Are temporary jobs stepping stones or dead ends? A systematic review of the literature

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the heterogeneous results about the impact of temporary jobs on subsequent labour market performances and to provide policymakers with further information on the effects of temporary contracts under particular circumstances.Design/methodology/approachThe authors present a quantitative systematic review on the debate about the “stepping stone vs dead end” hypothesis related to the causal effect of temporary jobs on future labour market performances.FindingsAmong 78 observations from 64 articles, 32% support the hypothesis according to which temporary contracts are a port of entry into stable employment positions, 23% report ambiguous or mixed findings and the remaining 45% provide evidence in favour of the dead end hypothesis. The results from meta-regressions suggest that the stepping stone effect is more likely to emerge when self-selectivity issues are dealt with. The studies focussing on temporary work agency jobs and casual/seasonal jobs support more easily the dead end hypothesis. Finally, in more recent years and when the unemployment rate is larger, the dead end hypothesis is more likely to prevail.Originality/valueAlthough many studies have been published on this issue, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no recent analytic economic surveys on the “stepping stone vs dead end” debate. The main contribution of this article is to fill this gap.

Association of C5L2 gene (rs149572881) polymorphism with risk of type 2 diabetes

C5L2 (C5aR-like receptor 2) is a G protein coupled receptor involved in glucose transport, esterification of fatty acids and triacylglycerides synthesis. Association studies have been conducted for evaluation of relation between C5L2 gene polymorphisms and T2DM but results could not be concluded because of ambiguous findings. Therefore, current study was planned on North Indian population to investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of C5L2 gene at position 698 (C&gt;T) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Genomic DNA was isolated from blood samples collected from 102 healthy control subjects and 168 T2DM cases and stored at -20°C for further analysis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed in all the DNA samples using specific primers followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and results were analyzed on agarose gel. Clinical parameters like glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose (FBG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (CHL) and fasting insulin were determined by enzymatic methods. Statistically significant association was observed between C5L2 gene at SNP rs149572881 and T2DM and frequency of the T allele was significantly higher in T2DM cases as compared to controls subjects [C vs. T, OR (95%CI) = 5.15(1.53-17.34), P=0.003]. It can be concluded from the results that the T allele at position 698 of C5L2 gene might be a risk factor for development of T2DM in North Indians.

Impact of fiscal consolidation on economic growth: the Tunisian case

PurposeDeparting from the expansionary austerity literature, this study aims at examining how fiscal consolidation affects the economic growth in Tunisia using annual data over the period 1970–2018.Design/methodology/approachTo revisit the fiscal consolidation-economic growth nexus, the ambiguous empirical findings in previous literature make useful the adoption of alternative econometric techniques. The authors use an extended nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) cointegration approach developed by Shin et al. (2014) and the Diks and Panchenko's (2006) nonlinear Granger causality test. Furthermore, a traditional approach based on changes in cyclically-adjusted primary balance was applied to define the fiscal consolidation episodes in Tunisia.FindingsThe empirical evidence reveal that fiscal adjustment in Tunisia may hurt the economy, both in the short- and long-run, through its contractionary effect on economic growth. Another important finding concerns the unidirectional nonlinear Granger causality running from fiscal consolidation to economic growth.Practical implicationsFiscal adjustment in Tunisia is found to play a prominent role in reducing public debt; but at the same time, it may be costly and not beneficial to the economy. This view corroborates with the fact that fiscal consolidation is more likely to end successfully only under specific conditions. This calls for a deeper reflection upon new insights regarding the design of fiscal adjustment in Tunisia. To reach this end, it is suggested to combine the defensive consolidation strategy with offensive components such as investment, infrastructure, education and health.Originality/valueThe existing economic analysis on fiscal policy-growth nexus in Tunisia has often identified fiscal consolidation through the use of the actual fiscal balance. With the goal of more accurate estimation, this study bridges the gap by using the cyclically-adjusted primary balance (CAPB) as a much suitable indicator to investigate the non-Keynesian effect of fiscal consolidation in Tunisia. This indicator eliminates the influence of cyclical fluctuations and many other fixed expenditures such as the interest paid on the public debt.

Application of Mediterranean Diet in Cardiovascular Diseases and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Motivations and Challenges.

Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of disability and death in many countries. Together with CVD, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accounts for more than 80% of all premature non-communicable disease deaths. The protective effect of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on CVD and its risk factors, including T2DM, has been a constant topic of interest. Notwithstanding, despite the large body of evidence, scientists are concerned about the challenges and difficulties of the application of MedDiet. This review aims to explore the motivations and challenges for using MedDiet in patients with CVD and T2DM. Design: An electronic search was conducted for articles about MedDiet published in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science up to December 2021, particularly on CVD and T2DM patients. From a total of 1536 studies, the final eligible set of 108 studies was selected. Study selection involved three iterations of filtering. Results: Motivation to apply MedDiet was driven by the importance of studying the entire food pattern rather than just one nutrient, the health benefits, and the distinct characteristics of MedDiet. Challenges of the application of MedDiet include lacking universal definition and scoring of MedDiet. Influences of nutritional transition that promote shifting of traditional diets to Westernized diets further complicate the adherence of MedDiet. The challenges also cover the research aspects, including ambiguous and inconsistent findings, the inexistence of positive results, limited evidence, and generalization in previous studies. The review revealed that most of the studies recommended that future studies are needed in terms of health benefits, describing the potential benefits of MedDiet, identifying the barriers, and mainly discussing the effect of MedDiet in different populations. Conclusions: In general, there is consistent and strong evidence that MedDiet is associated inversely with CVD risk factors and directly with glycemic control. MedDiet is the subject of active and diverse research despite the existing challenges. This review informs the health benefits conferred by this centuries-old dietary pattern and highlights MedDiet could possibly be revolutionary, practical, and non-invasive approach for the prevention and treatment CVD and T2DM.

In search of lost fleas: reconsidering Paul-Louis Simond’s contribution to the study of the propagation of plague

AbstractPaul-Louis Simond’s 1898 experiment demonstrating fleas as the vector of plague is today recognised as one of the breakthrough moments in modern epidemiology, as it established the insect-borne transmission of plague. Providing the first exhaustive examination of primary sources from the Institut Pasteur’s 1897–98 ‘India Mission’, including Simond’s notebooks, experiment carnets and correspondence, and cross-examining this material with colonial medical sources from the first years of the third plague pandemic in British India, the article demonstrates that Simond’s engagement with the question of the propagation of plague was much more complex and ambiguous than the teleological story reproduced in established historical works suggests. On the one hand, the article reveals that the famous 1898 experiment was botched, and that Simond’s misreported its ambiguous findings for the Annales de l’Institut Pasteur. On the other hand, the article shows that, in the course of his ‘India Mission’, Simond framed rats as involved in the propagation of plague irreducibly in their relation to other potential sources of infection and not simply in terms of a parasitological mechanism. The article illuminates Simond’s complex epidemiological reasoning about plague transmission, situating it within its proper colonial and epistemological context, and argues for a new historical gaze on the rat as an ‘epidemiological dividual’, which highlights the relational and contingent nature of epidemiological framings of the animal during the third plague pandemic.

Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the male urethra: a case report

BackgroundPrimary urethral cancer in males is rare. Clear cell adenocarcinoma is more rare. We report a case in an African male suspected to have a urethral stricture.Case presentationA 66-year-old man presented in with preceding intermittent haematuria and acute urinary retention. Failed attempts at catheterisation necessitating a suprapubic catheter insertion raised the suspicion of a urethral stricture. Multiple irregular urethral filling defects were seen on a retrograde urethrogram. Urethroscopy revealed obstructing urethral masses. Histology reported clear cell adenocarcinoma.ConclusionPrimary urethral cancer should be entertained as a differential diagnosis of a urethral stricture in a patient with haematuria, difficult urethral catheterisation and ambiguous urethrogram findings. Cystoscopy and biopsy are essential in the investigative work-up to make the distinction.

The Independent Effects of Procurement Biopsy Findings on 10-Year Outcomes of Extended Criteria Donor Kidney Transplants

IntroductionThe role of procurement biopsies in deceased donor kidney evaluation is debated in light of uncertainty about the influence of biopsy findings on recipient outcomes. The literature is filled with conflicting and ambiguous findings typically derived from small studies focused on short-term outcomes or reliant on biopsies prepared by methods impractical in the time-sensitive context of organ procurement.MethodsAfter manual data entry of DonorNet attachments from 4480 extended criteria donors (ECDs) recovered in the United States from 2008 to 2012, we applied causal inference methods in a Cox regression framework to estimate independent effects of glomerulosclerosis (GS), interstitial fibrosis, and vascular changes on long-term kidney graft survival. Kidney discard rates from 2018 to 2019 were evaluated to characterize contemporary kidney utilization patterns.ResultsEffects of interstitial fibrosis and vascular changes were largely attenuated after adjusting for potentially confounding donor and recipient variables, although conclusions are less certain for severe levels due to smaller sample sizes. By contrast, significant effects of GS (>10% vs. 0%–5%) persisted even after adjustment (all-cause, hazard ratio [HR] 1.18; 95% CI 1.06, 1.28; death-censored, HR 1.28; 95% CI 1.08, 1.46) but plateaued beyond 10%. By contrast, kidney discard rates increased precipitously as GS rose >10%.ConclusionDespite being obtained under less than ideal conditions, estimated GS from a procurement biopsy is independently associated with long-term graft survival, above and beyond standard clinical parameters, in ECD transplants. However, the disproportionately high likelihood of discard for kidneys with GS >10% is unjustified. The outsized effect of GS on kidney utilization should be tempered and commensurate with its effect on outcomes.

The Associations Between Music Training, Musical Working Memory, and Visuospatial Working Memory

Prior research studying the relationship between music training (MT) and more general cognitive faculties, such as visuospatial working memory (VSWM), often fails to include tests of musical memory. This may result in causal pathways between MT and other such variables being misrepresented, potentially explaining certain ambiguous findings in the literature concerning the relationship between MT and executive functions. Here we address this problem using latent variable modeling and causal modeling to study a triplet of variables related to working memory: MT, musical working memory (MWM), and VSWM. The triplet framing allows for the potential application of d-separation (similar to mediation analysis) and V-structure search, which is particularly useful since, in the absence of expensive randomized control trials, it can test causal hypotheses using cross-sectional data. We collected data from 148 participants using a battery of MWM and VSWM tasks as well as a MT questionnaire. Our results suggest: 1) VSWM and MT are unrelated, conditional on MWM; and 2) by implication, there is no far transfer between MT and VSWM without near transfer. However, the data are unable to distinguish an unambiguous causal structure. We conclude by discussing the possibility of extending these models to incorporate more complex or cyclic effects.

96 Adult Nasal Chondromesenchymal Hamartoma: A Rare and Benign Tumour with Aggressive Malignant Transformation

Abstract Nasal chondromesenchymal hamartoma (NCMH) is an extremely rare benign tumour of the nasal cavity predominantly described in infants. To date, a total of 59 cases have been described. We report a case involving a 48-year-old female who had been diagnosed with NCMH a year earlier and now represented with a short history of progressive nasal blockage, recurrent epistaxis, and orbital apex syndrome. Histopathology was suggestive of malignant transformation into sinonasal sarcoma. However, following multi-disciplinary team (MDT) discussions including a second and third opinion from external departments, the histological diagnosis was revised to ‘NCMH with bizarre stromal cells. Despite this, clinically the lesion demonstrated malignant features with rapid, invasive growth and was treated with palliative radiotherapy. The patient later developed radiological signs of lung and liver metastases and subsequent pulmonary emboli. Shortly after this she passed away. This case is unique in its diagnostic challenge, with ambiguous histopathological findings, and highlights the importance of an MDT approach when managing complex sinonasal tumours.

Mendelian randomization highlights significant difference and genetic heterogeneity in clinically diagnosed Alzheimer\u2019s disease GWAS and self-report proxy phenotype GWAX

BackgroundUntil now, Mendelian randomization (MR) studies have investigated the causal association of risk factors with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using large-scale AD genome-wide association studies (GWAS), GWAS by proxy (GWAX), and meta-analyses of GWAS and GWAX (GWAS+GWAX) datasets. However, it currently remains unclear about the consistency of MR estimates across these GWAS, GWAX, and GWAS+GWAX datasets.MethodsHere, we first selected 162 independent educational attainment genetic variants as the potential instrumental variables (N = 405,072). We then selected one AD GWAS dataset (N = 63,926), two AD GWAX datasets (N = 314,278 and 408,942), and three GWAS+GWAX datasets (N = 388,324, 455,258, and 472,868). Finally, we conducted a MR analysis to evaluate the impact of educational attainment on AD risk across these datasets. Meanwhile, we tested the genetic heterogeneity of educational attainment genetic variants across these datasets.ResultsIn AD GWAS dataset, MR analysis showed that each SD increase in years of schooling (about 3.6 years) was significantly associated with 29% reduced AD risk (OR=0.71, 95% CI: 0.60–0.84, and P=1.02E−04). In AD GWAX dataset, MR analysis highlighted that each SD increase in years of schooling significantly increased 84% AD risk (OR=1.84, 95% CI: 1.59–2.13, and P=4.66E−16). Meanwhile, MR analysis suggested the ambiguous findings in AD GWAS+GWAX datasets. Heterogeneity test indicated evidence of genetic heterogeneity in AD GWAS and GWAX datasets.ConclusionsWe highlighted significant difference and genetic heterogeneity in clinically diagnosed AD GWAS and self-report proxy phenotype GWAX. Our MR findings are consistent with recent findings in AD genetic variants. Hence, the GWAX and GWAS+GWAX findings and MR findings from GWAX and GWAS+GWAX should be carefully interpreted and warrant further investigation using the AD GWAS dataset.