Functional Dimensions Research Articles

Skin aging and dermatoporosis-the chronic skin fragility syndrome

Skin aging is divided into intrinsic and extrinsic aging, encompassing pigmentary, vascular, connective tissue, and fat tissue aspects that contribute to this complex process. Aging is genetically determined but is influenced by environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation, air pollution, and smoking. Skin aging has not only cosmetic but also functional implications, as the loss of the extracellular matrix, especially hyaluronate, impairs the mechanical functions of the skin. Hyaluronate, which stabilizes skin structures, acts as acushion and reduces susceptibility to skin tears. Dermatoporosis, aterm coined by Saurat, describes the functional dimension of skin aging, manifesting in various stages from skin atrophy to severe complications like skin necrosis. It is increasingly observed in older patients, particularly from age70 onwards. Prevalence ranges from 22% in women to 38% in men, with higher rates in patients undergoing chronic steroid therapy and certain conditions. Diagnosis is made through clinical examination and skin thickness measurement via ultrasound. Prevention involves limiting exposure to harmful factors and using specific treatments such as hyaluronic acid and topical retinoids to improve skin health.

The impact of Benson's relaxation technique on the quality of life of operating room nurses in hospitals southwest Iran: a randomized controlled trial.

In clinical settings, continuous changes lead to increased professional stress, affecting the quality of life of nurses. Some complementary interventions may influence the improvement of the quality of life. This study aimed to determine the effect of Benson's relaxation technique on the operating room nurses' quality of life. In this clinical trial, 180 operating room nurses were randomly allocated to two groups: intervention (Benson's relaxation technique) and control (routine activity). The study was conducted from December 2021 to March 2022 in hospitals affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Benson's relaxation technique was performed twice daily by the intervention group for 8 weeks. Quality of life was measured before and after the intervention using the SF-36 questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 software, with a significance level set at a P < 0.05. After the intervention, the results showed that Benson's relaxation technique led to an increase in the quality of life in the intervention group (P < 0.0001). In terms of quality-of-life dimensions, significant improvements were observed in the intervention group in the domains of physical problems (P < 0.05), emotional problems (P < 0.05), general health (P < 0.05), pain (P < 0.0001), and social functioning (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences were found in the dimensions of physical functioning, energy, and emotional well-being. Benson's relaxation technique can serve as a complementary method to improve various dimensions of the operating room nurses' quality of life. IRCT20211002052650N1 with the Clinical Trial Registry (26.10.2022).

Zero‐curvature subconformal structures and dispersionless integrability in dimension five

AbstractWe extend the recent paradigm “Integrability via Geometry” from dimensions 3 and 4 to higher dimensions, relating dispersionless integrability of partial differential equations to curvature constraints of the background geometry. We observe that in higher dimensions on any solution manifold, the symbol defines a vector distribution equipped with a subconformal structure, and the integrability imposes a certain compatibility between them. In dimension 5, we express dispersionless integrability via the vanishing of a certain curvature of this subconformal structure. We also obtain a “master equation” governing all second‐order dispersionless integrable equations in 5D, and count their functional dimension. It turns out that the obtained background geometry is parabolic of the type . We provide its Cartan‐theoretic description and compute the harmonic curvature components via the Kostant theorem. Then, we relate it to 3D projective and 4D conformal geometries via twistor theory, discuss symmetry reductions and nested Lax sequences, as well as give another interpretation of dispersionless integrability in 5D through Levi‐degenerate CR structures in 7D.

Neural stem and progenitor cells support and protect adult hippocampal function via vascular endothelial growth factor secretion.

Adult neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs) reside in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus throughout the lifespan of most mammalian species. In addition to generating new neurons, NSPCs may alter their niche via secretion of growth factors and cytokines. We recently showed that adult DG NSPCs secrete vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is critical for maintaining adult neurogenesis. Here, we asked whether NSPC-derived VEGF alters hippocampal function independent of adult neurogenesis. We found that loss of NSPC-derived VEGF acutely impaired hippocampal memory, caused neuronal hyperexcitability and exacerbated excitotoxic injury. Conversely, we observed that overexpression of VEGF reduced microglial response to excitotoxic injury. We also found that NSPCs generate substantial proportions of total DG VEGF and VEGF disperses widely throughout the DG, both of which help explain how this anatomically-restricted cell population could modulate function broadly. These findings suggest that NSPCs actively support and protect DG function via secreted VEGF, thereby providing a non-neurogenic functional dimension to endogenous NSPCs.

Examination of the relationship between dimensions of sexual perfectionism and female sexual function and sexual performance anxiety among Iranian married women of reproductive age: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPerfectionism is a multidimensional personality trait that manifests itself through various aspects of life as well as sexuality. Yet, the specific nexus between perfectionism and women’s sexual experiences continues to remain unaddressed. Hence, this research aimed to investigate the relationship between the dimensions of sexual perfectionism, sexual function, and sexual performance anxiety (SPA) among Iranian married women of reproductive age in Gonabad, Iran.MethodA cross-sectional study was conducted in Gonabad City in 2021, involving 450 women of reproductive age. Stratified sampling was used to select public healthcare centers, and participants were chosen via simple random sampling. Data were collected online through platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, using the Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism Questionnaire (MSPQ), Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and Brief Sexual Performance Anxiety Scale (BSPAS). The validity and reliability of these instruments were confirmed through content validity assessments and Cronbach’s α. Hierarchical linear regression was performed using SPSS version 26, with the significance level set at p < 0.05.ResultsLinear regression analysis indicated that self-oriented sexual perfectionism was positively associated with all FSFI domains, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, total FSFI (p < 0.001), and pain (p < 0.01). Partner-oriented sexual perfectionism was positively associated with satisfaction (p < 0.05). In contrast, partner-prescribed sexual perfectionism was negatively associated with all domains of FSFI, including desire, pain (p < 0.05), arousal, lubrication, total FSFI (p < 0.001), orgasm, and satisfaction (p < 0.01). Socially-prescribed sexual perfectionism was positively associated with desire and negatively associated with pain (p < 0.05). In particular, only partner-prescribed and socially-prescribed sexual perfectionism were positively associated with SPA (p < 0.01).ConclusionThe association found between dimensions of sexual perfectionism, sexual function, and SPA in Iranian women underscores the necessity for educational initiatives tailored to psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, sexologists, and other healthcare practitioners. These programs would help to build a deeper insight into the origins of women’s sexual complaints and identify and manage them within the context of marital relationships.

Quality of Life and Symptom Burden in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Second-Line Chemotherapy Compared with Immunotherapy

Background and Objectives: The burdened symptomatology accompanying advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is associated with poor prognosis and lower quality of life (QoL). Although both chemotherapy and immunotherapy increase survival, they are still associated with reduced functionality due to their toxicity. This study aimed to estimate the QoL and symptom burden of NSCLC patients receiving second-line chemotherapy compared to patients receiving second-line immunotherapy. Materials and Methods: This comparative, prospective study, conducted from January 2020 to December 2021, included 111 NSCLC patients who were divided into two groups: 61 patients receiving second-line chemotherapy and 50 patients receiving second-line immunotherapy. Patients’ QoL and symptom burden were estimated using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ C-30) (value range 0–100) from treatment cycle 1 to 6. Results: The QoL (mean score &gt; 50) and functionality dimensions (mean score &gt; 50) were moderate to good in both treatment groups, while the symptom burden did not appear to be a serious problem (mean score &lt; 50). From cycle 3 to cycle 5, QoL was significantly better in the immunotherapy group. From cycle 3, the role and social functioning scores were higher in the immunotherapy group, while emotional and cognitive functioning were higher from cycle 2 (p &lt;0.05). The chemotherapy group experienced higher levels of nausea/vomiting, constipation and financial difficulties in all the cycles (p &lt; 0.05). Fatigue and appetite loss were significantly greater from cycle 2 and insomnia was significantly greater from cycle 3. On the contrary, the immunotherapy group experienced higher levels of diarrhea in cycles 5 and 6 (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: Although both therapy groups did not report significantly impaired QoL and severe symptoms, it seems that QoL improved in the immunotherapy group, which reported a lower symptom burden compared to the chemotherapy group.

Non-planar corrections in ABJM theory from quantum M2 branes

The quantization of semiclassical strings in AdS spacetimes yields predictions for the strong-coupling behaviour of the scaling dimensions of the corresponding operators in the planar limit of the dual gauge theory. Finding non-planar corrections requires computing string loops (corresponding to torus and higher genus surfaces), which is a challenging task. It turns out that in the case of the Uk(N) × U−k(N) ABJM theory there is an alternative approach: one may semiclassically quantize M2 branes in AdS4 × S7/ℤk which are wrapped around the 11d circle of radius 1/k = λ/N . Such M2 branes are the M-theory generalization of the strings in AdS × CP3. In this work, we show that by expanding in large M2 brane tension T2 ~ kN\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\sqrt{kN} $$\\end{document} for fixed k, followed by an expansion in large k, we can predict the large λ asymptotics of the non-planar corrections to the dimensions of the dual ABJM operators. As a specific example, we consider the M2 brane configuration that generalizes the long folded string with large spin in AdS4, and compute the 1-loop correction to its energy. This calculation allows us to determine non-planar corrections to the universal scaling function or cusp anomalous dimension. We extend our analysis to the semiclassical M2 branes that generalize the “short” and “long” circular strings with two equal angular momenta in CP3. The “short” M2 brane corresponds to a dual operator whose dimension at strong coupling scales as ∆ ∼ λ1/4 + …, and we derive the leading non-planar correction to it.

Source–Sink Structural Coupling Within Forest-Clustered Landscapes Drives Headstream Quality Dynamics in Mountainous Sub-Watersheds: A Case Study in Chongqing, China

Water environment quality is profoundly driven by a series of landscape characteristics. However, current knowledge is limited to the independent response of water quality to single landscape elements; this has led to poor knowledge of the potential role of structural coupling within landscapes in driving water quality changes, especially in those agroforestry-mixed mountainous watersheds with highly embedded forest-clustered landscapes and abundant headstreams. Given this fact, this study aims to evaluate whether and how the source–sink coupling structure of forest-clustered landscapes systematically drives headstream quality dynamics. We first systematically assessed the association pattern of source and sink structures within forest-clustered landscapes, and then innovatively proposed and constructed a functional framework of source–sink coupling structure of landscapes across 112 agroforestry-mixed mountainous sub-watersheds in Chongqing, China. On this basis, we further evaluated the driving pattern and predictive performance of the source–sink coupling structure of landscapes behind headstream quality dynamics. We report three findings: (1) headstream quality varied across agroforestry-mixed sub-watersheds, mapping out the source–sink structures and functions of landscapes; (2) there was significant functional coordination between source–sink structures of the forest-clustered landscapes, which significantly drove headstream quality dynamics; (3) the structural positioning and differences of the forest-clustered landscapes along the multivariate functional axes directly corresponded to and predicted headstream quality status. These findings together highlight a key logic that the response of water quality dynamics to landscapes is essentially that to the functional coupling between the source–sink structures of landscapes, rather than the simple combination of a single landscape contribution. This is the first study on the landscape–runoff association from the perspective of source–sink structural coupling, which helps to deepen understanding of the correlation mechanism between water dynamics and landscape systems, and provides a new functional dimension to the development of future landscape ecological management strategies from a local to a global scale.

BLADDER HEALTH IN US WOMEN: POPULATION-BASED ESTIMATES FROM THE RISE FOR HEALTH STUDY

Bladder health encompasses total bladder well-being and not merely the absence of urinary symptoms. While much is known about the prevalence of urinary symptoms in women, little is known about the distribution of bladder health (e.g., optimal to poor). We report the distributions of multiple dimensions of bladder health and function in a population-based sample of community-dwelling women, overall and separately in women without urinary symptoms to begin to explore bladder health dimensions that may precede the onset of symptoms. RISE FOR HEALTH is a regionally-representative cohort study of US women aged 18 and older. Baseline surveys included the validated Bladder Health Scales/Bladder Function Indices, the 10-item Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Symptom Index, and additional study items. Bladder well-being was assessed across 10 scales and bladder function across six indices. Bladder Health Scale scores were adjusted for adaptive/coping behaviors (e.g., using/carrying pads, staying close to a toilet) to account for the perceived impact of urinary symptoms on well-being. Scores for scales and indices ranged from 0 (poor well-being/function) to 100 (optimal well-being/function). We calculated summary statistics for each scale (with and without adaptive behavior adjustment) and each index in the full study population and subset of women without urinary symptoms. The mean age of 3,027 eligible participants was 49.8 years (SD 17.9). The median global Bladder Health Scale score was 72 (IQR: 56, 84) before adjustment for adaptive/coping behaviors and 55 (IQR: 34, 78) after adjustment. Median scores for the other scales ranged from 75-100 before and 61-72 after adjustment. Sixty-nine percent of participants reported using adaptive/coping behaviors, including using pads (40%), toilet mapping (58%), and staying close to a toilet (3%). The median overall Bladder Function Index score was 77 (IQR: 63, 89); individual median scores ranged from 63-68 for frequency, sensation, continence, and emptying indices to 100 for biosis/urinary tract infection and comfort indices. Among participants without reported urinary symptoms (n=700), scores were higher across all scales (unadjusted medians=88-100 and adjusted medians=82-100) and indices (medians=93-100), indicating better, but not optimal health; however, 38% of asymptomatic women reported using adaptive/coping behaviors: 11% using pads, 30% toilet mapping, and 2% staying close to a toilet. We observed a wide range of bladder well-being and function in RISE participants, and high utilization of adaptive/coping behaviors. Bladder health variability and utilization of adaptive/coping behaviors was also observed in women without urinary symptoms, highlighting bladder health dimensions not captured by traditional urinary symptom tools and potentially identifying a group of women with "sub-clinical" symptoms who may be at greater risk of developing urinary symptoms. Future prospective analyses should investigate this novel group of women further.

Optimal performance design of bat algorithm: An adaptive multi‐stage structure

AbstractThe bat algorithm (BA) is a metaheuristic algorithm for global optimisation that simulates the echolocation behaviour of bats with varying pulse rates of emission and loudness, which can be used to find the globally optimal solutions for various optimisation problems. Knowing the recent criticises of the originality of equations, the principle of BA is concise and easy to implement, and its mathematical structure can be seen as a hybrid particle swarm with simulated annealing. In this research, the authors focus on the performance optimisation of BA as a solver rather than discussing its originality issues. In terms of operation effect, BA has an acceptable convergence speed. However, due to the low proportion of time used to explore the search space, it is easy to converge prematurely and fall into the local optima. The authors propose an adaptive multi‐stage bat algorithm (AMSBA). By tuning the algorithm's focus at three different stages of the search process, AMSBA can achieve a better balance between exploration and exploitation and improve its exploration ability by enhancing its performance in escaping local optima as well as maintaining a certain convergence speed. Therefore, AMSBA can achieve solutions with better quality. A convergence analysis was conducted to demonstrate the global convergence of AMSBA. The authors also perform simulation experiments on 30 benchmark functions from IEEE CEC 2017 as the objective functions and compare AMSBA with some original and improved swarm‐based algorithms. The results verify the effectiveness and superiority of AMSBA. AMSBA is also compared with eight representative optimisation algorithms on 10 benchmark functions derived from IEEE CEC 2020, while this experiment is carried out on five different dimensions of the objective functions respectively. A balance and diversity analysis was performed on AMSBA to demonstrate its improvement over the original BA in terms of balance. AMSBA was also applied to the multi‐threshold image segmentation of Citrus Macular disease, which is a bacterial infection that causes lesions on citrus trees. The segmentation results were analysed by comparing each comparative algorithm's peak signal‐to‐noise ratio, structural similarity index and feature similarity index. The results show that the proposed BA‐based algorithm has apparent advantages, and it can effectively segment the disease spots from citrus leaves when the segmentation threshold is at a low level. Based on a comprehensive study, the authors think the proposed optimiser has mitigated the main drawbacks of the BA, and it can be utilised as an effective optimisation tool.

Callous-unemotional traits, cognitive functioning, and externalizing problems in a propensity-matched sample from the ABCD study.

Many studies show that both callous-unemotional (CU) traits (e.g., low empathy, lack of guilt) and cognitive difficulties increase risk for externalizing psychopathology across development. However, other work suggests that some aggression (e.g., relational, proactive) may rely on intact cognitive function, which could vary based on the presence of CU traits. Moreover, no prior research has adequately accounted for common risk factors shared by CU traits, cognitive difficulties, and externalizing problems, which confounds conclusions that can be drawn about their purported relationships. The current study addressed these knowledge gaps by leveraging rigorous propensity matching methods to isolate associations between CU traits and different dimensions of cognitive function and externalizing problems. Associations between CU traits, cognitive functioning, and externalizing outcomes were tested within dimensional (n = 11,868) and propensity-matched group-based (n = 1,224) models using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study®, with rigorous statistical control for shared sociodemographic risk factors. Cross-sectional outcomes were parent-reported symptoms of conduct disorder (CD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Longitudinal outcomes were child-reported overt and relational aggression. CU traits were uniquely related to more parent-reported CD, ODD, ADHD symptoms, as well as more child-reported aggressive behaviors. Effects of cognitive difficulties were domain specific and were not consistent across dimensional and propensity matched models. There was minimal evidence for divergent associations between CU traits and externalizing outcomes as a function of cognition (i.e., no moderation). Rigorous control for sociodemographic factors within propensity-matched models establish CU traits as a robust and unique risk factor for externalizing psychopathology, over and above difficulties with cognitive functioning.

Prospective associations between early adolescent reward functioning and later dimensions of psychopathology.

Individual differences in reward functioning have been associated with numerous disorders in adolescence. Given relations with multiple forms of psychopathology, it is unclear whether these associations are disorder specific or reflective of shared variance across multiple disorders. In a sample of adolescents (N = 418), we examined associations between neural and self-reported indices of early reward functioning (age 12) with different levels of a hierarchical psychopathology model assessed later in adolescence (age 18). We examined whether prospective relationships between reward functioning are specific to individual disorders or better explained by transdiagnostic dimensions. We found modest results for prospective associations between reward indices and different dimensions of psychopathology, with most significant associations not surviving correction for multiple comparisons. We discuss the benefits and limitations of the modeling approach used to examine dimension-specific associations that future work can build on. Overall, more work is needed to better understand how reward functioning is specifically associated with different forms of and hierarchical levels of psychopathology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Health-related quality of life disparity in cardiac sarcoidosis versus other myocardial diseases

Abstract Background Sarcoidosis, a systemic inflammatory disorder, can manifest as progressive inflammatory heart disease, termed cardiac sarcoidosis (CS). Despite advances in treatment, the impact of CS on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to compare HRQoL between patients with CS and those with non-inflammatory cardiomyopathies, namely dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Purpose To assess and compare HRQoL across patients with cardiac sarcoidosis and non-inflammatory cardiomyopathies. Methods A total of 240 CS patients (86% response rate), 96 DCM patients (55% response rate), and 81 HCM patients (65% response rate) completed the RAND-36 general health-related questionnaire, comprising eight dimensions. Patients listed for transplantation were excluded. Clinical data were obtained from the Finnish myocardial inflammatory diseases registry for CS patients and from medical records in hospitals for HCM and DCM patients. Results Median age ranged from 56 to 59 years across the groups. Unlike DCM, which typically presents with heart failure symptoms, a substantial proportion (82%) of CS patients presented with advanced atrioventricular block or ventricular arrhythmias, while HCM cases were often incidentally detected or identified through family screening. Most CS patients (94%) had implanted pacemakers or ICDs, compared to a lower proportion in HCM (26%) and DCM (63%). DCM patients exhibited a higher prevalence of impaired LVEF (&amp;lt;50%) compared to CS and HCM patients. Functional impairment, as measured by NYHA class, was most pronounced in DCM patients. CS patients experienced more adverse events between diagnosis and the study entry, particularly sustained ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation. However, heart failure hospitalizations did not significantly differ between groups. Table 1 presents a comparative analysis of patient-reported outcomes across four functional and mental dimensions to assess the relative burden of disease among patients with CS, HCM, and DCM. While the functional dimensions in CS exhibited disparities from both HCM and DCM, no significant differences were observed in the mental dimensions between CS and HCM. CS patients reported lower scores in the domains of role physical, and general health compared to either HCM or DCM counterparts. Conclusion Patients with CS demonstrated significantly poorer HRQoL compared to those with non-inflammatory cardiomyopathies. This underscores the substantial burden of disease associated with CS and highlights the importance of comprehensive management strategies to address both clinical and quality of life aspects in affected individuals.

Child maltreatment and executive function development throughout adolescence and into young adulthood.

Child maltreatment impacts approximately one in seven children in the United States, leading to adverse outcomes throughout life. Adolescence is a time period critical for the development of executive function, but there is little research examining how abuse and neglect may differently affect the developmental trajectories of executive function throughout adolescence and into young adulthood. In the current study, 167 adolescents participated at six time points from ages 14 to 20. At each time point, adolescents completed behavioral tasks measuring the three dimensions of executive function (working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility). Neglect and abuse in early life (ages 1-13) were reported at ages 18-19. Unconditional growth curve models revealed age-related improvement in all three executive function dimensions. Conditional growth curve models tested the prospective effects of recalled neglect and abuse on the developmental trajectories of executive function. The results revealed that neglect was associated with developmental changes in working memory abilities, such that greater levels of neglect during ages 1-13 were associated with slower increases in working memory abilities across ages 14-20. These findings highlight the adverse consequences of early neglect experiences shown by delayed working memory development during adolescence into young adulthood.

Health-related quality of life and prognosis in cardiac sarcoidosis

Abstract Background Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is characterized by inflammatory myocardial disease, often leading to conduction disturbances, ventricular tachycardias, and heart failure. While factors like initial symptoms, LVEF, and troponin levels are known prognostic indicators, the impact of CS on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is not well-understood. Additionally, limited data exists on the predictive value of FDG-PET in CS. Purpose This study aimed to assess HRQoL in CS patients and investigate its prognostic relevance concerning cardiac events. Methods Patients diagnosed with CS completed the RAND-36 general health-related questionnaire, covering eight dimensions. Clinical data were obtained from the Finnish myocardial inflammatory diseases registry. Follow-up data on cardiac events, including life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VT/VF), heart transplant, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, pericardial tamponade, or death, were collected over 36 months. Results Of the 240 CS patients surveyed, 179 (75%) were female, with a median age of 56 [IQR 48 – 64]. CS patients reported significantly lower RAND-36 scores across all dimensions compared to the general Finnish population. Over the 3-year follow-up, 38 (16%) patients experienced cardiac-related adverse events, including VT/VF (26 cases), deaths (8 cases), heart transplants (2 cases), LVAD implantation (1 case), and pericardial tamponade (1 case). We divided CS patients into those without adverse event (N=202) and with adverse events (N=38). Interestingly, in four dimensions of PF 70.0 [50.0-90.0] vs 60.0 [33.8-80.0], p=0.019, RP 50.0 [0.0-100.0] vs 0.00 [0-56.3], p=0.002, MH 76.0 [59.0-88.0] vs 66.0 [51.0-84.0], p=0.036, and SF 75.0 [50-100] vs 62.5 [37.5-78.1], p=0.037 were significantly lower scores in the event group. Univariate Cox regression analysis (Table 1) revealed that physical functioning (PF) and role-physical (RP) dimensions, along with certain clinical factors, such as younger age, higher NYHA classification, elevated proBNP levels, lower hemoglobin levels, and the main manifestation of the disease as ventricular tachyarrhythmia, independently predicted adverse cardiac events. In the multivariate analysis, lower role-physical scores and younger age remained independent prognostic factors for adverse cardiac events. Conclusions Patients with CS demonstrated lower HRQoL compared to the general Finnish population. This study enhances our understanding of prognosis in CS and underscores the predictive value of HRQoL in identifying future adverse cardiac events, highlighting its relevance in the clinical management of these patients.

Dentin hypersensitivity and quality of life in patients with chronic systemic disease.

To assess the potential impact of dentin hypersensitivity on the quality of life in people with chronic systemic diseases. We included 252 volunteers, 18 years or older, with ≥ 6 teeth, and under outpatient medical follow-up for systemic chronic diseases. Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) was used to assess quality of life (QoL); Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) and Dentine Hypersensitivity Experience Questionnaire (DHEQ-15) were used for oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Dentin hypersensitivity pain was assessed using an evaporative and tactile test, and pain assessment was performed using a numerical rating scale and a verbal rating scale. Medical information was obtained from anamnesis forms and the hospital digital medical records. Of 252 participants, 60% had dentin hypersensitivity. There was a negative impact on the QoL/OHRQoL of individuals with dentin hypersensitivity regarding the vitality, mental health, physical functioning, and bodily pain dimensions of SF-36, and the functional limitation, physical pain, physical disability, and psychological disability dimensions of OHIP-14. Dentin hypersensitivity appeared to exert an indirect influence on QoL. Dentin hypersensitivity negatively impacts the quality of life in patients with chronic systemic diseases.

Effectiveness of a 12-week combining tai chi and yoga program on pulmonary function and functional fitness in COPD patients

BackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) poses significant challenges to both patients and healthcare providers due to its progressive nature and adverse impact on respiratory function and quality of life (QoL). While pulmonary rehabilitation remains a cornerstone of non-pharmacological COPD management, additional interventions are needed to address patients' diverse needs and preferences. AimThis study investigated the feasibility and potential benefits of a 12-week combining Tai Chi and Yoga (TY combining) program on cardiorespiratory and lung functions, functional fitness, and QoL in older males diagnosed with COPD. MethodsTwenty-four male COPD patients (age: 70 ± 6 years) with moderate to severe disease were recruited and randomized into the TY combining group (n = 12) or control group (n = 12). Assessments were conducted at baseline and at week 12, including pulmonary function tests, quality of life measures, dyspnea, and fatigue. Functional fitness tests were assessed at baseline, week 4, week 8, and week 12. ResultsThe TY combining program significantly improved pulmonary functions, functional fitness, quality of life, and fatigue over the 12-week intervention period. Notably, improvements in functional fitness parameters were observed after just four weeks of training, emphasizing the rapid benefits of the intervention. Moreover, the program exhibited high safety and feasibility, with no reported complications. ConclusionThe 12-week TY combining program represents a safe, feasible, and effective adjunctive therapy for COPD management in older male patients. By addressing multiple dimensions of health and functioning, including pulmonary and cardiovascular health, functional fitness, and quality of life, this holistic approach holds promise for optimizing outcomes in COPD patients. Further research is warranted to validate these findings and explore optimal implementation strategies in clinical practice.

Institutional quality as a catalyst for structural transformation in African countries: What role does foreign direct investment play?

The socio-economic development of African countries is strongly influenced by the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) flows and the quality of these countries' institutions. This paper examines the role played by the quality of these countries' institutions as a pillar in the process of structural transformation (ST) in African countries considering the relationship between FDI and institutional quality. This led to the completion of a thorough econometric analysis that estimated two Panel Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) models and concentrated on the complex relationships between the study's variables. The econometric results obtained showed a negative and significant effect of FDI on the quality of institutions in the long term as reflected by two dependent variables: the degree of freedom from corruption and the degree of freedom of ownership. Thus, the results show the major constraints African countries faced in terms of property rights, corruption and the implementation of good governance practices, underscoring the need for radical institutional reform to foster these crucial dimensions of socio-economic functioning. In addition, the study’s result demonstrated the crucial role that institutional quality within the African continent can play in the success of its ST process. Indeed, the positive impact of institutional quality on FDI attractiveness and the implementation of effective development policies could foster an environment conducive to achieve inclusive growth. Finally, the results of the study can help decision-makers define the policies essential to the success of the ST process in African countries.

Elevational patterns of bird alpha and beta diversity in Haba Snow Mountain, Southwestern China: Implication for conservation

Understanding environmental patterns of species diversity is essential for nature reserve planning and biodiversity conservation. In this study, we explored the birds’ alpha and beta diversity along the elevational gradients in Haba Snow Mountain Nature Reserve (hereafter, HBSM), a global biodiversity hotspot, and studied which environmental factor is the main driver in explaining alpha and beta diversity patterns. Our results indicated that taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic alpha diversity consistently exhibited hump-shaped patterns with similar peaks. After controlling for species richness, both functional and phylogenetic alpha diversity increased with elevation, and the peaks at 3400–3700 m. Mean pairwise functional distance remained nearly constant along the elevation band, whereas mean pairwise phylogenetic distance shown hump-shaped pattern, and the predicted MPD peaked at the fifth band (3100–3400 m a.s.l). The functional and phylogenetic structure of bird communities in HBSM were more clustered along the elevation gradients, suggesting environmental filtering likely drove the assembly processes. Additionally, primary productivity (NDVI and/or habitat heterogeneity) and/or precipitation were robust predictors of variation in most diversity metrics. For multiple-site beta diversity, we observed that high turnover component in taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic dimensions, indicating distinct bird assemblages across various elevational bands. In pairwise beta diversity, the spatial turnover of taxonomic and phylogenetic aspects was higher than nestedness, revealing species replacement occurs relatively frequently between evolutionarily related species with similar niche and functional traits. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of considering both different dimensions and multifaceted diversity when assessing elevational patterns of bird diversity. This study also provides valuable insights into the structuring mechanisms of bird communities and informs conservation planning along elevational gradients in HBSM, and offers a comprehensive case on species richness along elevational gradients.

The Practical and Social Functioning (PSF) scale: development and measurement properties of an instrument for assessing activity and social participation among people with serious mental illness

BackgroundParticipation in society and the ability to perform various activities are crucial aspects of everyday functioning. The intertwined relationship between functioning, disability, and health is emphasized in the “International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)” framework. In recent decades, mental health care units have increasingly focused on this aspect. The Practical and Social Functioning scale (PSF) was developed and validated in Norwegian as an easy-to-administer instrument to assess practical and social functioning among patients with serious mental illness in different clinical settings.MethodsThe PSF was developed and revised using data from different Norwegian studies. Data from a total of 562 patients with serious mental illness in different clinical settings were included. The validation process included the evaluation of items into categories by 25 professionals. Development and revision took place in three different stages, and factor analyses were conducted. The quality of the PSF was assessed according to the COSMIN standards for systematic reviews on patient-reported outcome measures.ResultsThe final version of the PSF comprises seven subscales, each consisting of four items, resulting in a total of 28 items. These subscales, along with their corresponding items, are loaded onto two factors representing the main dimensions of functioning: activity and participation. Content validity comprises three domains: relevance, comprehensiveness, and comprehensibility. Relevance and comprehensibility were found to be adequate, whereas comprehensiveness was doubtful. Structural validity was adequate, internal consistency was very good, and construct validity was adequate compared to the Global Assessment of Functioning scale. Responsiveness was found to be doubtful in our study with data from an 18-month observation period. Nearly 60% of the items showed a ceiling effect. No items showed a floor effect.ConclusionThe development and validation of the Norwegian version of the PSF resulted in an instrument consisting of seven subscales and a total of 28 items. The items and subscales assess functioning related to two key factors according to the ICF framework: activity and participation. Our results show that the PSF is an easy-to-administer instrument that may be particularly sensitive for detecting variation among persons with severely impaired functioning.Trial registrationThe study Implementation of Guidelines for the Treatment of Psychoses was registered retrospectively on 31 August 2017 at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03271242).