Different Patterns Of Change Research Articles

Navigating organizational change through a processual perspective on the transition toward the circular economy: Save The Duck case study

PurposeBy rooting our study in Lewin’s change management theory, we conduct an in-depth case study of a medium-sized fashion firm transitioning toward a CE. Through adopting a multi-level and processual perspective, we offer empirical evidence of the change process and elucidate the drivers and resistance to change factors.Design/methodology/approachWe opt for a single in-depth longitudinal case study of a fashion firm that was born with a sustainable business model and that is in transition toward the CE. We involve multiple informants, and we adopt a processual approach to uncover the drivers and resistance to change factors at different organizational levels (i.e. top and middle management and operational levels).FindingsOur findings enable us to highlight novel key drivers and resistance factors at the organizational level. Regarding the former, we reveal the involvement of top and middle management in the decision-making process and the recruitment of young people. For the resistance factors, we identify adaptation to structural change, reluctant mindset, internal divergence of ideas, and commitment of all organizational levels to the CE.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper presents some limitations. First, our research is based on a single in-depth case study, which, while allowing for rich, detailed exploration, inherently limits the statistical generalizability of our findings. Focusing just on one organization located in a specific industry and geographical context means that our results may not be directly applicable to all organizational settings. Firms belonging to other industries would probably show different patterns of change due to industry-specific drivers and barriers. Also, the institutional and geographical contexts of our case study inevitably influence the cognitive and cultural aspects of the drivers and barriers we identified. Then, our research provides a processual yet not longitudinal view of OCCE, thus not fully capturing the long-term dynamics of the phenomenon.Practical implicationsOur findings underscore the critical role of visionary leadership, particularly stemming from the CEO, in driving CE transition. Leaders should articulate a clear vision for sustainability, foster a culture of experimentation and actively identify opportunities for CE implementation. Moreover, our results suggest that organizational culture plays a fundamental role in supporting CE transition. Creating a dedicated sustainability team to coordinate CE initiatives and counter the internal resistance, fostering the engagement of all organizational levels in CE initiatives, developing training programs to enhance CE knowledge and skills throughout the organization and recruiting young talents are some of the key recommendations we posit to firms aiming to start the process of CE transition.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the emerging literature on “Organizational Change toward a Circular Economy” (OCCE) by providing a processual analysis of organizational change toward the CE. Through an in-depth exploratory study of a fashion firm in transition toward the CE, we were able to identify drivers and resistance factors and to offer a visual map of our findings to graphically show the change toward the CE and the drivers and resistance to change factors that have thus far been under-investigated from an organizational level (Graessler et al., 2024).

High-Order Aberrations: A Key Factor in Accommodative Dysfunctions

This study investigated the relationship between high-order aberrations (HOAs) and accommodative dysfunctions by analyzing their changes with accommodation. Understanding this relationship is important for understanding the mechanisms underlying these conditions. Sixty-three subjects were divided into five groups: control, infacility of accommodation (INFA), excess of accommodation (EA), insufficiency of accommodation (INSA), and symptomatic without dysfunction (SWD). Variations in root-mean-square (RMS) of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th orders and HOAs, and fluctuations of RMS HOAs, were measured using a Shack–Hartmann aberrometer at different accommodative stimuli and during residual accommodation after their removal, in the following order: 0.00 D, 1.00 D, 0.00 D, 2.45 D, 0.00 D, 4.73 D and 0.00 D. The SWD group showed a significant increase in RMS HOAs during accommodation and residual accommodation. In contrast, the EA group showed an improvement in the ocular optical quality at higher stimuli. Different patterns of changes in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th orders were observed across all groups, and fluctuations of RMS HOAs increased significantly in the SWD group during accommodation and residual accommodation. These distinct patterns of aberration changes in different accommodative dysfunctions suggest a potential link between their underlying mechanisms, providing insights that may aid their earlier diagnosis and improved management.

Longitudinal structural changes in central serous chorioretinopathy: A multimodal imaging-based study.

To analyse the longitudinal changes in imaging parameters in eyes with acute or chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). This was a multicentric, retrospective, longitudinal, observational study in patients with a diagnosis of CSCR and having at least 4 years of follow-up. Trend in choroidal thickness (CT), area of double layer sign (DLS), area of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) alterations, and area of hyper-autofluorescence were analysed. A total of 175 eyes of 146 patients with a mean age of 52.9 ± 12.5 years were included. Fifty-two eyes had acute and 123 had chronic CSCR at baseline. There was an overall decreasing trend of CT values during follow up (from 354.4 ± 74.8 at baseline to 343.2 ± 109.4 at final visit). There was a steady rise in DLS width and RPE alteration in the overall cohort (from 811.7 ± 760.6 microns and 3.5 ± 3.3 disc areas respectively at baseline to 1209.1 ± 1113.18 microns, 4.1 ± 3.6 disc areas at final visit). An initial rise in hyper-autofluorescent area followed by steady fall was seen in chronic CSCR. A significant positive correlation (r = 0.54, p = 0.004) was seen between change in DLS width and change in area of hyper-autofluorescence. On linear regression analysis, lower CMT and absence of intraretinal fluid at baseline were associated with greater increase in RPE abnormalities. Acute and chronic CSCR had different pattern of change in imaging parameters with area of RPE alterations in acute CSCR not reaching values close to that of chronic CSCR eyes even after long follow up.

Joint Trajectories of Performance-Based and Self-Reported Physical Functioning in Older Adults: A 20-Year Longitudinal Study in the Netherlands.

The well-known disablement process has been conceptualized as a series of transitions between progressive states of functional decline. We studied joint patterns of change within disablement states defined as walking speed, grip strength, and self-reported disability. 1702 participants aged 65 and over were included from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, spanning seven waves over 20 years (1996-2016). Group-based multi-trajectory modeling yielded trajectory clusters (TCs) of different patterns of change, further characterized by baseline sociodemographic characteristics, physical and cognitive health, and survival rate. Five TCs were identified, distinguished by increasing baseline age. Walking speed and disability showed generally concomitant trajectories. Women had poorer trajectories in grip strength than men, but not in walking speed and disability. Poor physical health distinguished especially the poorest, and cognitive impairment distinguished especially the one-before-poorest from the better TCs. The findings suggest that the disablement states are not generally distinct or sequential.

Trend analysis of stroke subtypes mortality attributable to high body-mass index in China from 1990 to 2019

BackgroundThe prevalence of stroke disability associated with high BMI has significantly increased over the past three decades. However, it remains uncertain whether high body-mass index (BMI) exerts a similar impact on the disease burden of different stroke subtypes. The aim of this study is to assess the long-term trends of stroke and subtypes mortality attributable to high BMI in China between 1990 and 2019.MethodsData on stroke and subtypes mortality attributable to high BMI in China was extracted in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019. The trends of age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) were calculated using the linear regression and age-period-cohort framework.ResultsThe changing trend of ASMR on stroke attributable to high BMI in China differed among subtypes, with an estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) and 95%CI of 2.04 (1.86 to 2.21) for ischemic stroke (IS), 0.36 (-0.03 to 0.75) for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and − 4.62 (-5.44 to -3.78) for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Net and local drift analyses revealed a gradual increase in the proportion of older people with IS and a gradual increase in the proportion of younger people with hemorrhagic strokes. The cohort and period rate ratios varied by subtype, showing an increasing trend for IS and ICH but a decreasing trend for SAH. The stroke mortality attributable to high BMI increased significantly with age for IS and ICH, peaking between ages 50–70 for SAH. Notably, males had higher ASMR related to stroke but exhibited slighter declines or higher growth compared to females in China. Moreover, the population affected by fatal strokes tended to be older among females but more evenly distributed across a wider age range encompassing both younger and older individuals.ConclusionThe research findings indicate a rising trend in the ASMR of stroke and subtypes attributable to high BMI in China from 1990 to 2019, with different patterns of change for different subtypes, genders and ages. Consequently, it is imperative for public health authorities in China to formulate guidelines for specific stroke subtypes, genders and ages to prevent the burden of stroke attributable to high BMI.

Designing a Measurement Feedback System for Personality Disorders: Should Outcome Monitoring be Based on Symptom Severity or Personality Functioning?

Measurement feedback systems (MFS) providing insight in treatment progress can improve mental healthcare outcomes. However, there is no uniform measurement feedback system that could be used to measure treatment progress for personality disorders (PD). This study compared two types of measures: a generic measure for symptom severity (Brief Symptom Index, BSI) and a specific measure for personality functioning (Severity Indices of Personality Problems, SIPP) at different points in time in order to provide insight in the most suitable measuring moment for a MFS for PD. This study is conducted in a sample of 996 Dutch PD patients (mean age 33.51 (SD 10.42), 73.1% female). Symptom severity and personality functioning were assessed before and multiple times during treatment, using a timespan of 24months. Outcomes were examined over time using multilevel modeling. Symptom severity (generic measure) and personality functioning (specific measure) improved equally after 24months. However, during these 24months, different patterns of change were observed for symptom severity compared to severity of personality problems. In general, symptom severity decreased most during the 1st months of treatment, whereas personality functioning improved only after 6months of treatment. A generic instrument of symptom severity is able to measure early changes in symptom distress but may not be able to measure longer term changes in personality functioning. The authors discuss policy implications for benchmarking using specific measures in the treatment of personality disorders.

Longitudinal transcriptomic analysis reveals persistent enrichment of iron homeostasis and erythrocyte function pathways in severe COVID-19 ARDS.

The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a common complication of severe COVID-19 and contributes to patient morbidity and mortality. ARDS is a heterogeneous syndrome caused by various insults, and results in acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. Patients with ARDS from COVID-19 may represent a subgroup of ARDS patients with distinct molecular profiles that drive disease outcomes. Here, we hypothesized that longitudinal transcriptomic analysis may identify distinct dynamic pathobiological pathways during COVID-19 ARDS. We identified a patient cohort from an existing ICU biorepository and established three groups for comparison: 1) patients with COVID-19 ARDS that survived hospitalization (COVID survivors, n = 4), 2) patients with COVID-19 ARDS that did not survive hospitalization (COVID non-survivors, n = 5), and 3) patients with ARDS from other causes as a control group (ARDS controls, n = 4). RNA was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) at 4 time points (Days 1, 3, 7, and 10 following ICU admission) and analyzed by bulk RNA sequencing. We first compared transcriptomes between groups at individual timepoints and observed significant heterogeneity in differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Next, we utilized the likelihood ratio test to identify genes that exhibit different patterns of change over time between the 3 groups and identified 341 DEGs across time, including hemoglobin subunit alpha 2 (HBA1, HBA2), hemoglobin subunit beta (HBB), von Willebrand factor C and EGF domains (VWCE), and carbonic anhydrase 1 (CA1), which all demonstrated persistent upregulation in the COVID non-survivors compared to COVID survivors. Of the 341 DEGs, 314 demonstrated a similar pattern of persistent increased gene expression in COVID non-survivors compared to survivors, associated with canonical pathways of iron homeostasis signaling, erythrocyte interaction with oxygen and carbon dioxide, erythropoietin signaling, heme biosynthesis, metabolism of porphyrins, and iron uptake and transport. These findings describe significant differences in gene regulation during patient ICU course between survivors and non-survivors of COVID-19 ARDS. We identified multiple pathways that suggest heme and red blood cell metabolism contribute to disease outcomes. This approach is generalizable to larger cohorts and supports an approach of longitudinal sampling in ARDS molecular profiling studies, which may identify novel targetable pathways of injury and resolution.

Impact of diet-induced maternal obesity on the reproductive capacity of F1 female offspring and the early development of the second generation

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of maternal obesity on the reproductive capacity of the female offspring (F1) and on the early development of the second generation (F2). To this end, rats were fed either standard (SD) or cafeteria (CD) diet. CD rats and their offspring were divided into 2 groups: rats with 18% and ≥25% overweight (CD18 and CD25, respectively) and offspring from CD18 and CD25 rats (OCD18 and OCD25, respectively). Both OCD groups achieved greater weight gain than controls, without changes in the serum levels of glucose, cholesterol or triglycerides. However, they showed increased gonadal cholesterol concentration and fat content compared to controls. Female OCD groups showed a slight prolongation of the estrous cycle and different pattern of changes in the weight gain during pregnancy. The OCD25 group displayed an increased fertility index and preimplantation losses, and changes in some fetal measurements. Some OCD25 dams gave birth to a larger litter of pups and displayed a lower viability index and lactation rate than controls. OCD25 dams also showed an increase in estradiol and a decrease in testosterone and anti-Müllerian hormone. OCD25 rats showed increased mRNA levels of steroidogenenic enzymes. The offspring from OCD25 females (F2OCD25 offspring) showed early vaginal opening and higher ovulation rate in females, and lower ano-genital distances in males, compared to controls. In conclusion, these results reflect that maternal obesity impacts on the reproductive health of successive generations, probably as a result of epigenetic changes in different systems, including germ cells.

Unraveling PTSD: Symptom cluster change during and 1 year after veterans' residential PTSD treatment.

Although treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is effective in reducing symptom severity, remission rates are low. One potential underlying reason for treatment ineffectiveness is differential response of specific PTSD symptom clusters. Using data from a national Veterans Affairs (VA) residential PTSD treatment cohort, we conducted a longitudinal study to examine changes in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition PTSD symptom clusters from admission to 1-year follow-up. PTSD symptom data were analyzed from a national cohort of veterans who completed VA PTSD residential treatment between October 2019 and September 2020 (n = 1,648; 13% women; median age 44.2 years). Endorsement (%) and severity (M[SD]) of PTSD clusters and individual symptoms were compared at admission, discharge, 4-month and 1-year follow-ups. Large magnitude reductions in all four PTSD symptom clusters were observed from admission to discharge and both follow-ups; however, endorsement of all symptom clusters remained high. Intrusions (Cluster B) were the most highly endorsed at discharge and follow-up, whereas avoidance symptoms (Cluster C) were the least highly endorsed. Differential patterns of change were observed among the 20 individual PTSD symptoms; for example, flashbacks decreased during treatment, but increased to near admission levels by 1-year postdischarge. Results suggest that intrusive symptoms may be more resistant to residential treatment for PTSD and contribute to lower likelihood of treatment success. Future work is needed to examine differential treatment response for PTSD clusters, to inform the improvement of current and creation of novel treatment interventions, and to better address intrusive symptoms to maximize PTSD treatment gains. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Disease burden of stroke and its subtypes attributable to low dietary fiber in China, 1990–2019

This study aimed to assess the current status and changing trends of the disease burden of stroke and its subtypes due to low dietary fiber intake in China from 1990 to 2019. In cases of stroke and its subtypes attributable to low dietary fiber, deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR), age-standardized DALYs rates (ASDR), and percentage change were used to assess disease burden. Data were obtained from the 2019 global burden of disease study. Trends were assessed using Joinpoint regression and age-period-cohort analysis. Between 1990 and 2019, there was a declining trend in stroke and its subtypes, ASDR and ASMR, as well as the corresponding number of deaths and DALYs, due to low dietary fiber intake in China. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SH) showed the greatest decrease, followed by intracerebral hemorrhage (IH) and ischemic stroke (IS). Local drift curves showed a U-shaped distribution of stroke, IS, and IH DALYs across the whole group and sex-based groups. For mortality, the overall and male trends were similar to those for DALYs, whereas female stroke, IH, and IS showed an upward trend. The DALYs for stroke and IH showed a clear bimodal distribution, IS showed an increasing risk with age. For mortality, the SH subtype showed a decreasing trend, whereas other subtypes showed an increasing risk with age. Both the period and cohort rates of stroke DALYs and motality due to low dietary fiber have declined. Males had a higher risk of DALYs and mortality associated with low fiber levels. The burden of stroke and its subtypes associated with a low-fiber diet in China has been declining over the past 30 years, with different patterns of change for different stroke subtypes and a higher burden for males, highlighting the differential impact of fiber intake on stroke and its subtypes.

Effect of Persistent Salt Stress on the Physiology and Anatomy of Hybrid Walnut (Juglans major × Juglans regia) Seedlings.

Soil salinization has become one of the major problems that threaten the ecological environment. The aim of this study is to explore the mechanism of salt tolerance of hybrid walnuts (Juglans major × Juglans regia) under long-term salt stress through the dynamic changes of growth, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and anatomical structure. Our findings indicate that (1) salt stress inhibited seedling height and ground diameter increase, and (2) with increasing salt concentration, relative water content (RWC) decreased, and proline (Pro) and soluble sugar (SS) content increased. The Pro content reached a maximum of 549.64 μg/g on the 42nd day. The increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (46.80-117.16%), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, total flavonoid content (TFC), and total phenol content (TPC) under salt stress reduced the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA). (3) Increasing salt concentration led to increases and subsequent decreases in the thickness of palisade tissues, spongy tissues, leaves, and leaf vascular bundle diameter. Upper and lower skin thickness, root periderm thickness, root diameter, root cortex thickness, and root vascular bundle diameter showed different patterns of change at varying stress concentrations and durations. Overall, the study concluded that salt stress enhanced the antireactive oxygen system, increased levels of osmotic regulators, and low salt concentrations promoted leaf and root anatomy, but that under long-term exposure to high salt levels, leaf anatomy was severely damaged. For the first time, this study combined the anatomical structure of the vegetative organ of hybrid walnut with physiology and biochemistry, which is of great significance for addressing the challenge of walnut salt stress and expanding the planting area.

Revealing patterns of change in the tribological efficiency of composite materials for machine parts based on phenylone and polyamide reinforced with arimide-t and fullerene

The object of the study is the process of changing tribological efficiency according to tribotechnical characteristics (wear intensity, friction coefficient, temperature in the contact zone) of composites based on phenylone C-1 and polyamide PA-6 with arimide-T filler and fullerene C-60. The study solved the problem of obtaining composites with high wear resistance. Based on the results of research, it was found that varying the content of arimide-T makes it possible to obtain composites with different patterns of changes in tribotechnical characteristics under conditions of dry friction, lubrication with water and I-50 oil. Composites with the composition: phenylone C-1+15 wt. have the maximum tribological efficiency. % arimide-T+3 wt. % fullerene C-60 and polyamide PA-6+30 wt. % arimide-T+3 wt. % fullerene C-60. Phenylone C-1 has destructive properties when working in the environment of water and temperature in the friction zone. Its reinforcement with arimide-T and fullerene C60 gave positive results of a complex of tribotechnical characteristics under these conditions. It was found that the wear of composites based on phenylone C-1 in I-50 oil is two orders of magnitude lower than in water. Research of samples from the obtained composites based on phenylone C-1 and polyamide PA-6, reinforced with the optimal content of arimide-T and fullerene C60, showed that their wear resistance when lubricated with oil is 3.5...4.0 times greater than the wear resistance of bronze. An applied aspect of the reported results is the introduction of manufacturing technologies and restoration of machine parts from the proposed composites. It has been proven that their optimal composition contributes to high tribological efficiency and could provide the required level of wear resistance and reliability of resource-determining nodes, systems, and machine assemblies. The results could be used by machine-building and repair-technological enterprises

Patterns of sub-optimal change following CBT for childhood anxiety.

Children and adolescents demonstrate diverse patterns of symptom change and disorder remission following cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders. To better understand children who respond sub-optimally to CBT, this study investigated youths (N = 1,483) who continued to meet criteria for one or more clinical anxiety diagnosis immediately following treatment or at any point during the 12 months following treatment. Data were collected from 10 clinical sites with assessments at pre-and post-treatment and at least once more at 3, 6 or 12-month follow-up. Participants were assigned to one of three groups based on diagnostic status for youths who: (a) retained an anxiety diagnosis from post to end point (minimal responders); (b) remitted anxiety diagnoses at post but relapsed by end point (relapsed responders); and (c) retained a diagnosis at post but remitted to be diagnosis free at end point (delayed responders). Growth curve models assessed patterns of change over time for the three groups and examined predictors associated with these patterns including demographic, clinical and parental factors, as well as treatment factors. Higher primary disorder severity, being older, having a greater number of anxiety disorders, having social anxiety disorder, as well as higher maternal psychopathology differentiated the minimal responders from the delayed and relapsed responders at the baseline. Results from the growth curve models showed that severity of the primary disorder and treatment modality differentiated patterns of linear change only. Higher severity was associated with significantly less improvement over time for the minimal and relapsed response groups, as was receiving group CBT, when compared to the delayed response group. Sub-optimal response patterns can be partially differentiated using variables assessed at pre-treatment. Increased understanding of different patterns of change following treatment may provide direction for clinical decision-making and for tailoring treatments to specific groups of clinically anxious youth. Future research may benefit from assessing progress during treatment to detect emerging response patterns earlier.

Promoting teaching improvement in elementary mathematics: A case with inverse relations

In this study, we examine two U.S. elementary teachers’ use of worked examples, representations, and deep questions in elementary mathematics lessons both before and after a project intervention designed to promote teaching improvement. This intervention was guided by a cognitive construct containing these three aspects, which were demonstrated via cross-cultural video lessons of both U.S. and Chinese teachers. We specifically analyze two teachers (Ann and Bea) who taught first-grade lessons on the topic of inverse relations. Although their lessons were rated similarly in year 1, the rating of their lessons in year 4, post-intervention, demonstrated different patterns of change. While Ann's use of worked examples and representations underwent no significant improvement, Bea spent more time unpacking a single worked example with a representational sequence fading from concrete to abstract (also called “concreteness fading”). Neither teacher showed improvement in asking deep questions. An analysis of the teachers’ responses to the project intervention revealed that their video noticing skills and personal takeaways were related to the areas of teaching where they improved. Other factors such as teachers’ prior knowledge, beliefs, and textbook resources, also played a role in teaching changes. These findings shed light on a recent endeavor called the “science of improvement” in mathematics teaching, which seeks to document teaching changes and the underlying mechanisms that might induce these changes. Implications for both research and practice are discussed.

Educational Performance over Time: Changes in Mathematical Attainment between 1976 and 2009 in England

Abstract Over the past fifty years, there have been substantial attempts to improve students’ mathematical performance around the world. Many commentators have criticised the efficacy of these initiatives, arguing that performance in western developed countries has either stagnated or fallen. Yet, there is limited robust comparative evidence available. This paper reports a replication of a study of student performance from the 1970s. In 2008 and 2009, in England, Grades 6–8 students (N ≈ 7000), in a nationally representative sample based on a stratified random sample of schools, were tested on their understandings of algebra, decimals, ratio and fractions. The survey used tests administered in 1976 and 1977 to an equivalent nationally representative sample of students. The findings indicate that, at Grade 8, overall understandings have generally fallen, although there are different patterns of change across the topics. The challenges of replicating studies where the full statistical findings are not available are considered. The impact sheet to this article can be accessed at 10.6084/m9.figshare.25507276.

Secular trends in physical growth, biological maturation, and intelligence in children and adolescents born between 1978 and 1993.

Human physical growth, biological maturation, and intelligence have been documented as increasing for over 100 years. Comparing the timing of secular trends in these characteristics could provide insight into what underlies them. However, they have not been examined in parallel in the same cohort during different developmental phases. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine secular trends in body height, weight, and head circumference, biological maturation, and intelligence by assessing these traits concurrently at four points during development: the ages of 4, 9, 14, and 18 years. Data derived from growth measures, bone age as an indicator of biological maturation, and full-scale intelligence tests were drawn from 236 participants of the Zurich Longitudinal Studies born between 1978 and 1993. In addition, birth weight was analyzed as an indicator of prenatal conditions. Secular trends for height and weight at 4 years were positive (0.35 SD increase per decade for height and an insignificant 0.27 SD increase per decade for weight) and remained similar at 9 and 14 years (height: 0.46 SD and 0.38 SD increase per decade; weight: 0.51 SD and 0.51 SD increase per decade, respectively) as well as for weight at age 18 years (0.36 SD increase per decade). In contrast, the secular trend in height was no longer evident at age 18 years (0.09 SD increase per decade). Secular trends for biological maturation at 14 years were similar to those of height and weight (0.54 SD increase per decade). At 18 years, the trend was non-significant (0.38 SD increase per decade). For intelligence, a positive secular trend was found at 4 years (0.54 SD increase per decade). In contrast, negative secular trends were observed at 9 years (0.54 SD decrease per decade) and 14 years (0.60 SD decrease per decade). No secular trend was observed at any of the four ages for head circumference (0.01, 0.24, 0.17, and - 0.04 SD increase per decade, respectively) and birth weight (0.01 SD decrease per decade). The different patterns of changes in physical growth, biological maturation, and intelligence between 1978 and 1993 indicate that distinct mechanisms underlie these secular trends.

Reading instruction causes changes in category-selective visual cortex

Education sculpts specialized neural circuits for skills like reading that are critical to success in modern society but were not anticipated by the selective pressures of evolution. Does the emergence of brain regions that selectively process novel visual stimuli like words occur at the expense of cortical representations of other stimuli like faces and objects? “Neuronal Recycling” predicts that learning to read should enhance the response to words in ventral occipitotemporal cortex (VOTC) and decrease the response to other visual categories such as faces and objects. To test this hypothesis, and more broadly to understand the changes that are induced by the early stages of literacy instruction, we conducted a randomized controlled trial with pre-school children (five years of age). Children were randomly assigned to intervention programs focused on either reading skills or oral language skills and magnetoencephalography (MEG) data collected before and after the intervention was used to measure visual responses to images of text, faces, and objects. We found that being taught reading versus oral language skills induced different patterns of change in category-selective regions of visual cortex, but that there was not a clear tradeoff between the response to words versus other categories. Within a predefined region of VOTC corresponding to the visual word form area (VWFA) we found that the relative amplitude of responses to text, faces, and objects changed, but increases in the response to words were not linked to decreases in the response to faces or objects. How these changes play out over a longer timescale is still unknown but, based on these data, we can surmise that high-level visual cortex undergoes rapid changes as children enter school and begin establishing new skills like literacy.

Abstract 4867: Longitudinal latent class analysis to further understand trajectory of density over time and risk of breast cancer

Abstract Background: It is clinically important to refine strategies to manage women with dense breasts as they represent approximately 50% of all women screened. Change in breast density is related to risk of breast cancer.1 We also must understand this change in density over time in women with dense and non-dense breasts. While population level data have been reported to estimate decrease in density with age, this has largely used digitized film images.2 Expanding use of digital mammography and repeated screening generates a large library of images for each woman, offering the potential to use more of the image data. Methods: We use longitudinal latent class analysis to cluster women and estimate their change in density over time. To evaluate the groups of women with different patterns of change in density we fit latent class models to our previously published data.1 This includes 289 pathology confirmed cases of breast cancer and 658 controls among women followed from November 3, 2008 to October 31, 2020. Results: Among women with dense breasts, there are 107 who developed breast cancer during follow-up and 267 control women who remained free from breast cancer. In the women without dense breasts, 173 cases and 383 controls were evaluated and showed similar age and BMI within the controls as seen in women with dense breasts. Prevalence of family history and history of benign breast biopsy did not differ between the two groups. We observe this latent class and trajectory of density phenomenal separately for dense and non-dense groups in our data. We show that the data define 2 classes, those who have decrease in density over time and those who have increase over time. The odds ratio (OR) for cancer comparing decline vs. incline is 4.9 in women with dense breasts (BI-RADS C, D) and 6.17 on women with non-dense breasts (BI-RADS A, B). Discussion: To refine our understanding of patterns of change in breast density over time in relation to breast cancer risk we fit latent class models. Longitudinal change matters as reflected in the 2-class model. This is independent of starting density and confirms that a one-time measure of density is not enough to define level of risk for subsequent breast cancer. Further work is needed to better define the drivers and inhibitors of decline in breast density over time given this change over time as women age is a universal phenomenon.2 1. Jiang S, Bennett DL, Rosner BA, Colditz GA. Longitudinal Analysis of Change in Mammographic Density in Each Breast and Its Association With Breast Cancer Risk. JAMA Oncol 2023;9(6):808-814. (In English). DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.0434. 2. Burton A, Maskarinec G, Perez-Gomez B, et al. Mammographic density and ageing: A collaborative pooled analysis of cross-sectional data from 22 countries worldwide. PLoS Med 2017;14(6):e1002335. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002335. Citation Format: Graham A. Colditz, Debbie L. Bennett, Shu Jiang. Longitudinal latent class analysis to further understand trajectory of density over time and risk of breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4867.

Contrasting inequality of green spaces and buildings between cities in China

The significance of sustainable urban development is unequivocally emphasized within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with urban green spaces playing a pivotal role. However, there exists uncertainty concerning the rationalization of urban land use structures in China. This study used a new indicator, the ratio of construction land area to green space area (UGI), designed to investigate both the static and dynamic change of green space from 2000 to 2020. The analysis revealed that urban construction land expanded by a factor of 1.85 between 2000 and 2020, while China's overall UGI saw a substantial decline of 77.8%. Furthermore, the text identified three different patterns of change in ΔUG (the changes in construction area to green space), with Datong city having a value of 1,580, where the urban development was seriously unbalanced. Notably, results indicated the proportion of secondary industry and the GDP had a significant correlation with UGI and the inequality is more significant within the province of Sichuan and Hunan. In conclusion, the findings emphasize the imperative for cities with high UGI values to increase their financial investments in green spaces, thereby expediting progress towards the realization of the SDGs.

Genetic parameter changes and age−age correlations in Pinus koraiensis growth over 40-year progeny testing

BackgroundEarly selection in tree breeding could be achieved by addressing the longevity of tree improvement activities. Genetic parameter changes and age–age correlations are essential for determining the optimal timing of early selection. Practical tracking of genetic parameters of Pinus koraiensis, a major timber species with economic and ecological value, has become feasible as its progeny testing has entered the mid-term age in Korea. However, research on the age−age correlation of P. koraiensis as progeny trials approach rotation age is limited. This study aimed to investigate genetic parameter trends and age−age correlations in P. koraiensis progeny. P. koraiensis progeny were assessed at two sites using a linear mixed-effects model with two-dimensional spatial autoregressive structure. Height, diameter, and volume growth were measured in 11 assessments over 40 years.ResultsGenetic parameters, such as height and diameter, showed different patterns of change. The heritability ranged for the three growth traits in 0.083–0.710, 0.288–0.781, and 0.299–0.755 across the sites and age. Height heritability and its coefficient of variance decreased, whereas the diameter and volume estimates remained relatively constant. Correlations with Age 40 for phenotypic, genetic, and rank of breeding values ranged between 0.16 and 0.92, 0.594 and 0.988, and 0.412 and 0.965, respectively. These correlations generally increased as the age approached Age 40, with particularly high levels observed at Age 26 and Age 30.ConclusionThe observed genetic trends in P. koraiensis progeny testing offer valuable insights for early and precise selection. Notably, selecting superior genotypes at Ages 26–30 is supported by discernible genetic gains and robust correlations. Future research should integrate unbalanced data for selecting mother trees or families and conduct a comprehensive economic analysis of early selection to validate its practical benefits.