Independent Effects Research Articles

Impact of post-transplant stroke and subsequent functional independence on outcomes following heart transplantation under the 2018 United States heart allocation system

This study evaluates the clinical trends, risk factors, and effects of post-transplant stroke and subsequent functional independence on outcomes following orthotopic heart transplantation under the 2018 heart allocation system. The United Network for Organ Sharing registry was queried to identify adult recipients from October 18, 2018 to December 31, 2021. The cohort was stratified into 2 groups with and without post-transplant stroke. The incidence of post-transplant stroke was compared before and after the allocation policy change. Outcomes included post-transplant survival and complications. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for post-transplant stroke. Sub-analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of functional independence among recipients with post-transplant stroke. A total of 9,039 recipients were analyzed in this study. The incidence of post-transplant stroke was higher following the policy change (3.8% vs 3.1%, p=0.017). Thirty-day (81.4% vs 97.7%) and 1-year (66.4% vs 92.5%) survival rates were substantially lower in the stroke cohort (p<0.001). The stroke cohort had a higher rate of post-transplant renal failure, longer hospital length of stay, and worse functional status. Multivariable analysis identified extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, durable left ventricular assist device, blood type O, and redo heart transplantation as strong predictors of post-transplant stroke. Preserved functional independence considerably improved 30-day (99.2% vs 61.2%) and 1-year (97.7% vs 47.4%) survival rates among the recipients with post-transplant stroke (p<0.001). There is a higher incidence of post-transplant stroke under the 2018 allocation system, and it is associated with significantly worse post-transplant outcomes. However, post-transplant stroke recipients with preserved functional independence have improved survival, similar to those without post-transplant stroke.

Exploring the Cognitive Neural Basis of Factuality in Abstractive Text Summarization Models: Interpretable Insights from EEG Signals

(1) Background: Information overload challenges decision-making in the Industry 4.0 era. While Natural Language Processing (NLP), especially Automatic Text Summarization (ATS), offers solutions, issues with factual accuracy persist. This research bridges cognitive neuroscience and NLP, aiming to improve model interpretability. (2) Methods: This research examined four fact extraction techniques: dependency relation, named entity recognition, part-of-speech tagging, and TF-IDF, in order to explore their correlation with human EEG signals. Representational Similarity Analysis (RSA) was applied to gauge the relationship between language models and brain activity. (3) Results: Named entity recognition showed the highest sensitivity to EEG signals, marking the most significant differentiation between factual and non-factual words with a score of −0.99. The dependency relation followed with −0.90, while part-of-speech tagging and TF-IDF resulted in 0.07 and −0.52, respectively. Deep language models such as GloVe, BERT, and GPT-2 exhibited noticeable influences on RSA scores, highlighting the nuanced interplay between brain activity and these models. (4) Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the crucial role of named entity recognition and dependency relations in fact extraction and demonstrate the independent effects of different models and TOIs on RSA scores. These insights aim to refine algorithms to reflect human text processing better, thereby enhancing ATS models’ factual integrity.

Sex- and time-specific associations of obesity with glycaemic traits: A two-step multivariate Mendelian randomization study.

To assess the sex- and time-specific causal effects of obesity-related anthropometric traits on glycaemic traits. We used univariate and multivariate Mendelian randomization to assess the causal associations of anthropometric traits (gestational variables, birth weight, childhood body mass index [BMI], BMI, waist-to-hip ratio [WHR], BMI-adjusted WHR [WHRadj BMI]) with fasting glucose and insulin in Europeans from the Early Growth Genetics Consortium (n ≤ 298 142), the UK Biobank, the Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits Consortium (n ≤ 697 734; females: n ≤ 434 794; males: n ≤ 374 754) and the Meta-Analyses of Glucose and Insulin-related traits Consortium (n ≤ 151 188; females: n ≤ 73 089; males: n ≤ 67 506), adjusting for maternal genetic effects, smoking, alcohol consumption, and age at menarche. We observed a null association for gestational variables, a negative association for birth weight, and positive associations for childhood BMI and adult traits (BMI, WHR, and WHRadj BMI). In female participants, increased birth weight causally decreased fasting insulin (betaIVW , -0.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.11 to -0.03; p = 1.92 × 10-3 ), but not glucose levels, which was annulled by adjusting for age at menarche. In male participants, increased birth weight causally decreased fasting glucose (betainverse-variance-weighted (IVW) , -0.07, 95% CI -0.11 to -0.03; p = 3.22 × 10-4 ), but not insulin levels. In time-specific analyses, independent effects of birth weight were absent in female participants, and were more pronounced in male participants. Independent effects of childhood BMI were attenuated in both sexes; independent effects of adult traits differed by sex. Our findings provide evidence for causal and independent effects of sex- and time-specific anthropometric traits on glycaemic variables, and highlight the importance of considering multiple obesity exposures at different time points in the life course.

Causal associations between liver enzymes and diabetic microvascular complications: A univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization.

Observational studies show that liver enzymes are diabetes risk factors. However, previous observational investigations on the relationship between liver enzymes and diabetic microvascular complications produced contradictory results. The purpose of this research is to examine the independent causal effects of liver enzymes on diabetic microvascular complications. Univariable Mendelian randomization (UVMR) and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) were utilized to disentangle the causal effects. The genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary-level statistics were collected from the UK biobank and the FinnGen consortium. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected as genetic instruments with genome-wide significance (p < 5 ×10-8). Five UVMR approaches, including inverse variance weighted (IVW), Bayesian weighted Mendelian randomization, MR-Pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO), weighted median, and MR-Egger, and three MVMR approaches, including the extended versions of IVW, MR-Egger, and the Q-minimization methods, were performed to evaluate the causal effects. The robustness of the MR results was further confirmed using several sensitivity analyses. UVMR revealed that a genetically predisposed per standard deviation increase in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level increased the risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (IVW OR = 1.489, 95% CI = 1.206-1.772, p = 0.006). Likewise, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels showed similar results (IVW OR = 1.376, 95% CI = 1.115-1.638, p = 0.017). Furthermore, these effects were consistent after controlling for glycemia and blood pressure using MVMR analysis. Additionally, sensitivity analyses further strengthened the causality. However, no significant associations were found between alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and diabetic microvascular complications. Robust evidence was demonstrated for an independent causal effect of serum ALT or AST concentration on the risk of DR in T2DM. Further investigations are necessary to elucidate the potential biological mechanisms and confirm their clinical significance for early prevention and intervention.

Development of an integrated model framework for multi-air-pollutant exposure assessments in high-density cities

Abstract. Exposure models for some criteria of air pollutants have been intensively developed in past research; multi-air-pollutant exposure models, especially for particulate chemical species, have been however overlooked in Asia. Lack of an integrated model framework to calculate multi-air-pollutant exposure has hindered the combined exposure assessment and the corresponding health assessment. This work applied the land-use regression (LUR) approach to develop an integrated model framework to estimate 2017 annual-average exposure of multiple air pollutants in a typical high-rise and high-density Asian city (Hong Kong, China) including four criteria of gaseous air pollutants (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter equal to or less than 10 µm (PM10) and 2.5 µm (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ozone (O3)), as well as four major PM10 chemical species. Our integrated multi-air-pollutant exposure model framework is capable of explaining 91 %–97 % of the variability of measured gaseous air pollutant concentration, with the leave-one-out cross-validation R2 values ranging from 0.73 to 0.93. Using the model framework, the spatial distribution of the concentration of various air pollutants at a spatial resolution of 500 m was generated. The LUR model-derived spatial distribution maps revealed weak-to-moderate spatial correlations between the PM10 chemical species and the criteria of air pollutants, which may help to distinguish their independent chronic health effects. In addition, further improvements in the development of air pollution exposure models are discussed. This study proposed an integrated model framework for estimating multi-air-pollutant exposure in high-density and high-rise urban areas, serving an important tool for multi-air-pollutant exposure assessment in epidemiological studies.

Five invasive alien plant powders, Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] H. Karst.) wood ash and diatomaceous earth against Sitophilus oryzae (L.) adults: are they closer to guns or roses?

We tested the insecticidal efficacy of different powders as surface treatment against the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) adults. We have applied dusts from five invasive alien plant species (Solidago canadensis, Solidago gigantea, Amorpha fruticosa, Rhus typhina, Ailanthus altissima) and two inert dusts, i.e. wood ash from Norway Spruce (Picea abies) and commercial product SilicoSec® (as diatomaceous earth). Mortality was evaluated from 1st till 7th day after exposure, at 20 and 25 °C, two values of relative humidity and two doses (20 and 40 g/m2). After Day 7, alive beetles were placed into clean Petri dishes, and mortality counts were measured from 8th till 14th day. In general, we have detected poor efficacy of plant powders against S. oryzae. SilicoSec® at 20 g/m2 caused 100 % mortality at 25 °C and 55% RH, after seven days. Wood ash (13.46% SiO2) was less effective in comparison to SilicoSec® (79.48% SiO2), as approx. 60% mortality was recorded at the same conditions. We have detected that leaves of A. altissima and flowers od S. gigantea are rich with polyphenols (like catechin hydrate), on average almost 17 mg/g in S. gigantea flowers. Flowers and leaves of Solidago species are also rich with essential oil, like beta-copaene. The results of our research indicate that the powders of invasive plants are closer to fragrant roses in controlling S. oryzae adults, while the gun for this pest is only diatomaceous earth. To improve the effectiveness of invasive plant products, we suggest testing their independent effectiveness in liquid form as well as combinations of their essential oils with inert dusts.

The Effectiveness of The Board of Directors' Performance and The Moderation Effect of Corporate Risk Management on The Company's Financial Performance

Purpose – This study aims to analyze the relationship between variables of the Board of Directors (BOD) effectiveness, specifically board size, board independence, and gender with the financial performance of companies measured through Tobin’s Q. The study also considers the role of the chief risk officer as proxy for enterprise risk management (ERM) as moderating variable.&#x0D; Research Method – The data used is sourced from the financial reports of LQ45 listed companies on the Indonesia Stock Exchange for the period 2018-2022 with a total of 44 companies as the sample. The analytical method employed is multiple linear regression using the Eviews software.&#x0D; Findings – The results indicate that board gender and board independence have negative significant effect on Tobin’s Q, while board size has no significant effect. The result of regression test with moderating variables show that the enterprise risk management as a moderating variable has significantly effect of board independence on Tobin’s Q.&#x0D; Implication – The existence board of director has an important and vital role in managing the company’s transactions, determining the company’s management policies, and controlling operations to ensure company’s efficiency. To develop strategies, manage risks, and drive confidence to achieve organizational goals in order to create effectiveness and efficiency, companies san consider establising enterprise risk management. In this study, it is proven that the existence of enterprise risk management can improve the company’s financial performance.

Modeling the Contribution of Anxiety, Enjoyment, and Classroom Environment to Boredom among Students of English as a Foreign Language Students

Over the past few years, there has been a surge in scholarly attention about the role of emotions in second-language acquisition. There is a consensus among researchers that emotions play a crucial part in learning a new language. The emotional experiences of language learners, such as anxiety, enjoyment, and motivation, have been studied, and strategies to promote positive emotions and decrease negative emotions have been identified. Motivated by a recent academic interest in boredom, this study investigated the effects of foreign language enjoyment (FLE), foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA), and classroom environment (CE) on learners' foreign language learning boredom (FLLB). A sample of 481 college students enrolled in English classes took part in the study. There were significant correlations of FLCA, FLE, and FLLB with CE. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis revealed that students' FLCA, FLE, and CE were significant predictors of their FLLB, with FLCA being the strongest predictor, followed by FLE and CE. The independent predictive effects of FLCA, FLE, and CE outweighed the interactive effects between CE and FLCA, CE and FLE, and FLCA and FLE. Pedagogical implications are discussed based on the results.

Colorectal cancer and its attributable risk factors in East Asia, 1990-2030.

The disease burden of colorectal cancer in East Asia has been at a high level. However, the epidemiological characteristics of the disease burden in this region have not been systematically studied. Data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 program. Joinpoint analysis was used to identify long-term trends in mortality of colorectal cancer. Independent effects of age, period, and cohort were detected by the age-period-cohort model. The Bayesian age-period-cohort model was performed to predict the burden of colorectal cancer across East Asia by 2030. From 1990 to 2019, the average annual percentage change (AAPC) showed upward trends in mainland China (1.05 [95% confidence interval (CI)], 0.82, 1.28) as well as Taiwan Province of China (1.81 [95% CI], 1.51, 2.10) but downward in Japan (-0.60 [95% CI], -0.70, -0.49) (P<0.05). Attributable risk factors for colorectal cancer in East Asia remained stable over 30years, while the risk of metabolic factors is noteworthy in the future. In the next decade, the age-standardized death rate (ASDR) of colorectal cancer in China was predicted to surpass that of Japan and South Korea in expectation. The mortality of colorectal cancer is escalating in developing countries, while it is gradually declining in high-income countries across East Asia. Nonetheless, the disease burden of colorectal cancer in high-income countries remains substantial level.

Change in screen time and overuse, and their association with psychological well-being among US-wide school-age children during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) years 2018–21

BackgroundPrevious studies on screen use and children’s mental health during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic focused only on the timeframe during the pandemic, on children between narrow age ranges, only among a subset of children who have previously reported COVID-related severe family economic hardship or worries, or did not distinguish between instructive versus recreational device usage. Thus, in this study, we analyzed trends, specifically related to recreational screen use, and associations with psychological well-being (PWB) in the years before versus during the COVID-19 pandemic, among a wide range of school-aged children, widely across the nation.MethodsUsing the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) years 2018–21, we analyzed a large random sample of school-aged children (6–17 years old) across the US (n = 88,823). We developed PWB issue scores (PWBIS) using self-reported measures relevant to this age group, and constructed regression models to assess the magnitude of the contribution of the pandemic on recreational screen use and PWB.ResultsThe prevalence of recreational screen overuse and PWBIS increased significantly during the pandemic, compared to prior years. We also detected a notable effect of the pandemic on increased PWBIS, as well as its interaction term finding that it strengthened the association between screen time and PWBIS (p < 0.01 across all regression models).ConclusionsAccordingly, our results demonstrate the importance of the pandemic itself as an independent adverse factor and effect measure modifier for screen overuse and PWB more generally among all school-age children widely across the US. Our study used the most current data available, and future studies to evaluate whether these effects are persistent in the years after the pandemic are important.

Causal association of gastroesophageal reflux disease with chronic sinusitis and chronic disease of the tonsils and adenoids.

Exploring bidirectional causal associations between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and chronic disease of the tonsils and adenoids and chronic sinusitis, respectively. We first conducted a TSMR (two-sample mendelian randomization) study using the results of the inverse variance weighting method as the primary basis and bidirectional MR to rule out reverse causation. Subsequently, MVMR (multivariate MR) analysis was performed to identify phenotypes associated with SNPs and to explore the independent effect of GERD on two outcomes. Finally, we calculated MR-Egger intercepts to assess horizontal polytropy and Cochran's Q statistic to assess heterogeneity and ensure the robustness of the study. For each standard deviation increase in genetically predicted GERD rate, there was an increased risk of chronic disease of the tonsils and adenoids (OR 1.162, 95% CI 1.036-1.304, P: 1.06E-02) and of developing chronic sinusitis (OR 1.365, 95% CI 1.185-1.572, P: 1.52E-05), and there was no reverse causality. Causality for TSMR was obtained on the basis of IVW (inverse variance weighting) and appeared to be reliable in almost all sensitivity analyses, whereas body mass index may be a potential mediator of causality between GERD and chronic sinusitis. There is a causal association between GERD and chronic disease of the tonsils and adenoids and chronic sinusitis, respectively, and the occurrence of GERD increases the risk of developing chronic disease of the tonsils and adenoids and chronic sinusitis.

The influence mechanism of the parent-child relationship on adolescent academic performance: The serial mediating effect of parental expectations and self-expectations

Much attention has been paid to the relationship between parent-child relationships and adolescent academic performance, especially the mediating role of subjective educational expectations of parents and children. However, most of the research is a single study on parents' or children's educational expectations, and there is a lack of overall research on the independent components and combined effects of the subjective educational expectations system. Based on a large sample of 8867 middle school students, this study showed that parental expectation and self-expectation not only had independent indirect effects on parent-child relationship and academic performance, but also had a series of mediating effects together. The parental expectation was the strongest indirect influencing factor. These findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the deep mediating mechanism of educational expectations between parent-child relationship and academic performance in adolescents, and provide important new ideas for educational design practices in home-school co-education.

Disentangling associations between multiple environmental exposures and all-cause mortality: an analysis of European administrative and traditional cohorts.

We evaluated the independent and joint effects of air pollution, land/built environment characteristics, and ambient temperature on all-cause mortality as part of the EXPANSE project. We collected data from six administrative cohorts covering Catalonia, Greece, the Netherlands, Rome, Sweden, and Switzerland and three traditional cohorts in Sweden, the Netherlands, and Germany. Participants were linked to spatial exposure estimates derived from hybrid land use regression models and satellite data for: air pollution [fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), black carbon (BC), warm season ozone (O3)], land/built environment [normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), distance to water, impervious surfaces], and ambient temperature (the mean and standard deviation of warm and cool season temperature). We applied Cox proportional hazard models accounting for several cohort-specific individual and area-level variables. We evaluated the associations through single and multiexposure models, and interactions between exposures. The joint effects were estimated using the cumulative risk index (CRI). Cohort-specific hazard ratios (HR) were combined using random-effects meta-analyses. We observed over 3.1 million deaths out of approximately 204 million person-years. In administrative cohorts, increased exposure to PM2.5, NO2, and BC was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (pooled HRs: 1.054, 1.033, and 1.032, respectively). We observed an adverse effect of increased impervious surface and mean season-specific temperature, and a protective effect of increased O3, NDVI, distance to water, and temperature variation on all-cause mortality. The effects of PM2.5 were higher in areas with lower (10th percentile) compared to higher (90th percentile) NDVI levels [pooled HRs: 1.054 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.030-1.079) vs. 1.038 (95% CI 0.964-1.118)]. A similar pattern was observed for NO2. The CRI of air pollutants (PM2.5 or NO2) plus NDVI and mean warm season temperature resulted in a stronger effect compared to single-exposure HRs: [PM2.5 pooled HR: 1.061 (95% CI 1.021-1.102); NO2 pooled HR: 1.041 (95% CI 1.025-1.057)]. Non-significant effects of similar patterns were observed in traditional cohorts. The findings of our study not only support the independent effects of long-term exposure to air pollution and greenness, but also highlight the increased effect when interplaying with other environmental exposures.

CREATIVE PROCESSES OF EMOTIONAL IMAGES: THE EFFECTS OF ASPECT RATIO ON THE EMOTIONAL AND AESTHETIC PROPERTIES OF IMAGES

Proportions are one of the primary components of successful image composition during the visual art creation process, which, in turn, is determinant of the variety of effects of images on the viewer, including emotional reactions, attention, and aesthetic preference. The importance of image width and height ratio is especially visible in the current trend to adopt the widest possible screens in a variety of modern creative media applications: photo, video, computer games, etc. In the present study emotional and aesthetic evaluations of the three most popular aspect ratios that are used in digital media devices were compared. This was achieved by assessing emotional arousal and valence ratings together with the interest and appeal evaluations of realistic photos presented in 4:3, 16:9, and 21:9 aspect ratios. The results demonstrated that the widest images did not have an inherent advantage – photos presented in the mid-wide aspect ratio of 16:9 could be considered as more effective, because they were rated as evoking the most positive emotional reactions and as the most liked pictures. This demonstrated that single design features can have an independent emotional effect, which needs to be considered in visual design aiming to evoke emotional reactions to the viewer.

Pairwise association of key lifestyle factors and risk of solid cancers - A prospective pooled multi-cohort register study

Smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, and physical inactivity are key lifestyle risk factors for cancer. Previously these have been mostly examined singly or combined as an index, assuming independent and equivalent effects to cancer risk. The aim of our study was to systematically examine the joint pairwise and interactive effects of these lifestyle factors on the risk of a first solid primary cancer in a multi-cohort prospective setting.We used pooled data from seven Finnish health survey studies during 1972–2015, with 197,551 participants diagnosed with 16,373 solid malignant primary tumors during follow-up. Incidence of any cancer was analyzed separately without and with lung cancers using Poisson regression with main and interaction effects of key lifestyle factors.When excluding lung cancer, the highest risk of any cancer in men was observed for smokers with a BMI of ≥25 kg/m2 (HR 1.36, 95 % CI 1.25–1.48) and in women for smokers consuming alcohol (HR 1.22, 1.14–1.30). No statistically significant interactions between any studied risk factor pairs were observed. When including lung cancer, the highest HRs among men were observed for smokers who consume alcohol (HR 1.72, 1.57–1.89) and among women for smokers who were physically inactive (HR 1.38, 1.27–1.49).Smoking combined with other lifestyle factors at any exposure level resulted in highest pairwise risks, both in men and women. These results highlight the importance of smoking prevention, but also the importance of preventing obesity and reducing alcohol consumption.

Exploring the Complex Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Self-Harm

ABSTRACT Previous research has linked self-harm to adverse childhood experiences (i.e. abuse and neglect). Despite the extensive literature on self-harm, it remains of high importance to examine psychological predictors of repetitive self-harming behaviors in those who report childhood trauma. This study explored the role of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, dissociation proneness, and borderline personality (BP) features. An international sample with n = 374 participants (N = 287, 77%, reporting intentional use of self-harm), was recruited online via relevant mental health platforms and research sites. Within an anonymous survey, participants completed the Self-harm Inventory, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Dissociative Experience Scale, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and Personality Assessment Inventory-Borderline Personality Features Scale. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to explore direct and indirect effects. Self-harm was positively correlated to severity of childhood trauma, maladaptive emotion regulation strategies, dissociation, and BP features. In the path-analytical model, independent indirect effects of childhood trauma severity via self-blame, catastrophizing, dissociation, as well as BP features on self-harm were found. Maladaptive emotion regulation, dissociation proneness, and BP features all seem to be important intermediary agents in the close association between childhood trauma and self-harm.

An examination of the independent and intersectional effects of racial and heterosexist medical mistrust on timing of sexual/reproductive health care visits among Black sexual minority women in the USA

Experiences of racism and heterosexism in medical settings are social and systemic barriers to ‘on-time’ receipt of sexual and reproductive health services among women with both racial and sexual minority identities. Medical mistrust based on experiences related to these dual identities is associated with avoidance and delays in care. However, investigators are just beginning to apply an intersectional lens to quantitatively understanding such barriers. The purpose of this study was to examine the independent and interaction effects of racial and heterosexist medical mistrust on timing of sexual/reproductive health care among Black sexual minority women who have sex with women and men. A total of 320 women participated in an online study of factors affecting sexual health in this population. Ordinal logistic regression was used to assess the independent and interaction effects of racial and heterosexist medical mistrust on self-reported time since last sexual/reproductive health visit. Results indicated an interaction between the two types of medical mistrust. Research on Black women who have sex with women and men’s experiences of racism and heterosexism in the US healthcare system can lead to the development of the comprehensive training programmes needed to alleviate medical mistrust among women with racial and sexual minority identities.

The role of adult attachment and minority stress in isolating behaviors perpetration among lesbian and gay people in Italy

AbstractAttention to Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence (SSIPV) has increased in the last decades. Isolating behaviors, however, have been poorly studied, despite the increased vulnerability to isolation experienced by gay and lesbian couples. The aim of the present study was to examine the independent effects of minority stressors (experiences of discrimination, perceived stigma, and internalized homonegativity), emotion dysregulation, and adult attachment dimensions (attachment avoidance and anxiety) on isolating behaviors perpetration. One hundred and forty-eight gay or lesbian individuals (Mage = 32.48; SD = 10.91) involved in a same-sex relationship participated in the study and completed a self-report online questionnaire. A multiple regression model was used to examine the relationship between the variables in the study. Only attachment anxiety was associated with isolating behaviors. In contrast, attachment avoidance, experiences of discrimination, perceived stigma, internalized homonegativity, and emotion dysregulation did not influence perpetration of isolating behaviors. The present study highlights the influence of attachment anxiety on isolating behaviors, suggesting the role of dysfunctional mechanisms of interpersonal distance regulation. The obtained results provide information at the theoretical and clinical level.

Higher temperature accelerates the aging-dependent weakening of the melanization immune response in mosquitoes.

The body temperature of mosquitoes, like most insects, is dictated by the environmental temperature. Climate change is increasing the body temperature of insects and thereby altering physiological processes such as immune proficiency. Aging also alters insect physiology, resulting in the weakening of the immune system in a process called senescence. Although both temperature and aging independently affect the immune system, it is unknown whether temperature alters the rate of immune senescence. Here, we evaluated the independent and combined effects of temperature (27°C, 30°C and 32°C) and aging (1, 5, 10 and 15 days old) on the melanization immune response of the adult female mosquito, Anopheles gambiae. Using a spectrophotometric assay that measures phenoloxidase activity (a rate limiting enzyme) in hemolymph, and therefore, the melanization potential of the mosquito, we discovered that the strength of melanization decreases with higher temperature, aging, and infection. Moreover, when the temperature is higher, the aging-dependent decline in melanization begins at a younger age. Using an optical assay that measures melanin deposition on the abdominal wall and in the periostial regions of the heart, we found that melanin is deposited after infection, that this deposition decreases with aging, and that this aging-dependent decline is accelerated by higher temperature. This study demonstrates that higher temperature accelerates immune senescence in mosquitoes, with higher temperature uncoupling physiological age from chronological age. These findings highlight the importance of investigating the consequences of climate change on how disease transmission by mosquitoes is affected by aging.

Assessment of the Impacts of Rainfall Characteristics and Land Use Pattern on Runoff Accumulation in the Hulu River Basin, China

Climate change causes the river basin water cycle disorders, and rainfall characteristics frequently result in flood disasters. This study aims to simulate and assess the response behavior of basin floods under the influence of rainfall characteristics and land use changes in the Hulu River basin using a 2D hydrological and hydraulic GAST (GPU Accelerated Surface Water Flow and Transport Model). The peak flow rate and water depth during floods were examined by simulating the evolution process of basin floods and related hydraulic elements under the independent effects of various rainfall characteristics or land use and further simulating the response results of basin floods under the combined effects of rainfall characteristics and land use. The seven scenarios were set to quantify the degree of influence that land use and rainfall characteristics have on the basin flood process based on examining changes in land use and rainfall characteristics in the research area. The results from different rainfall characteristics scenarios depicted that as the rainfall return period is shorter, the peak flow rate is higher, and the peak flow rate is lower as the return period is prolonged. Under different rainfall characteristics, the peak flow rate in scenario R8 is 41.30%, 40.00%, and 34.51% higher than the uniform distribution of rainfall, while water depth is decreased by 0.55%, increased by 4.96% and 2.92% as compared to the uniform distribution of rainfall. While under different land use scenarios, it is observed that the change in land use has increased 2.7% in cultivated land and 1.1% in woodland. In addition, the interactive effect of different rainfall characteristics and land use it can be seen that the scenario with the greatest reduction in flood risk due to rainfall characteristics and land use is RL2-4, representing a 12.55% decrease in peak flow and a 37.69% decrease in peak water depth. In this scenario, the rainfall is heavier in the southeast and northwest regions and lighter in the northeast and southwest regions. The land use type is characterized by reforestation and the return of cultivated land to forests. The changes in rainfall distribution and the increase in grassland contribute to the decrease in flood threat. Future research in the erodible parts of the Hulu River basin, planning for water resources, and soil and water conservation can all benefit from the study’s conclusions.