Contemporary Group Research Articles

Factors influencing willingness to use MBTI social applications in youth groups - based on a technology acceptance model

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was developed from Carl Gustav Jung’s theory of personality classification and designated by American psychologists as a personality test indicator that classifies people into sixteen different personality attributes and assigns different identities to each of the sixteen personalities. Today, the MBTI is one of the most widely used instruments in the world to measure normal personality differences, and is widely used in employment, education, and social occasions. A large-scale group discussion has been formed on the Internet, and through the fluctuation of the Internet, MBTI is taking on a new look and dominating the social discourse of young people as a new social currency. This study explores the youth group as the research object, and digs out the reasons why it has become the social currency, as well as the state of mind of the contemporary youth group and the social willingness of the contemporary youth through the analysis of this new subculture.

Accounting for dominance genetic variation in carcass quality traits of Canadian crossbred beef cattle

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the contribution of additive and dominance genetic effects to the phenotypic variation of carcass quality traits and to identify the underlying genetic variants associated with these traits. A total of 3,958 Canadian crossbred beef cattle with phenotype and genotype data were used in two models: 1) additive and 2) joint additive and dominance genomic model which included fixed contemporary group, and covariates of slaughter age, and the eigenvectors of five principal components to account for population structure. Variance components and genome-wide association analyses were performed, and a 10% genome-wide false discovery rate (FDR) was applied to declare associations as significant. Genomic heritability ranged from 0.31±0.03 for ultrasound rib eye area to 0.46±0.05 for marbling score. Up to 10% dominance genetic variation was observed for ultrasound rib eye area and marbling score, indicating the contribution of dominance genetic effects to these trait variations. Eleven overlapping significant SNP associations were identified across the studied traits and models. The identified candidate genes (e.g. BTC, SPP1, and SEPSECS) have biological functions related to tissue growth and skeletal muscle development and can be further validated in other cattle populations to determine their usefulness for beef cattle genetic improvement.

AI-Generated Draft Replies Integrated Into Health Records and Physicians' Electronic Communication.

Timely tests are warranted to assess the association between generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) use and physicians' work efforts. To investigate the association between GenAI-drafted replies for patient messages and physician time spent on answering messages and the length of replies. Randomized waiting list quality improvement (QI) study from June to August 2023 in an academic health system. Primary care physicians were randomized to an immediate activation group and a delayed activation group. Data were analyzed from August to November 2023. Access to GenAI-drafted replies for patient messages. Time spent (1) reading messages, (2) replying to messages, (3) length of replies, and (4) physician likelihood to recommend GenAI drafts. The a priori hypothesis was that GenAI drafts would be associated with less physician time spent reading and replying to messages. A mixed-effects model was used. Fifty-two physicians participated in this QI study, with 25 randomized to the immediate activation group and 27 randomized to the delayed activation group. A contemporary control group included 70 physicians. There were 18 female participants (72.0%) in the immediate group and 17 female participants (63.0%) in the delayed group; the median age range was 35-44 years in the immediate group and 45-54 years in the delayed group. The median (IQR) time spent reading messages in the immediate group was 26 (11-69) seconds at baseline, 31 (15-70) seconds 3 weeks after entry to the intervention, and 31 (14-70) seconds 6 weeks after entry. The delayed group's median (IQR) read time was 25 (10-67) seconds at baseline, 29 (11-77) seconds during the 3-week waiting period, and 32 (15-72) seconds 3 weeks after entry to the intervention. The contemporary control group's median (IQR) read times were 21 (9-54), 22 (9-63), and 23 (9-60) seconds in corresponding periods. The estimated association of GenAI was a 21.8% increase in read time (95% CI, 5.2% to 41.0%; P = .008), a -5.9% change in reply time (95% CI, -16.6% to 6.2%; P = .33), and a 17.9% increase in reply length (95% CI, 10.1% to 26.2%; P < .001). Participants recognized GenAI's value and suggested areas for improvement. In this QI study, GenAI-drafted replies were associated with significantly increased read time, no change in reply time, significantly increased reply length, and some perceived benefits. Rigorous empirical tests are necessary to further examine GenAI's performance. Future studies should examine patient experience and compare multiple GenAIs, including those with medical training.

Collagen-Based Bailout Compared to Suture-Mediated Vascular Closure Alone During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

BackgroundHemostasis for transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is typically achieved using a suture-mediated vascular closure device (VCD) prior to large bore sheath insertion (preclosure technique). Recently, the addition of a hybrid closure technique using a preclose technique with the addition of a collagen-plug VCD after sheath removal in cases of failed hemostasis has been utilized. MethodsData were collected from the Northwell TAVR registry, including 3 high volume TAVR centers. We evaluated a preclose strategy with suture-mediated vascular closure alone (“legacy strategy”) and standard bailout techniques versus a contemporary hybrid strategy of suture-mediated closure with collagen-mediated closure bailout. The primary end point was major or minor vascular complications as defined by the VARC3 criteria. ResultsA total of 1327 patients were included, of which 791 patients underwent TAVR with suture-mediated closure alone and 536 with contemporary strategy. The primary end point (major or minor vascular complication) was lower in the contemporary strategy (5.44% vs 1.31%; P < .001). Both minor (3.92% vs 1.12%; P = .002) and major (1.14% vs 0.19%; P = .0196) vascular complications were reduced and the total length of stay was less in the contemporary strategy (median of 3 days vs 2 days; P < .0001). Using multivariate analysis, we observed that vascular management strategy significantly improved the composite primary outcome when adjusted for sheath size, peripheral artery disease, carotid disease, and site of procedure. In the contemporary group, bailout collagen-plug VCD with an Angioseal (Abbott Vascular Devices) was used in 68 patients (12.69%) and bailout MANTA (Teleflex) was required in 4 patients (0.75%). There were no major or minor vascular complications among the patients who received bailout collagen-plug VCD. ConclusionsA contemporary hybrid strategy of suture-mediated closure with collagen-mediated closure bailout reduces the risk of vascular complications among patients undergoing transfemoral TAVR.

Cost-effectiveness of remote haemodynamic monitoring by an implantable pulmonary artery pressure monitoring sensor (CardioMEMS-HF system) in chronic heart failure in the Netherlands.

Remote haemodynamic monitoring with an implantable pulmonary artery (PA) sensor has been shown to reduce heart failure (HF) hospitalizations and improve quality of life. Cost-effectiveness analyses studying the value of remote haemodynamic monitoring in a European healthcare system with a contemporary standard care group are lacking. A Markov model was developed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of PA-guided therapy compared to the standard of care based upon patient-level data of the MONITOR-HF trial performed in the Netherlands in patients with chronic HF (New York Heart Association class III and at least one previous HF hospitalization). Cost-effectiveness was measured as the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained from the Dutch societal perspective with a lifetime horizon which encompasses a wide variety of costs including costs of hospitalizations, monitoring time, telephone contacts, laboratory assessments, and drug changes in both treatment groups. In the base-case analysis, PA-guided therapy increased costs compared to standard of care by €12 121. The QALYs per patient for PA-guided therapy and standard of care was 4.07 and 3.481, respectively, reflecting a gain of 0.58 QALYs. The resulting incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was €20 753 per QALY, which is below the Dutch willingness-to-pay threshold of €50 000 per QALY gained for HF. The current cost-effectiveness study suggests that remote haemodynamic monitoring with PA-guided therapy on top of standard care is likely to be cost-effective for patients with symptomatic moderate-to-severe HF in the Netherlands.

Twelve-year trends in unprotected left main coronary artery occlusion: insights from a real-world multicentre study.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) resulting from unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA) occlusion and subtotal occlusion is a life-threatening condition. Although AMI management has improved in the past two decades, there is limited information on recent trends in patient characteristics, management, and outcomes for acute unprotected LMCA-related AMI. This study aims to assess such trends over a 12year period. This retrospective multicentre study includes patients with unprotected LMCA occlusion/subtotal occlusion admitted to three tertiary hospitals between 2008 and 2020. The patients were divided into two groups based on the chronology of presentation: a 'past group' (January 2008 to December 2014) and a 'contemporary group' (January 2015 to December 2020). The study compares clinical characteristics, management approaches, and outcomes between the two groups. The study includes 128 patients, with 51 (40%) in the 'past group' and 77 (60%) in the 'contemporary group'. Baseline risk factors did not show statistically significant differences between the two groups, except for hypertension (49% vs. 74%; P=0.005). Chest pain was more frequent in the 'past group' (98% vs. 89%; P=0.014), and a trend towards more cardiac arrests was observed in the 'contemporary group' (18% vs. 31%; P=0.087). Revascularization type did not differ significantly (P=0.419), but manual thrombectomy was less frequently used (41% vs. 23%; P=0.032) and stent implantation showed a trend towards higher rates (66% vs. 78%; P=0.150) in the 'contemporary cohort'. There was a gradual shift from bare-metal to drug-eluting stents, with a significantly higher percentage of ticagrelor/prasugrel loading in the 'contemporary cohort' (5% vs. 79%; P<0.001). The use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS), although not statistically significant, was higher among patients in the 'past group' (67% vs. 51%; P=0.073). The type of MCS differed significantly between groups, with a decrease in intra-aortic balloon pump use (67% vs. 42%; P=0.005) and an increase in veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (4% vs. 22%; P=0.005) and Impella system (0% vs. 3%) over time. Survival analysis showed no significant differences (P=0.599; log-rank test) in all-cause mortality between the different time groups, with the long-term survival rate being approximately 30%. In our real-world population, despite the progressive use of newer drugs and more advanced devices over time, patients with unprotected LMCA occlusion/subtotal occlusion remain a subpopulation with poor prognosis.

Developing breeding values for shedding using industry data from New Zealand sheep

ABSTRACT Changes in wool prices, labour costs and animal welfare have sparked interest in several new sheep traits. Shedding, the ability of moulting or seasonal wool loss in sheep, is one of them. Here, we aimed to develop breeding values for shedding using existing data from New Zealand flocks. We used breeder-collected shedding scores, 0 = ‘no shedding on any part of the body’ to 10 = ‘wool shed fully from all the body’, for Wiltshire and Wiltshire-composite lambs born between 2003 and 2022. After QC, 20,653 phenotypic records from 25,066 animals with pedigree information (393 sires and 7439 dams from 12 flocks) were included in the analyses. Genetic parameters and breeding values were obtained using a genetic additive model with pedigree data (BLUP model), assuming shedding scores were quantitative. The genetic model incorporated the following variables: date of birth, sex, birth and rearing rank, age of dam and contemporary group. We found a high heritability for lamb shedding, 0.54 (0.02), and estimated a low-to-moderate prediction accuracy of breeding values (ranging from 0.09 to 0.36) using forward-validation. Our results confirmed that shedding can be subject to selection and that pedigree-based breeding values for this trait can be a useful tool for breeders.

Reconsidering the link between past material culture and cognition in light of contemporary hunter-gatherer material use.

Many have interpreted symbolic material culture in the deep past as evidencing the origins sophisticated, modern cognition. Scholars from across the behavioural and cognitive sciences, including linguists, psychologists, philosophers, neuroscientists, primatologists, archaeologists and paleoanthropologists have used such artefacts to assess the capacities of extinct human species, and to set benchmarks, milestones or otherwise chart the course of human cognitive evolution. To better calibrate our expectations, the present paper instead explores the material culture of three contemporary African forager groups. Results show that, while these groups are unequivocally behaviourally modern, they would leave scant long-lasting evidence of symbolic behaviour. Artefact-sets are typically small, perhaps as consequence of residential mobility. When excluding traded materials, few artefacts have components with moderate-strong taphonomic signatures. Present analyses show that artefact function influences preservation probability, such that utilitarian tools for the processing of materials and the preparation of food are disproportionately likely to contain archaeologically traceable components. There are substantial differences in material-use between populations, which create important population-level variation preservation probability independent of cognitive differences. I discuss the factors - cultural, ecological and practical - that influence material choice. In so doing, I highlight the difficulties of using past material culture as an evolutionary or cognitive yardstick.

A new selection criteria to optimize growth in animal breeding programs

Pedigree records and longitudinal measurements of live weight from 2628 buffaloes were analyzed. The aim of this research was to propose a new selection criteria, the Area Under the Growth Curve (AUGC), derived from a growth curve-based model. A hierarchical Bayesian approach with two levels was employed. In the first level, the growth trajectory was modeled using a fourth-degree polynomial, while in the second level, each parameter of the polynomial function was treated as a dependent variable influenced by environmental and genetic effects. The animal model included sex, dams’ parity and contemporary group (herd-year-season) as fixed effects, and relationships among animals as a random effect. Inference was conducted using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation algorithm. The proposed AUGC is interesting for use in selection programs because it allows breeders to identify heavier animals with lower risk in the production system. Additionally, that trait showed moderate to high heritabilities from weaning onwards, providing a useful new tool for cattle selection in the post-weaning phases.

Cranial measurements obtained by three-dimensional computed tomography technique in the estimation of sex of contemporary Black South Africans

Human identification forms an integral part of forensic and biological anthropology. For proper identification, a biological profile made up of biodata such as age, sex, ancestry, antemortem stature, and factors of individualization, is obtained and stored for use by anthropologists. A correct sex estimation can help unravel other anthropological parameters. South Africa has a multi-dimensionally high crime rate and its largest distinct population group (Black South Africans) is most affected by such crimes. Several authors have in the past used cranial measurements to carry out sex discrimination among South Africans, such attempts have largely been done using direct assessment of post-mortem specimens and on subjects of European Descent. This study, therefore, attempted to overcome these drawbacks by using a non-invasive method, the three-dimensional computed tomography (3DCT) to obtain population-specific data from a contemporary Black South African population group. It obtained measurements from cranial CT records of 350 Black South Africans (50 % sex ratio) housed in the Radiology Department of Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. The Xiris and IntelliSpace software were used to reconstruct the images into three-dimensional forms from which measurements were taken. Evaluation of previously derived equations using data from the current study yielded low average classification accuracies which necessitated the formulation of new equations. Discriminant function analysis yielded acceptably high average classification accuracies for sex estimation which ranged from 78.3 % to 82.9 %.

A Collaborative Multidisciplinary Trauma Program Improvement Team Improves VTE Chemoprophylaxis Guideline Compliance In Non-Operative Stable TBI.

Delays in initiating venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in patients suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) persist despite guidelines recommending early initiation. We hypothesized that the expansion of a Trauma Program Performance Improvement (PI) team will improve compliance of early (24-48 hour) initiation of VTE prophylaxis and will decrease VTE events in TBI patients. We performed a single-center retrospective review of all TBI patients admitted to a Level I trauma center before (2015-2016,) and after (2019-2020,) the expansion of the Trauma Performance Improvement and Patient Safety (PIPS) team and the creation of trauma process and outcome dashboards. Exclusion criteria included discharge or death within 48 hours of admission, expanding intracranial hemorrhage on CT scan, and a neurosurgical intervention (craniotomy, pressure monitor, or drains) prior to chemoprophylaxis initiation. A total of 1,112 patients met the inclusion criteria, of which 54% (n = 604) were admitted after Trauma PIPS expansion. Following the addition of a dedicated PIPS nurse in the trauma program and creation of process dashboards, the time from stable CT to VTE prophylaxis initiation decreased (52 hours to 35 hours; p < 0.001) and more patients received chemoprophylaxis at 24-48 hours (59% from 36%, p < 0.001) after stable head CT. There was no significant difference in time from first head CT to stable CT (9 vs 9 hours; p = 0.15). The Contemporary group had a lower rate of VTE events (1% vs 4%; p < 0.001) with no increase in bleeding events (2% vs 2%; p = 0.97). On multivariable analysis, being in the Early cohort was an independent predictor of VTE events (aOR: 3.74; 95%CI: 1.45-6.16). A collaborative multidisciplinary Trauma PIPS team improves guideline compliance. Initiation of VTE chemoprophylaxis within 24-48 hours of stable head CT is safe and effective. Level III, Therapeutic/Care Management.

66 Effect of copper oxide wire particles on parasitism and growth in Katahdin lambs divergently selected for fecal egg count estimated breeding value

Abstract Internal parasites are one of the greatest threats to small ruminant production across the United States and parasitic resistance to anthelmintics continues to increase. Genetic selection and copper oxide wire particles (COWP) are two tools that could help reduce effects of parasites in small ruminants. The objective of this project was to determine the effects and interactions of COWP and genetic selection based on fecal egg count (FEC) estimated breeding value (EBV) on gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection and performance in naturally infected Katahdin lambs. Spring-born Katahdin ram lambs (n = 52) selected for extremely high FEC EBV (HighFEC, PFEC EBV = +100%) or low FEC EBV (LowFEC, PFEC EBV = -81%) were managed on a fescue-based pasture at the Southwest Virginia Agricultural Research and Extension Center (Glade Spring, VA). At weaning (June 29), lambs were dewormed with a three-combination treatment and rested for 21 d. At the start of the project (July 18), a random subset of lambs (HighFEC, n = 11; LowFEC, n = 15) were given a 2 g copper oxide wire particle bolus, while an equal number of remaining lambs were managed as controls without a copper bolus. All lambs were managed as one contemporary group. Fecal egg counts, FAMACHA scores, body weights, and packed cell volume (PCV) were measured bi-weekly for 10 weeks. Statistical analysis was performed using PROC Mixed Procedure of SAS (SAS Institute, Cary, NC) and FEC data were log transformed for normality. There were no effects of COWP treatment on FEC (P = 0.18). However, LowFEC-selected lambs had less FEC than HighFEC-selected lambs (230 vs. 565 eggs/g, respectively; P &amp;lt; 0.01). There was no interaction of COWP treatment and FEC genotype (P = 0.37). Copper oxide wire particle treatment had no effect on lamb body weight (P = 0.21), PCV (P = 0.69), FAMACHA score (P = 0.41), or overall ADG (P = 0.12). Lamb FEC genotype did not affect FAMACHA score or overall ADG (P = 0.10 and P = 0.22, respectively). LowFEC-selected lambs had lighter body weights (27.7 vs. 30.6 kg, respectively) and PCV (29.2% vs. 30.4%, respectively) than the HighFEC-selected lambs (P &amp;lt; 0.05). None of the 52 lambs met the requirement for deworming (FAMACHA ≥ 3) during the study. These results indicate that lamb FEC genotype may have a greater effect on parasitism than COWP treatment when given once during the post-weaning period. Even so, multiple tools should be considered, in addition to selection, for an integrated parasite management plan.

The Top 100 Classical and Contemporary Papers on Elbow Surgery: A Trend Analysis of Elbow Surgery Literature.

Bibliometric analyses provide an aggregate of the most frequently cited literature in a given field. The purpose of this study was to analyze the top 100 most-cited classical and contemporary papers relating to elbow surgery to serve as a reference for surgeons and trainees for educational and research purposes. A search was conducted for all papers containing the term "elbow" in the categories Orthopedics, Surgery, and Sports Science in the Clarivate Web of Science. Classical papers were those published from 1980 to 2009, and contemporary papers were those published from 2010 to 2019. Articles were assessed by country of origin, authors and their credentials, parent journal, level of evidence, and topic. Citation frequency ranged from 86 to 867. Among the classical group, there were more level IV papers compared with level I papers; however, the opposite was true in the contemporary group. The most common topic in the classical group was elbow anatomy and function, and the most common topic in the contemporary group was lateral epicondylitis and medial epicondylitis and associated therapies. This bibliometric analysis serves to help guide surgeons and trainees on the highly cited articles and important topics in elbow surgery, demonstrating a shift to prospective randomized controlled trials in recent years. Level V (Systematic Review with Level V as Lowest LOE).

Animal growth models as a tool to estimate resilience indicators in Bos indicus and Bos taurus heifers: Selection effects and genetics parameters

The aim of the study is to analyze different growth models for the estimation of resilience indicators and to assess the impacts of selection for yearling weight and breed on the resilience capacity of Nelore, Guzerá and Caracu heifers. Weight records of females (n = 38,937) from birth to the measurement of weight adjusted to 550 days of age (W550) were used to fit growth curves. Next, three resilience indicators were calculated based on weight deviations (residuals): natural logarithm of residual variance (LnVar), lag-one autocorrelation (rauto), and skewness of deviations. The means of the resilience indicators were compared between Nelore selection lines (NeC: selected based on the mean of the contemporary groups for W550; NeS: selected based on the highest selection differential for W550; and NeT: selected based on an index considering highest selection differential for W550 and lower residual feed intake) and breeds (Nelore, Guzerá, and Caracu). Additionally, the heritabilities of the resilience indicators were estimated, as well as the genetic correlations between these indicators and productive traits using blupf90+ program. The results indicated that selection for yearling weight had an impact on the resilience capacity of the animals, with NeS and NeT heifers exhibiting greater weight variability (mean LnVar: 6.09 ± 0.02 and 6.12 ± 0.02, respectively) but also the highest recovery rate (rauto: 0.04 ± 0.01 and 0.04 ± 0.01, respectively). Nelore heifers were the most resilient, with a fast recovery rate (rauto: 0.01 ± 0.05) and there was little influence of the environment on performance (skewness: 0.00 ± 0.01). Caracu was the breed most affected by environmental disturbances (LnVar: 6.46 ± 0.02), with inverse subsequent weight deviations (rauto: -0.12 ± 0.05). The heritabilities of the resilience indicators were low and moderate, with the highest estimates being observed for LnVar in the three breeds (0.05 ± 0.05 to 0.38 ± 0.07). LnVar and skewness showed moderate positive genetic correlations with W550 (0.29 ± 0.18 to 0.55 ± 0.12), while the genetic correlations of rauto with W550 were weak and negative (-0.19 ± 0.17 to -0.28 ± 0.20). Selection for yearling weight influenced the resilience capability to environmental challenges in heifers during the growth phase. The results reinforce the greater adaptation capacity of zebuine breeds (Bos indicus) to tropical environments when compared to taurine breeds (Bos taurus). LnVar showed enough genetic variability to be included in breeding programs for zebu breeds aiming selection for more resilient animals.

Study on the Application of "Time Bank" to College Students' Volunteer Service System in the Context of Rural Revitalization

With the idea of inclusiveness gradually penetrating into the philosophy of governance of colleges and universities, college students' volunteer activities are gradually enriched, and college students have become the most energetic group in youth volunteer activities. Student organizations and associations at the college or school level have become the main field and position for college students to carry out volunteer service activities in various colleges and universities. They arouse students' interest and achieve the purpose of recruiting college students' volunteers by means of credit awards, personal enhancement, and outings, etc., and then carry out volunteer service activities on the basis of which they provide various services for others or the society to promote the development and progress of China's society. According to the survey, college student volunteers have reached 83.1% of the total number of volunteers, college students have been the main force in the body. However, from the current situation, the conditions of volunteer service are still lacking, the contemporary university volunteer group students do not have a comprehensive understanding of volunteer service, awareness is weak, and volunteer activities are mostly top-down type of promotion, passive volunteer service also deviates from the original intention of the spirit of volunteerism. Therefore, with the development of the new era of volunteerism, how to cultivate and improve the awareness of college students volunteering has become an urgent task.

Long-term risks of respiratory diseases in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2: a longitudinal, population-based cohort study

In the post-pandemic era, growing apprehension exists regarding the potential sequelae of COVID-19. However, the risks of respiratory diseases following SARS-CoV-2 infection have not been comprehensively understood. This study aimed to investigate whether COVID-19 increases the long-term risk of respiratory illness in patients with COVID-19. In this longitudinal, population-based cohort study, we built three distinct cohorts age 37-73 years using the UK Biobank database; a COVID-19 group diagnosed in medical records between January 30th, 2020 and October 30th, 2022, and two control groups, a contemporary control group and a historical control group, with cutoff dates of October 30th, 2022 and October 30th, 2019, respectively. The follow-up period of all three groups was 2.7 years (the median (IQR) follow-up time was 0.8 years). Respiratory outcomes diagnosed in medical records included common chronic pulmonary diseases (asthma, bronchiectasis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung disease (ILD), pulmonary vascular disease (PVD), and lung cancer. For the data analysis, we calculated hazard ratios (HRs) along with their 95% CIs using Cox regression models, following the application of inverse probability weights (IPTW). A total of 3 cohorts were included in this study; 112,311 individuals in the COVID-19 group with a mean age (±SDs) of 56.2 (8.1) years, 359,671 in the contemporary control group, and 370,979 in the historical control group. Compared with the contemporary control group, those infected with SARS-CoV-2 exhibited elevated risks for developing respiratory diseases. This includes asthma, with a HR of 1.49 and a 95% CI 1.28-1.74; bronchiectasis (1.30; 1.06-1.61); COPD (1.59; 1.41-1.81); ILD (1.81; 1.38-2.21); PVD (1.59; 1.39-1.82); and lung cancer (1.39; 1.13-1.71). With the severity of the acute phase of COVID-19, the risk of pre-described respiratory outcomes increases progressively. Besides, during the 24-months follow-up, we observed an increasing trend in the risks of asthma and bronchiectasis over time. Additionally, the HR of lung cancer for 0-6 month follow-up was 3.07 (CI 1.73-5.44), and the association of lung cancer with COVID-19 disease disappeared at 6-12 month follow-up (1.06; 0.43-2.64) and at 12-24 months (1.02; 0.45-2.34). Compared to those with one SARS-CoV-2 infection, reinfected patients were at a higher risk of asthma (3.0; 1.32-6.84), COPD (3.07; 1.42-6.65), ILD (3.61; 1.11-11.8), and lung cancer (3.20; 1.59-6.45). Similar findings were noted when comparing with a historical cohort serving as a control group, including asthma (1.31; 1.13-1.52); bronchiectasis (1.53; 1.23-1.89); COPD (1.41; 1.24-1.59); ILD (2.53; 2.05-3.13); PVD (2.30; 1.98-2.66); and lung cancer (2.23; 1.78-2.79). Our research suggests that patients with COVID-19 may have an increased risk of developing respiratory diseases, and the risk increases with the severity of infection and reinfection. Even during the 24-month follow-up, the risk of asthma and bronchiectasis continued to increase. Hence, implementing appropriate follow-up strategies for these individuals is crucial to monitor and manage potential long-term respiratory health issues. Additionally, the increased risk in lung cancer in the COVID-19 individuals was probably due to the diagnostic tests conducted and incidental diagnoses. The National Natural Science Foundation of China of China Regional Innovation and Development Joint Foundation; National Natural Science Foundation of China; Program for High-level Foreign Expert Introduction of China; Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of Guangdong Province; Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation; Climbing Program of Introduced Talents and High-level Hospital Construction Project of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital; VA Clinical Merit and ASGE clinical research funds.

Acute neutrophilic vasculitis (leukocytoclasia) in 36 COVID-19 autopsy brains

BackgroundHypercytokinemia, the renin-angiotensin system, hypoxia, immune dysregulation, and vasculopathy with evidence of immune-related damage are implicated in brain morbidity in COVID-19 along with a wide variety of genomic and environmental influences. There is relatively little evidence of direct SARS-CoV-2 brain infection in COVID-19 patients.MethodsBrain histopathology of 36 consecutive autopsies of patients who were RT-PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2 was studied along with findings from contemporary and pre-pandemic historical control groups. Immunostaining for serum and blood cell proteins and for complement components was employed. Microcirculatory wall complement deposition in the COVID-19 cohort was compared to historical control cases. Comparisons also included other relevant clinicopathological and microcirculatory findings in the COVID-19 cohort and control groups.ResultsThe COVID-19 cohort and both the contemporary and historical control groups had the same rate of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. The COVID-19 cohort had varying amounts of acute neutrophilic vasculitis with leukocytoclasia in the microcirculation of the brain in all cases. Prominent vascular neutrophilic transmural migration was found in several cases and 25 cases had acute perivasculitis. Paravascular microhemorrhages and petechial hemorrhages (small brain parenchymal hemorrhages) had a slight tendency to be more numerous in cohort cases that displayed less acute neutrophilic vasculitis. Tissue burden of acute neutrophilic vasculitis with leukocytoclasia was the same in control cases as a group, while it was significantly higher in COVID-19 cases. Both the tissue burden of acute neutrophilic vasculitis and the activation of complement components, including membrane attack complex, were significantly higher in microcirculatory channels in COVID-19 cohort brains than in historical controls.ConclusionsAcute neutrophilic vasculitis with leukocytoclasia, acute perivasculitis, and associated paravascular blood extravasation into brain parenchyma constitute the first phase of an immune-related, acute small-vessel inflammatory condition often termed type 3 hypersensitivity vasculitis or leukocytoclastic vasculitis. There is a higher tissue burden of acute neutrophilic vasculitis and an increased level of activated complement components in microcirculatory walls in COVID-19 cases than in pre-pandemic control cases. These findings are consistent with a more extensive small-vessel immune-related vasculitis in COVID-19 cases than in control cases. The pathway(s) and mechanism for these findings are speculative.

Abstract WMP94: Quantifying the Enhanced Clinical Benefit of Endovascular Thrombectomy Performed With Contemporary Workflows and Devices

Background: To date, the magnitude of the benefit of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) over medical management in acute ischemic stroke has been quantified by the data of the five breakthrough RCTs of 2015. But contemporary EVT care has faster EVT workflow speeds and achieves higher rates of reperfusion. Updated quantitative estimates of the benefit of EVT vs medical management are needed. Methods: Contemporary FDA-monitored (TIGER/ARISE II) and pivotal (HERMES) EVT trial group differences were quantified for workflow speed (door-to-reperfusion time) and reperfusion rates (eTICI distribution). The projected effect of the faster workflow speed in further improving disability (mRS) outcomes were calculated using established HERMES treatment time-benefit models and the projected effect of higher reperfusion rates using established HERMES eTICI tier-specific outcomes. Results: Contemporary EVT trial groups, compared with pivotal trial EVT groups, had door-to-reperfusion 57 minutes faster (146m vs 89m), successful reperfusion 22.6% more often (71.0% vs 93.6%), and excellent reperfusion 45.1% more often (29.4% vs 74.5%). Figure 1 shows the resulting projected improvements in mRS distributions. For functional independence (mRS 0-2), outcome rates for MM vs pivotal EVT vs contemporary EVT were 25.2% vs 44.6% vs 74.5%. The number needed to treat (NNT) for 1 more patient to achieve functional independence improved from 5.2 to 2.5. For nondisabled outcome (mRS 0-1), outcome rates were 10.1% vs 27.4% vs 46.0%. The NNT for 1 more patient to achieve nondisabled outcome improved from 5.8 to 2.8. Over the entire mRS range, the NNT for 1 more patient to have less disability by at least one mRS level improved from 2.6 to 1.6. Conclusion: Formal modeling indicates that contemporary EVT confers substantially enhanced benefits over medical management. Among every 100 patients treated with EVT, 63 will have a less disabled long-term outcome including 36 more becoming disability-free.

White Heaven Palace and Huh Kyung Young: Political Peacemaker of a New Religion in Contemporary Korea

A common purpose of religious organisations is promoting global or regional peace perspectives through their teachings and practices. Native religious groups in Korea emerged owing to the social transformation of internal security. The ruin of the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) and the colonial repression by the Japanese Empire (1910–1945) and Korean War (1950–1953) resulted in the growth of new religious movements. Korean contemporary society (post-1980s) also witnesses the emergence of unique religious leaders. Do any groups promote the socio-political policy of a peacemaker? This paper explores the new religious movement of Huh Kyung Young (1947– ) and his adherents through the perspectives of military-economic environment, mystical prophecy, popular culture, politics, election, new religion, and suspicion. The paper not only demonstrates the historical process of a pop singer and politician becoming a new religious leader, but also argues that the contemporary group of Haneulgung (‘While Heaven Palace’) attempts to establish a permanent peace through the sacred-political domination of the so-called, ‘the God Man’ rather than depending on secular powers. 

The diversity advantage: An explanatory framework for personality traits

Why do human beings exhibit enduring personality differences, and to what extent are these differences shaped by biological and cultural evolution? Despite ongoing efforts, a consensus framework remains elusive. This paper introduces the Diversity Advantage Theory, partially shifting the focus from how personality impacts individuals to its influence within groups. Through an evolutionary lens, connections among personality, collective cognition, and group dynamics are explored, revealing that diversity in personality traits would tend to enhance collective intelligence and foster deliberation, mitigating group biases. The framework proposes that biologically evolved psychological mechanisms underlying personality, including individual niche-finding, adapt and conform to culturally evolving heuristic personality traits. This co-evolution stabilized the Big Few personality traits in western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) societies, addressing recurring group challenges related to engagement, closure, task, risk, and change. The Diversity Advantage Theory offers a novel explanatory framework for stable personality traits, aligning with biology and testable in contemporary group contexts. At least three novel perspectives are introduced: (1) personality trait dimensions have emerged, in part, to establish normative behavior for functional group processes; (2) normative diversity along trait dimensions enhances collective intelligence; and (3) such diversity should also promote deliberation, mitigate group biases, and improve group decision-making.