General Linear Model Analysis Research Articles

Effect of cognitive reserve on amnestic mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease defined by fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of cognitive reserve (CR) on the rate of cognitive decline and cerebral glucose metabolism in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) using the Study on Diagnosis of Early Alzheimer’s Disease-Japan (SEAD-J) dataset. The patients in SEAD-J underwent cognitive tests and fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). MCI to be studied was classified as amnestic MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) with neurodegeneration. A total of 57 patients were visually interpreted as having an AD pattern (P1 pattern, Silverman’s classification). The 57 individuals showing the P1 pattern were divided into a high-education group (years of school education ≥13, N = 18) and a low-education group (years of school education ≤12, N = 39). Voxel-based statistical parametric mapping revealed more severe hypometabolism in the high-education group than in the low-education group. Glucose metabolism in the hippocampus and temporoparietal area was inversely associated with the years of school education in the high- and low-education groups (N = 57). General linear mixed model analyses demonstrated that cognitive decline was more rapid in the high-education group during 3-year follow-up. These results suggest that the cerebral glucose metabolism is lower and cognitive function declines faster in patients with high CR of amnestic MCI due to AD defined by FDG-PET.

Functional neurodevelopment of working memory in early-onset schizophrenia: A longitudinal FMRI study

Schizophrenia, a debilitating disorder with typical manifestation of clinical symptoms in early adulthood, is characterized by cognitive impairments in executive processes such as in working memory (WM). However, there is a rare case of individuals with early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) starting before their 18th birthday, while WM and its neural substrates are still undergoing maturation. Using the WM n-back task with functional magnetic resonance imaging, we assessed the functional neurodevelopment of WM in adolescents with EOS and age- and gender-matched typically developing controls. Participants underwent neuroimaging in the same scanner twice, once at age 17 and at 21 (mean interscan interval = 4.3 years). General linear model analysis was performed to explore WM neurodevelopmental changes within and between groups. Psychopathological scores were entered in multiple regressions to detect brain regions whose longitudinal functional change was predicted by baseline symptoms in EOS. WM neurodevelopment was characterized by widespread functional reductions in frontotemporal and cingulate brain areas in patients and controls. No between-group differences were found in the trajectory of WM change. Baseline symptom scores predicted functional neurodevelopmental changes in frontal, cingulate, parietal, occipital, and cerebellar areas. The adolescent brain undergoes developmental processes such as synaptic pruning, which may underlie the refinement WM of network. Prefrontal and parietooccipital activity reduction is affected by clinical presentation of symptoms. Using longitudinal neuroimaging methods in a rare diagnostic sample of patients with EOS may help the advancement of neurodevelopmental biomarkers intended as pharmacological targets to tackle WM impairment.

Insomnia in primary care: a survey conducted on Italian patients older than 50 years—results from the “Sonno e Salute” study

Insomnia affects one-third of the adult population and is associated with multiple medical conditions. We conducted an observational epidemiological survey to assess (1) the prevalence of insomnia in an Italian group of patients aged over 50 years, presenting directly to the general physician (GP); (2) the association of insomnia with sleepiness and comorbidities; and (3) the pharmacological treatment. The study was carried out by GPs. Each GP was asked to enroll the first patient over 50 years old spontaneously presenting for any medical problems for 5 consecutive days. The Italian version of the Sleep Condition Indicator (SCI) was administered; daytime sleepiness was evaluated by a visual analogic scale (VAS). For every patient, GPs collected information regarding comorbidities and pharmacological treatment for insomnia and evaluated the severity of insomnia using the Clinical Global Impression Severity (CGI-S) scale. A total of 748 patients (mean age 65.12 ± 9.45 years) were enrolled by 149 GPs. Prevalence of insomnia was 55.3%. SCI, VAS, and CGI-S scores were highly correlated between each other (p < 0.0001). At general linear model analysis, the comorbidities more associated with the presence of insomnia were anxiety-depressive disorder (p < 0.001), other psychiatric disorders (p = 0.017), cardiovascular disorders (p = 0.006), and dementia (p = 0.027). A statistically significant correlation was found between SCI score and the use of benzodiazepines (p < 0.001), z-drugs (p = 0.012), antidepressants (p < 0.001), and melatonin-prolonged release (p < 0.001). Insomnia affects half of Italian primary care patients over 50 years and is frequently associated with different medical conditions, sleepiness, and use of multiple—often off-label—drugs.

The influence of PROP taster status on habitual sweet food consumption and dietary intake amongst obese and non-obese adults

Introduction: Ability to taste 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) predicts both taste sensitivity and food preferences, with PROP tasters being more sensitive to sweet taste in foods, which may lead to less intake of sugary foods. However, when obesity progresses, the individual’s sense of taste and eating patterns may change. The aim of this study was to evaluate if PROP taster status affected habitual sweet food consumption and nutritional intake in obese and non-obese people. Methods: A total of 88 obese and 92 non-obese Malay male and female participants aged 20-45 years were classified into PROP non-tasters, medium tasters, or supertasters by using PROP filter paper screening procedure. Sweet food consumption was assessed using food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), while dietary intake was measured by using 3-day food diary. Data were analysed using General Linear Model (GLM) Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to compare for differences and associations among variables. Results: Overall, there was no significant association between body mass index groups and PROP taster status (p&gt;0.05). No significant differences were found on any habitual sweet food intake and dietary intake according to PROP taster status in both obese and non-obese participants (p&gt;0.05). However, there was a significant difference (p&lt;0.05) in fruit intake according to PROP taster status among obese participants. Conclusion: The findings suggest that PROP taster status does not play a role in nutrient intakes among obese and non-obese individuals

Water Masers as an Early Tracer of Star Formation

We present a study of the correlation between 22 GHz water maser emission and far-infrared/submillimeter (IR/sub-mm) sources. The generalized linear model (GLM) is used to predict H2O maser detection in a particular source with defined physical parameters. We checked the GLM predictions by observing a sample of selected sources with the Effelsberg 100 m telescope. In total, 359 sources were observed. H2O masers were detected in 124 sources, with 56 new detections. We found 22 sources with a significant flux variability. Using the GLM analysis, we estimate that 2392 ± 339 star formation regions (SFRs) in the Galaxy may harbor H2O masers detectable by single-dish observations at the noise level of ∼0.05 Jy. Analyzing the luminosity-to-mass ratio (L/M) of the ATLASGAL and Hi-GAL clumps associated with different maser species, we find that 22 GHz water masers have significantly lower values of L/M in comparison to 6.7 GHz class II methanol and 1665 MHz OH masers. This implies that 22 GHz water masers may appear prior to 6.7 GHz methanol and OH masers in the evolutionary sequence of SFRs. From the analysis of physical offsets between host clumps and maser interferometric positions, we found no significant difference between the H2O and class II methanol maser offsets against the host clump position. We conclude that the tight association between water masers and IR/sub-mm sources may provide insight into the pumping conditions of these masers and the evolutionary stages of their onset.

The effect of urinary essential and non-essential elements on serum albumin: Evidence from a community-based study of the elderly in Beijing.

Background & aimsFew epidemiological studies have investigated the relationships of urinary essential and non-essential elements with serum albumin, an indicator of nutritional status, especially for the elderly in China.MethodsA community-based study among elderly participants (n = 275) was conducted in Beijing from November to December 2016. We measured 15 urinary elements concentrations and serum albumin levels. Three statistical methods including the generalized linear model (GLM), quantile g-computation model (qgcomp) and bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were adapted.ResultsIn GLM analysis, we observed decreased serum albumin levels associated with elevated urinary concentrations of aluminum, arsenic, barium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, selenium, strontium, and zinc. Compared with the lowest tertile, the highest tertile of cadmium and cesium was also negatively associated with serum albumin. Urinary selenium concentration had the most significant negative contribution (30.05%) in the qgcomp analysis. The negative correlations of element mixtures with serum albumin were also observed in BKMR analysis.ConclusionsOur findings suggested the negative associations of essential and non-essential elements with serum albumin among the elderly. Large-scare cohort studies among the general population are required to validate our findings and elucidate the relevant underlying mechanisms.

Phenotypic Characteristics of Local Pigs in the North Sulawesi

Local pigs are one of Indonesia's livestock germplasm and have an important role in the rural farming system in the North Sulawesi. The aim of this study was to identify the phenotypic characteristic of local pigs in the North Sulawesi. The study was carried out as a field level survey and investigation through direct observation of phenotypic traits of local pigs in eight villages which is located in the two main regions of the North Sulawesi, namely Minahasa Utara (Darunu, Sonsilo, Marinsow and Kalinaun) and Bolaang Mongondow (Pindolili, Baturapa, Sangtombolang and Tanjung Sidupa). A total of 212 pigs were used to observe the parameters of body weight, body length, heart grith, height at withers, head length and ear length. Data were analyzed using general linear model and discriminant analysis. The results showed that body weight and linear body measurement of local pigs in eight locations in the North Sulawesi were significantly different (p &lt; 0.05) with the following traits; average body weight of 27.67±12.90 kg, body length of 70.62±14.21 cm, heart grith of 62.89±13.30 cm, height at withers of 44.73±8.86 cm, head length of 25.06 ±5.96 cm, ear length of 15.6±4.05 cm and hock circumference of 9.87±1.31 cm.

THE IMPACT OF DIRECT AND TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR TRANSLATION METHODS ON THE STUDENT’S PERFORMANCE AT SECONDARY LEVEL: AN EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM BALOCHISTAN

The impact of teaching techniques on secondary school students' performance is investigated in this study. The study also investigates the interaction between teaching approach and medium of instruction on students' language proficiency. Students' data is collected for this purpose from both Urdu and English medium schools. The Direct Method (DM) and the conventional Grammar-Translation Method (GTM) are used to teach the students. To examine the differential influence of teaching styles on student academic progress, statistical analysis employs the General Linear Model and Hierarchical Regression Analysis. The results are stunning. The post-test mean scores of two comparison groups in the Multiple-Choice test, for example, showed significantly difference. The findings show that the language of communication has a big influence on how well pupils do in school. Furthermore, the language of education and the methods of instruction have a significant interaction effect on students' performance. Finally, the students who were taught using the traditional grammatical method had higher mean scores than those who were taught using the direct method. As a result of the findings, it is safe to conclude that the Grammar Translation Technique is both more accurate and more practicable in Asian educational contexts than the direct method.

Association between axial length elongation and spherical equivalent progression in Chinese children and adolescents.

It is generally believed that a 1-mm axial length (AL) elongation of the eye corresponds to a -3.00 D spherical equivalent (SE) progression, but this is disputed. To investigate the association between AL elongation and SE progression among children and adolescents. A prospective cohort study of 710 children and adolescents aged 6-16 years was included. Ophthalmic examinations, including cycloplegic SE, AL and corneal curvature, were performed at baseline and 1-year follow-up. The ratio of SE change (ΔSE) to AL change (ΔAL) (ΔSE/ΔAL) was calculated, and its association with age and refractive status was explored using a general linear model. Among all participants, 396 (55.77%) were male, with 265 (37.32%) myopes at baseline. The average 1-year ΔSE and ΔAL were 0.61 ± 0.40 D and 0.33 ± 0.22 mm, respectively. Both ΔSE and ΔAL gradually decreased with age (p < 0.001). In the general linear model analyses, age and refractive status were independently associated with ΔSE/ΔAL after adjustment for covariates (age: =0.04, p < 0.05; myopia vs nonmyopia: =0.28, p < 0.05). Based on the developed formula ΔSE/ΔAL=1.74 + 0.05*age (for myopes), mean ΔSE/ΔAL in myopes increased from 2.06 D/mm in the 6-year-olds to 2.59 D/mm in the 16-year-olds. In nonmyopes, ΔSE/ΔAL=1.33 + 0.05*age, and the ratio increased from 1.65 D/mm in the 6-year-olds to 2.18 D/mm in the 16-year-olds. The ratio of ΔSE/ΔAL varied with age and refractive status in children and adolescents. The age-specific ΔSE/ΔAL could be used to estimate SE progression through the actual AL change.

Promotion of Meaning in Life and Wellbeing Among University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic via a Service-Learning Subject.

Utilizing the principle of “learning by doing,” service-learning (SL) course provides a platform for university students to apply academic knowledge in serving the community, reflecting on the serving experiences, deepening their understanding of the knowledge, and further improving their competence, responsibility, wellbeing, and meaning in life (MIL). This study reported university students' changes in psychological wellbeing (positive youth development attributes), subjective wellbeing (life satisfaction), and MIL after taking a SL subject during the COVID-19 pandemic through a one-group pretest-posttest design. Based on the data collected from 229 students (mean age = 20.86 ± 1.56 years, 48.0% females), repeated-measures multivariate general linear model (GLM) analyses revealed that students showed significant positive changes in wellbeing and MIL. In addition, pretest MIL scores positively predicted posttest scores of the two wellbeing measures but not vice versa. As predicted, improvement in MIL among students was closely associated with the positive changes in both psychological and subjective wellbeing measures. These findings suggest that SL participation during the pandemic may promote students' life meaning and foster their wellbeing. Furthermore, MIL and wellbeing may improve simultaneously, and MIL enhancement may further contribute to improvement in psychological and subjective wellbeing. The findings further prove that SL is an effective pedagogy in higher education settings in promoting youth positive development.

Hereditary Basis of Coat Color and Excellent Feed Conversion Rate of Red Angus Cattle by Next-Generation Sequencing Data.

Simple SummaryThis study identified several variants and candidates with strong associations to coat color in Angus cattle by using genome sequencing data. In particular, the MC1R variants, which are a truncated MC1R protein obtained by altering the MCIR coding sequence region, result in lighter coat color and further enrich the genetic basis between DNA damage and melanin production caused. This study not only helped understand the hereditary basis of different coat colors, but also provided new ideas for future research on meat phenotypes. However, the putative candidate genes or markers identified in this study require further investigation to confirm their phenotypic causality and potential effective genetic relationships.Angus cattle have made remarkable contributions to the livestock industry worldwide as a commercial meat-type breed. Some evidence supported that Angus cattle with different coat colors have different feed-to-meat ratios, and the genetic basis of their coat color is inconclusive. Here, genome-wide association study was performed to investigate the genetic divergence of black and red Angus cattle with 63 public genome sequencing data. General linear model analysis was used to identify genomic regions with potential candidate variant/genes that contribute to coat color and feed conversion rate. Results showed that six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and two insertion–deletions, which were annotated in five genes (ZCCHC14, ANKRD11, FANCA, MC1R, and LOC532875 [AFG3-like protein 1]), considerably diverged between black and red Angus cattle. The strongest associated loci, namely, missense mutation CHIR18_14705671 (c.296T > C) and frameshift mutation CHIR18_12999497 (c.310G>-), were located in MC1R. Three consecutive strongly associated SNPs were also identified and located in FANCA, which is widely involved in the Fanconi anemia pathway. Several SNPs of highly associated SNPs was notably enriched in ZCCHC14 and ANKRD11, which are related to myofiber growth and muscle development. This study provides a basis for the use of potential genetic markers to be used in future breeding programs to improve cattle selection in terms of coat color and meat phenotype. This study is also helpful to understand the hereditary basis of different coat colors and meat phenotypes. However, the putative candidate genes or markers identified in this study require further investigation to confirm their phenotypic causality and potential effective genetic relationships.

Kemelimpahan anggang-anggang Ptilomera dromas Breddin (Hemiptera: Gerridae) di Sungai Ciliwung dalam kaitannya dengan kualitas air

Anggang-anggang Ptilomera dromas Breddin (Gerridae: Hemiptera) adalah serangga akuatik yang ditemukan di berbagai perairan, seperti sungai, kolam, dan danau. Penelitian ini mengkaji kemelimpahan P. dromas di Sungai Ciliwung dalam kaitannya dengan kualitas air. Kemelimpahan P. dromas disurvei di lima stasiun pengamatan, yaitu stasiun Cilember, Cijulang, Gadog, Katulampa, dan Sempur. Parameter lingkungan yang diukur di setiap stasiun adalah suhu air, suhu udara, pH, arus air, biological oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO), CO2 bebas, total N, kesadahan air, dan total suspended solid (TSS). Hubungan antara kemelimpahan P. dromas dan parameter lingkungan dianalisis dengan general linier model (GLM). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kemelimpahan P. dromas tertinggi terdapat di stasiun Gadog, diikuti oleh Cilember, Katulampa, dan Cijulang. Anggang-anggang P. dromas tidak ditemukan di stasiun Sempur diduga karena adanya penghalang berupa bendung Katulampa dan nilai TSS dan BOD yang tinggi. Berdasarkan analisis GLM, pH dan kesadahan air berpengaruh positif terhadap kemelimpahan P. dromas. Keberadaan P. dromas di stasiun penelitian bagian hulu sungai diduga berkaitan dengan kualitas perairan yang masih baik dan tingkat polusi yang relatif rendah.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in early pregnancy and preterm birth: Findings from the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies.

Studies suggest associations between exposure to individual polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) with preterm birth (PTB) and shorter gestational age. Little is known about exposure to PBDE mixtures and these outcomes. We evaluated associations of multiple PBDEs in early pregnancy with gestational age at delivery and PTB. Data were collected from 2046 women without obesity and 396 women with obesity from the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies, who had early pregnancy plasma PBDEs concentrations and gestational age at delivery. PTB was defined as < 37 weeks of gestation at delivery and further categorized into subtypes (late or very early/moderate; spontaneous or medically indicated). We applied (1) generalized linear models (GLM); (2) principal component analysis (PCA); and (3) Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) to evaluate the individual and joint associations of log-transformed PBDE concentrations with gestational age at delivery and PTB, adjusting for potential confounders and evaluating effect modifiers. In GLM analyses, a 1-standard deviation (SD) increase in log-PBDE 153 was associated with shorter gestational age at delivery [adjusted β (95% CI)=-0.19 (-0.31, -0.06) weeks] among women without obesity. In PCA analyses, 1-SD increase in the principal component summarizing most of PBDE 153 variability was associated with shorter gestational age at delivery [adjusted β (95% CI)=-0.18 (-0.30, -0.06) weeks], very early/moderate PTB [adjusted OR (95% CI)=1.91 (1.19, 3.07)], and spontaneous PTB [adjusted OR (95% CI)=1.34 (1.00, 1.80)] among women without obesity. Associations were stronger among non-Hispanic Black women, women with BMI ranging between 25 and 30kg/m2, and women who were ≥35 years old among those without obesity. In BKMR analyses, a suggestive inverse association between PBDE 153 and gestational age at delivery, and an inverse U-shaped association between PBDE 154 and gestational age at delivery were observed in women without obesity. No statistically significant association of PBDEs and gestational age or PTB was observed among women with obesity. PBDEs, specifically PBDE 153, were associated with shorter gestation and higher risk of certain PTB subtypes among pregnant women without obesity.

Clinical predictors of kynurenine pathway aberrations in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

IntroductionSchizophrenia and bipolar disorder are severe mental illnesses that are known to have a considerable overlap in underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. More specifically, disturbances in the kynurenine pathway have been hypothesized as processes bridging altered immune responses and clinical manifestations of these illnesses.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the abnormalities in serum kynurenine metabolites in schizophrenic and bipolar patients and the impact of clinical factors.MethodsFour patient groups were included in the current study: 1) Acute bipolar inpatients (n=205); 2) stable bipolar outpatients (n=116); 3) acute schizophrenia inpatients (n=111) and 4) stable schizophrenia outpatients (n=75); and one healthy control group (n=185). Clinical symptoms were established using symptom severity scales. The quantitative determination of serum kynurenine metabolites was performed using LC-MS/MS. General linear model and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to perform the statistical analysis with JMP Pro 15.ResultsIn line with previous research, the results indicate that serum kynurenine metabolites are disturbed in schizophrenic and bipolar patients compared to healthy controls. Whereas no differences were observed between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, illness state and duration of illness clearly impacted kynurenine metabolite levels. Acutely ill patients had significantly lower levels compared to stable patients, which seemed to be driven by psychotic symptoms.ConclusionsTo conclude, the results confirm the involvement of the kynurenine pathway in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder by lowered peripheral kynurenine metabolite level. In addition, an important role of acute psychotic symptoms and longer illness duration on these metabolite aberrances is demonstrated.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Platycodi Radix Beverage Improves Postprandial Lipemic Response Associated With Plasma Bacteria-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Healthy Adults With an Oral Fat Load

ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the responsiveness of postprandial triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (TRL) metabolism to Platycodi radix beverage (PR) is associated with the alterations in plasma bacteria-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) composition.MethodsNinety-six healthy and normolipidemic adults were randomly divided into two groups and consumed PR or placebo for 8 weeks. An oral fat tolerance test was performed before and after the 8-week intervention to access the postprandial lipid response. Plasma TG, chylomicron TG (CM-TG), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mass levels were measured at fasting, 3, and 6 hours during the oral fat tolerance test and summarized by computing the area under the curve (AUC). EVs isolated from fasting plasma samples were identified using 16S rRNA sequencing. A linear mixed-effect model was used to analyze the difference between the two groups. TLR clearance responder to PR consumption was defined by QUalitative INteraction Trees (QUINT). Lasso regularized generalized linear model (GLM) was used to find genera associated with the responsiveness.ResultsPR consumption for 8 weeks noticeably decreased AUC (0–3h) values for TG and CM-TG compared to the placebo group. Responders for TRL clearance were defined as subjects having higher LPL mass (150.6 ng/mL) and dietary fat intake (38.5 g/day) at baseline. Responders showed remarkable reductions in AUC (0–6h) values for TG and CM-TG in the PR group compared to the placebo group. Furthermore, GLM analysis demonstrated that the responsiveness of postprandial TRL clearance was accurately predicted by the model consisting of changes in the relative abundance of 16 genera, suggesting the close association between them.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that PR consumption modulates postprandial TRL clearance by altering plasma EV composition in normolipidemic adults with habitually higher fat intake over 38.5 g/day.Funding SourcesThis work was supported by the BK21 FOUR (Fostering Outstanding Universities for Research) funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE, Korea) and National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), and the Bio & Medical Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation (NRF), funded by the Ministry of Science & ICT (2012M3A9C4048761).

RETN Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Profile on Triglyceride-Glucose Index as Insulin Resistance Proxy Among Cohort Population of Non-Communicable Diseases in Bogor

Genetic factors such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are thought to contribute to the increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) through insulin resistance. SNPs in the RETN (resistin) gene encoding the resistin protein have been reported to play a role in causing abnormalities in blood glucose and lipid metabolism. Still, studies related to this have rarely been explored in cohort population models. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of resistin gene SNPs to the trend of the triglyceride-glucose index (TyG) as a proxy for insulin resistance. The data were obtained from the results of the biomedical laboratory examination among participants of a cohort study in the Kebon Kalapa subdistrict, Bogor, every odd year period between 2015-2021 and from RETN genotyping (rs3745367). The generalized linear model (GLM) repeated measurement technique was used with the TyG index value as the dependent variable. The results of the GLM analysis showed that although there was a significant difference in the trend of the TyG index between the observation periods [F(2,87, 1671,1)=41,10, p-value &lt;0.001], that’s not the case for RETN gene SNP [F(5,73, 1671,1) = 1.09, p-value = 0.367]. However, the multivariate test results suggested the association of these SNPs with age and DM status [F(4, 583)=2.48, p-value = 0.043]. In conclusion, RETN gene SNPs may require interaction with other factors or genes to induce insulin resistance or act by indirect glucose–fatty acid metabolic cycle mechanisms.

0496 Sleep and Behavior Problems in Children with Overweight and Obesity

Abstract Introduction Limited studies have examined sleep variability in children with overweight and obesity, nor do studies focused on its relation with behavior outcomes in this high risk pediatric population. The purpose of this study was to examine sleep duration and its variability in relation to behavior outcomes in school-age children with overweight and obesity. Methods Sleep in 246 children aged 6-9 years with overweight and obesity was assessed using actigraphy for 7 days and through the parent-report Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Children’s behaviors were assessed using parental responses on the Behavior Assessment for Children. Children were categorized into 4 groups based on the median split of the average daily sleep duration and its variability: sufficient-stable, sufficient-variable, insufficient-stable, and insufficient-variable. General linear model (GLM) analyses were performed with the 4 sleep groups as the primary predictor variable and child behavior outcomes as the dependent variable. Results Average daily sleep duration by actigraphy was 7.52 hours, with 84.6% of the children having clinically significant CSHQ sleep disturbance scores and 68.3% having a total behavior problem score in the clinical range. In the unadjusted and adjusted GLM analysis, children in the insufficient-stable sleep duration category had significantly higher emotion problem (p &amp;lt; 0.05), self-control problem (p &amp;lt; 0.01), and total behavior problem scores (p &amp;lt; 0.01) when compared with those in the sufficient-stable sleep duration (reference) category. Children in the insufficient-variable sleep duration category had significantly higher self-control problem scores when compared with those in the reference category (p &amp;lt; 0.05). Conclusion School-age children with overweight and obesity coexist with sleep and behavior problems, with those who have persistent short sleep at the greatest risk for the worst behavior outcomes. Support (If Any) This work was supported by Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, MOST 107 - 2314 - B - 002 - 025 - MY3.

Abnormal Prefrontal Functional Connectivity Is Associated with Inflexible Information Processing in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): An fNIRS Study.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are characterized by impairments in flexibly acquiring and maintaining new information, as well as in applying learned information for problem solving. However, the neural mechanism underpinning such impairments remains unclear. This study investigated the flexibility in the acquisition and application of visual information in ASD (aged 14–21) when they performed the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Behavioral data including response accuracy and latency, and prefrontal hemodynamic data measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), were collected when individuals performed WCST. Canonical general linear model and functional connectivity analyses were performed to examine the prefrontal activation and synchronization patterns, respectively. Results showed that although ASD individuals (n = 29) achieved comparable accuracy rates when compared with age- and intelligence quotient (IQ)-matched typically developing (TD; n = 26) individuals (F1,53 = 3.15, p = 0.082), ASD individuals needed significantly more time to acquire and apply WCST card sorting rules (F1,53 = 17.92, p < 0.001). Moreover, ASD individuals showed significantly lower prefrontal functional connectivity than TD individuals during WCST (F1,42 = 9.99, p = 0.003). The hypoconnectivity in ASD individuals was highly significant in the right lateral PFC in the acquisition condition (p = 0.005) and in the bilateral lateral PFC in the application condition (ps = 0.006). Furthermore, slower WCST reaction time was correlated with lower bilateral lateral PFC functional connectivity only in the application condition (ps = 0.003) but not the acquisition condition. Impairment in information acquisition and application is evident in ASD individuals and is mediated by processing speed, which is associated with lower functional connectivity in the bilateral lateral PFC when these individuals apply learned rules to solve novel problems.

Effects of water parameters on population structure of mud crab from Buntal Mangroves, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia: A GLM analysis

Abstract. Shakawi AMHA, Hassan R, Mustapah DS. 2022. Effects of water parameters on population structure of mud crab from Buntal Mangroves, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia: A GLM analysis. Biodiversitas 23: 2580-2585. Buntal Mangroves, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, is an area that is abundant with biological resources but contains minimal biodiversity information. Mud crab fisheries by the locals exist on small scales at Buntal Mangroves, but there is a tendency to overfish due to the increasing demand for this resource. The relationship between the population structure of mud crabs and the environmental factors in Buntal Mangroves has not been explored. Therefore, this study aimed to apply the generalized linear models (GLM) for analyzing the population structure of mud crabs with selected water parameters in Buntal Mangroves. Scylla olivacea (Herbst, 1796) has the highest abundance in Buntal compared to S. tranquebarica (Fabricius, 1798) and other types of mud crab. Three GLM with carapace length, carapace width, and body weight as dependent variables were constructed. These GLMs with gamma-distributed response variables indicated that depth, pH, salinity, and turbidity positively affected body weight, carapace width, and carapace length, while temperature had a negative impact on the dependent variables. The results emphasized the importance of adopting the GLM to describe a relationship where the response variable followed a non-normal distribution. The findings provide a basis for future studies at Buntal Mangroves, not only for conservation purposes but also to support the utilization of this valuable resource sustainably.

Hospice Composition Based on Diagnosis is Associated with Caregiver-Reported Quality Measures.

Context: Given that the composition of hospice patients' terminal diagnoses has become increasingly diverse, understanding whether hospices provide quality care to patients, regardless of disease, is important. However, data comparing diagnosis and caregiver-reported outcomes remain scarce. Objectives: To analyze the association between the composition of patients' terminal diagnoses and caregiver-reported quality measures. Methods: Using cross-sectional, publicly available data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS), we analyzed data collected from 2015-2019. We conducted general linear model analyses to identify associations between hospice characteristics/practices and caregiver-reported outcomes. Results: Of the 2810 hospices, those that cared for a greater percentage of dementia patients had fewer caregivers, on average, who rated hospice a 9 or 10 (where 0 = low, 10 = high; β = -.094; 95% CI = -.147, -.038), reported they always received help for pain and symptoms (β = -.106, CI = -.156, -.056), and reported definitely having received the training they needed (β = -.151, CI = -.207, -.095). Those caring for more stroke patients had fewer caregivers, on average, who rated hospice a 9 or 10 (β = -.184, CI = .252, -.115), reported they always received help for pain and symptoms (β = -.188, CI = -.251, -.126), reported definitely having received the training they needed (β = -.254, CI = -.324, -.184), and reported that the hospice offered the right amount of emotional/spiritual support (β = -.056, CI = -.093, -.019). Conclusion: Hospices that cared for a greater proportion of dementia and stroke patients had poorer scores on caregiver-reported quality measures. These findings support efforts to identify mechanisms underlying these differences and to design strategies to ensure optimal outcomes for hospice patients regardless of diagnosis.