Indirect Assessment Research Articles

Diagnostic Validity of Clinical Observations for Detecting Physiologic Swallowing Impairment.

A clinical swallow evaluation (CSE) is a noninvasive and indirect assessment of the anatomical and physiological integrity of the swallowing mechanism in a natural setting. A CSE goes beyond a screening, a dichotomized indicator of dysphagia risk, by comprehensively examining the patient's swallowing through gaining sensory and motor information of oral and pharyngeal function. Information obtained from CSEs in combination with medical, social, and environmental patient related factors allow clinicians to make critical decisions about patients' health and quality of life. It is essential that we have assessment tools with rigorous methodological quality to optimize the accuracy of our clinical judgement. The purpose of this study is to investigate the diagnostic validity of clinical observations obtained through the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (MASA) to better inform clinicians regarding the confidence that the items are testing what they are intended to test and reflect indication of true physiologic swallowing impairment and airway invasion. Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC) analyses revealed that the MASA's diagnostic validity showed acceptable accuracy levels for detecting oral impairment and aspiration, and poor accuracy for detecting pharyngeal impairment and penetration. In the cross-validation analysis, the AUC accuracy level for aspiration changed from acceptable to poor, but remained the same for oral impairment, pharyngeal impairment and penetration. In our sample, acceptable levels for detecting aspiration but poor levels for detecting pharyngeal impairment indicate that the MASA does an adequate job of identifying risk but not explaining the nature of impairment. These results support the need for videofluoroscopic imaging to identify the nature and severity of swallowing impairment, guide intervention and provide recommendations for safe and efficient oral intake.

A Study on Development in Engineering Properties of Dense Grade Bituminous Mixes with Coal Ash by Using Natural Fiber

Coal-based thermal power plants in India produce significant waste, primarily fly ash and bottom ash, which poses environmental and health risks when disposed of in large quantities. This research explores the effective use of these waste products in bituminous paving mixes, substituting natural aggregates to conserve resources. Dense-graded bituminous macadam (DBM) specimens were prepared using natural coarse aggregates, bottom ash as fine aggregate, and fly ash as filler, with sisal fiber as a reinforcing additive. Varying percentages (0–1%) and lengths (5–20 mm) of SS1 emulsion- coated sisal fiber were tested to optimize the mix’s engineering properties. VG30 bitumen, chosen for its superior Marshall characteristics, resulted in an optimum binder content of 5.57%, fiber content of 0.5%, and fiber length of 10 mm, achieving a Marshall stability of 15 kN. Additional performance tests, including moisture susceptibility, indirect tensile strength (ITS), creep, and tensile strength ratio assessments, confirmed that the coal ash and sisal fiber mix significantly enhances pavement durability. This approach offers an eco-friendly and economical solution for bituminous pavement construction, addressing coal ash disposal challenges and conserving natural aggregates. Keywords: Bottom ash, Fly ash, Sisal fiber, Emulsion, Indirect tensile strength, Static creep test, Tensile strength ratio.

Direct and indirect assessment of the elastocaloric properties of cast NiMnTi alloys

Direct and indirect assessment of the elastocaloric properties of cast NiMnTi alloys

Development of a Machine-learning-based Framework to Assess the Performance of Water Distribution Systems

Recent statistics indicate that the national water supply coverage is approximately 99%, reflecting a high level of service. However, the aging infrastructure continues to cause issues such as pipe failures and water quality concerns, creating operational difficulties. To solve these issues, performance assessments are used to quantitatively evaluate the system conditions and ensure effective maintenance. In Korea, these assessments are based on a scoring system that combines direct and indirect assessments. However, direct assessment of all pipes is limited by cost and time constraints. To address this issue, a deep neural network is used to assess the aging of water distribution systems. This study develops a framework to estimate direct results from indirect data by analyzing the correlation between indirect and direct assessments. Additionally, data augmentation is considered to compensate for the lack of training data in direct assessments, improve the reliability of performance assessments, and support better prioritization in system maintenance.

Study of direct and indirect risk assessment of landslide impacts on ultrahigh-voltage electricity transmission lines

Ultrahigh-voltage electricity systems are a vital part of energy networks, often across wide regions passing through mountainous terrains. The instability of slopes forming tower foundations along transmission lines poses a large risk to the entire energy network. Moreover, the tower foundations along extra-high-voltage electricity transmission lines are a very special type of element that are also highly vulnerable to landslides. In this study, an integrative risk assessment framework, including a hazard assessment, vulnerability analysis for the specified element at risk, and consequence estimation, is proposed to quantify the direct and indirect risks of landslides to power transmission lines. The Yanzi landslide, where a tower of the major ultrahigh-voltage transmission line from Sichuan (western China) to Shanghai (eastern China) has just been constructed, is taken as a case study. The correlation between landslide displacement and tower structure tilting is studied. In terms of the precipitation return period, factors of safety, failure probability, and deformation are simulated. A physical vulnerability curve is fitted by assuming a Weibull relationship between the horizontal deformation (hazard intensity) of the landslide and the tower inclination ratio. The total risk is calculated as the sum of the direct and indirect losses, among which the potential indirect risk due to tower damage is much greater than the direct risk. This work demonstrates the importance of landslide treatment strategies along electricity transmission lines by considering the potential indirect risks. The risk assessment model of landslides affecting ultrahigh-voltage electricity transmission lines proposed in this study could be useful for other types of indirect landslide risk evaluations.

Safety, acceptability, and feasibility of acquiring endothelial cells from guidewires in patients having major surgery or with acute critical illness

Abstract Background Endothelial cells (EC) play a key role in vascular homeostasis, and endothelial dysfunction has been linked to the development of cardiovascular disease. While most EC research relies on indirect assessment of EC function in humans, in vitro systems and in vivo animal models, the development of a safe protocol to isolate EC from patients would provide a new window into EC function. Purpose To assess (a) the feasibility of isolating EC from discarded guidewires used as part of the standard of care (SOC) in surgical patients and patients admitted to intensive care (ICU) and (b) to compare EC phenotypes in the patient cohorts. Methods Discarded guidewires were collected from arterial lines and central venous catheters (CVC) from 15 patients before abdominal surgery and 16 patients admitted to ICU requiring organ support. Additionally, J-wires were inserted into forearm veins using an proven technique for EC biopsy (ECBx) in all surgical patients. ECs were dissociated from guidewires, stained for CD31, CD144, CD202b, and nuclear integrity then analysed using flow-cytometry. EC were characterised based on surface marker expression and granularity. Blood biomarkers and clinical information was collected. Organ function was assessed using sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA). Tolerability and adverse event (AE) data was also collected using structured interviews to support the analysis. Results From the surgical cohort 6 arterial lines, 14 CVC and 15 ECBx were collected. From the ICU patients, 8 arterial lines and 9 CVC were collected. EC were identified as live and triple positive for CD31, CD144, CD202b. A median of 536 (IQR 160-796 ) EC were obtained from arterial lines, 622 (IQR 329-1045) from CVCs and 768 (IQR 210-1001) from ECBx with no significant difference between method of collection (Kruskal-Wallis p>0.05). Median granularity showed a significant increase in granularity in EC collected from ICU patients compared to the surgical patients. This could be attributed to internalisation of cell surface proteins or apoptosis caused by the hyperinflammatory conditions in ICU patients (SOFA 7, IQR 5-8.25, CRP 118, IQR 66.2-298) when compared to the surgical patients (SOFA 1, IQR 0-2, CRP <4mg/l). Median fluorescent intensity analysis of all three markers did not show a significant difference between patient groups. AEs to ECBx reported only 4 patients experienced light bruising. High tolerability was reported for ECBx by structured interview, with patients agreeing that they theoretically would tolerate up to 3 ECBx. Conclusion(s) It is feasible to isolate ECs from patients during SOC using discarded guidewires. As an isolated procedure, ECBx from forearm veins is well tolerated and carries low risk. This enables the characterisation of EC phenotypes and obtain unique insight in their roles in health and disease.

Smartphone-based thermal imaging for pedicled skin flaps: a pilot study toward objective perfusion assessment in facial, head, and neck reconstruction.

This study aims to develop a practical algorithm for utilizing smartphone-based thermal imaging (SBTI) in the perioperative setting and to establish a standardized evaluation method for objectively assessing SBTI images for cutaneous perfusion of pedicled flaps in the face, head, and neck. This prospective conducted study, integrated SBTI into the assessment of 16 patients undergoing reconstructive surgery for face and neck defects. Thermal images were captured at four timepoints: after marking (T1), after flap elevation (T2), upon completion of surgery (T3), and 24h postoperatively (T4). The flap areas were divided into three flap zones and graded based on temperature differences (ΔT), with a grading system where grade 1 indicated perfect perfusion and grades 2 to 5 indicated increasing perfusion impairment. 6 male and 10 female patients aged 64-93 years (mean 78.5 years) undergoing reconstructive pedicled skin flap surgery for facial and neck defects (1 × 1cm to 11 × 8cm) due to diagnoses of malignant cutaneous lesions were investigated. Intraoperative assessments indicated good perfusion across flaps. One postoperative dehiscence occurred in an 83-year-old male with a cervical advancement flap, correlated with a significant temperature difference (ΔT > 4°C) intraoperatively. Statistical analysis revealed a strong positive correlation (p = 0.0003) between clinical assessment grades and ΔT values between specific flap zones at T3. SBTI is an easy-to-apply, low-cost, real-time and reproducible technique for indirect perfusion assessment in pedicled skin flaps of the head and neck region. Further studies are needed implementing this methodology in large and free flaps.

Критериальное поле и диагностические инструменты определения эмоционального благополучия детей дошкольного возраста в семье и образовательной организации

<p>The article is devoted to the important problem of identification of the emotional well-being of preschool children in the family and educational organization. Basing on the analysis of existing approaches to this problem in Russian psychological and pedagogical science, the authors have identified the criteria field of the concept of "emotional well-being", which is a complex level structure of interrelated criteria and indicators: emotional background (manifestation of emotions), the ability to control emotions (emotional stability) and emotional perception of situations (emotional attitude to situations and events). Such manifestations in the behavior and activities of a child, depending on the conditions of his life in a family or educational organization, are negative or positive. The complexity of the concept of "emotional well-being" and the criteria field of its identification in childhood requires an integrated approach to the development of diagnostic tools. The authors announced a developed set of diagnostic tools, which includes methods that allow to record external indicators of the emotional state of a child, to identify the child's internal emotional attitude to current or predicted events, as well as to obtain an external indirect assessment of the child's subjective state and the child's subjective attitude to situations in the family and educational organization. It is noted that the announced methods can be used in the practice of preschool education in order to support psychological and pedagogical development of preschool children including various target groups, as well as in the targeted psychological assistance of families with preschool children.</p>

Indirect costs assessment and intangible costs description of rheumatoid arthritis patients with biological therapy in Morocco: ECORAM Study.

The aims of study are to estimate the indirect costs and intangible costs of RA in Morocco and to identify the factors likely to influence these costs among suffering patients. In the current study, data were collected by face-to-face interviews using a questionnaire in addition to the patient's files. Indirect costs including productivity losses and formal care, and intangible costs such as the cessation of physical and leisure activities, family care and divorce or remaining single until menopause's age for women due to the disease were reported for 110 RA patients. The results show that among patients who lost totally or partially their salary, the annual average costs is $2337.73 ± 1649.80 per patient, with a minimum and a maximum of $600 and $9630 respectively. As regards formal care, only 13 patients reported that they paid for care services; the annual average cost was $421.84 ± 261.34 with a minimum of $252 and a maximum of $1200. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between annual lost salary and gender (p = .04) disease duration (p = .016) and sport/leisure activities cessation (p = .08). Besides the burden in terms of productivity loss and caregivers' costs, the intangible costs are considerable, especially those related to divorce and spinsterhood. These conclusions may contribute to the understanding of the socio-economic impact of the disease and to the development of strategies for better governance of RA in Morocco.

Bridging basic science and applied diagnostics: Comprehensive viral diagnostics enabled by graphene-based electronic biosensor technology advancements

This study presents a graphene field-effect transistor (gFET) biosensor with dual detection capabilities for SARS-CoV-2: one RNA detection assay to confirm viral positivity and the other for nucleocapsid (N-)protein detection as a proxy for infectiousness of the patient. This technology can be rapidly adapted to emerging infectious diseases, making an essential tool to contain future pandemics. To detect viral RNA, the highly conserved E-gene of the virus was targeted, allowing for the determination of SARS-CoV-2 presence or absence using nasopharyngeal swab samples. For N-protein detection, specific antibodies were used. Tested on 213 clinical nasopharyngeal samples, the gFET biosensor showed good correlation with RT-PCR cycle threshold values, proving its high sensitivity in detecting SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Specificity was confirmed using 21 pre-pandemic samples positive for other respiratory viruses. The gFET biosensor had a limit of detection (LOD) for N-protein of 0.9 pM, establishing a foundation for the development of a sensitive tool for monitoring active viral infection. Results of gFET based N-protein detection corresponded to the results of virus culture in all 16 available clinical samples and thus it also proved its capability to serve as a proxy for infectivity. Overall, these findings support the potential of the gFET biosensor as a point-of-care device for rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and indirect assessment of infectiousness in patients, providing additional information for clinical and public health decision-making.

457 Prediction of methane emissions using rumination time and milk mid-infrared spectral data via artificial neural networks

Abstract Cattle methane emissions (ME) account for approximately 6% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Given the challenges in measuring ME directly from individual animals, there is a need for the development of novel indirect methods. Rumination time (RT) and milk mid-infrared spectral data (MIR) show promise for the indirect assessment of ME in dairy cows. Both traits have been used as indicators of reproduction, production, and gas emission traits. Methodologies combining the use of MIR and machine learning algorithms such as artificial neural networks (ANN) for the prediction of ME have been successful; however, the inclusion of RT has not been assessed. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of RT on milk MIR-based models using ANN for the prediction of ME. One-week averages for RT, ME, and MIR from first-lactation Canadian Holstein cows (n = 412) were calculated. Six data sets were evaluated using a multilayer perceptron ANN. All sets included age at calving, season of calving and days in milk as model factors, but varied in using milk MIR data points (1,060 or 235) and including or not including RT. The ANN architecture consisted of one input layer, one hidden layer with one or more neurons, and one output layer. Results showed that sets using both RT and milk MIR data achieved correlations from 0.5 to 0.6 between predicted and observed ME. Notably, the inclusion of RT did not improve the performance of the models. Predictions may be improved through the use of larger data sets, the use of daily records, and inclusion of data across herds and lactations. Optimizing parameters of the ANN could also improve predictions. Further research is needed to fully assess the potential of RT as a predictor of ME in dairy cows.

Demystifying Velopharyngeal Dysfunction for Plastic Surgery Trainees Part 3: Objective Assessment and Surgical Decision-Making.

Velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) is the inability to achieve proper closure of the velopharyngeal (VP) port, affecting speech and swallowing. After an auditory-perceptual speech evaluation by a speech-language pathologist, objective assessment of the VP port is required to determine the need for surgical intervention. This 3-part series provides a comprehensive discussion on (1) the anatomy and physiology of the velopharyngeal mechanism; (2) fundamental speech terminology and principles of perceptual speech assessment for VPD; and (3) techniques for objective evaluation of the VP port and surgical decision-making process. In part 3, the authors focus on the modalities for objective VP port assessment, including both direct and indirect methods. Direct imaging techniques such as videofluoroscopy, nasoendoscopy, and MRI are detailed for their strengths and limitations in visualizing VP port function and preoperative planning. Indirect assessments, including nasometry and aerodynamic measurements, are also briefly discussed. The decision-making process for surgical intervention is explored, emphasizing factors such as the severity and etiology of VPD, VP closure patterns, palatal length, orientation of the levator veli palatini, and other patient-specific considerations. The authors review the surgical options for repair including palatoplasty procedures (Furlow palatoplasty, straight-line intravelar veloplasty, and palatal lengthening buccal myomucosal flaps) and pharyngoplasty procedures (posterior pharyngeal flaps and sphincter pharyngoplasty), highlighting their indications, techniques, and potential complications. This series serves as an accessible resource, providing the foundational knowledge required for surgical trainees new to this topic.

Adaptive multi-granularity trust management scheme for UAV visual sensor security under adversarial attacks

The big data provided by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) visual sensors offers essential information resources for activities across various industries. However, various adversarial threats are inevitable throughout the lifecycle of data generation, transmission, and utilization, leading to serious security risks. Trust assessment of visual sensors is a prerequisite for securing UAVs, but the multidimensionality of the trust elements and the uncertainty of the evidence limit its practical application. To advance this research, we innovatively propose a trust management scheme based on multi-granularity evidence fusion within the framework of belief functions (BFs) theory to adaptively respond to both known and unknown threats. We first propose a direct trust assessment model for known threats, which constructs multidimensional coarse-grained trust elements (MCTEs) and integrates multiple lightweight sub-models for basic belief assignment (BBA) to meet the need for fast response. Then, to address the unknown threats, we introduce pre-trained models to build multidimensional fine-grained trust elements (MFTEs) to construct trust recommendation models for indirect trust assessment for visual sensors. In addition, to accurately characterize the trustworthiness of visual sensors, we also introduce a BBA-weighted fusion method to achieve more reasonable trust aggregation by weakening highly conflicting evidence sources. Finally, to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we conducted a comprehensive trust assessment and security experiment on UAV aerial images. The results indicate that the proposed method demonstrates excellent performance and is beneficial for enhancing UAV security in adversarial attack scenarios.

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis to Assess Energy Expenditure in Critically Ill Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Evaluating energy expenditure is important for establishing optimal goals for nutrition treatment. However, indirect calorimetry, the reference standard for measuring energy expenditure, is difficult to apply widely in clinical practice. To test the consistency of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) relative to indirect calorimetry for evaluating energy expenditure in critically ill patients. A cross-sectional study of 140 critically ill adult patients was conducted. Within 24 hours of a patient being transferred to the intensive care unit, trained researchers assessed the patient's energy expenditure by use of BIA and indirect calorimetry simultaneously. Consistency of the 2 measurements was detected by intraclass correlation coefficients with a 2-way random-effects model. Factors affecting consistency were analyzed. Median energy expenditure measured by indirect calorimetry was 1430.0 kcal/d (IQR, 1190.5-1650.8 kcal/d). Median energy expenditure measured by BIA was 1407.0 kcal/d (IQR, 1248.5-1563.5 kcal/d). The correlation coefficient between indirect calorimetry and BIA was 0.813 (95% CI, 0.748-0.862; P < .001). The consistency of the 2 measurements was lower in patients with comorbidities than in those without (P = .004). Results of BIA were highly consistent with indirect calorimetry assessments of energy expenditure in critically ill patients. Few factors except comorbidity affect the accuracy of BIA when assessing energy expenditure. Therefore, as a low-cost, easy-to-use, and noninvasive method, BIA is a valuable clinical tool for assessing energy expenditure in critically ill patients.

Shear behavior and dilatancy of an artificial hard-matrix bimrock: An experimental study focusing on the role of blocky structure

Bimrocks are characterized by their geotechnically significant blocky structure, presenting complex shear behavior. This study investigates the shear behavior and dilatancy of bimrocks featuring a rock-like matrix, such as conglomerates. The study addresses a gap in current research, which has predominantly examined the shear behavior of soil-matrix bimrocks (bimsoils). Laboratory direct shear tests were performed on idealized models with varying volumetric block proportions (VBPs). The results highlight that blocks exert both positive and negative effects on shear strength, dilation, and block breakage factor (BF), depending on VBP. Results indicate 40% and 60% as critical VBPs, revealing distinct shear strength trends within this range, contrary to the dominant downward trend. Blocks positively impact dilation and BF between 20% and 50% VBP, while negatively affecting them beyond this range. Blocky skeleton inherently promotes stable dilatancy under normal stress increments and intensifies stress dependency of shear strength. Variations in dilation angle concerning normal stress and VBP suggest the potential for characterizing this factor using equivalent strength and roughness, akin to rockfill materials. Indirect assessments of equivalent strength revealed positive effects of blocks when VBP was between 30% and 70%. Lastly, the findings indicate that blocks notably impact pre- and post-peak behaviors by reducing shear stiffness and inducing local hardening phases. This study also discusses the similarities and distinctions in the function of blocks within soil-like and rock-like matrices. It offers new insights into the exact role of blocks in bimrock shear behavior beyond the traditional interpretation through the variation of friction and cohesion.

Milk component ratios and their associations with energy balance indicators and serum calcium concentration in early-lactation spring-calving pasture-based dairy cows

Indirect assessment of metabolic status using milk samples provides a non-invasive and objective tool for cow-level health monitoring. Milk fat-to-protein ratio (FPR) has been commonly evaluated as an indirect measure for negative energy balance (EB) in confined dairy cows. However, milk component ratios have not been explored for their association with pasture-based cows' metabolic status. The objectives of this observational study were to 1) describe milk component ratios from 0 to 45 d postpartum, 2) evaluate the associations between milk component ratios [FPR, fat-to-lactose (FLR), protein-to-lactose (PLR)] and indicators of EB (serum β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration at 5-45 d postpartum and body condition score (BCS) change during the transition period), and 3) evaluate the associations between milk component ratios and serum Ca concentration 0-4 d postpartum in spring-calving dairy cows from pasture-based commercial farms. Milk component ratios were determined on samples collected before AM or PM milkings from 548 cows at 0-45 d postpartum (n = 970). Serum BHB and Ca determinations were performed in blood samples collected at the time of milk sample collection at 5-45 d postpartum (n = 918) and 0-4 d postpartum (n = 50), respectively; and BCS change was calculated using BCS assigned between 29 d prepartum and 45 d postpartum (n = 851). Cows' calving date, parity (1st, 2nd-3rd or ≥ 4th) and breed (Holstein-Friesian or dairy crossbred) information was obtained from the farm records. Data was analyzed by multiple linear regression. Average milk FPR, FLR and PLR were 0.70, 0.53 and 0.72, respectively. Milk FPR linearly increased while milk FLR linearly decreased postpartum both at a rate of 0.004 units per day; milk PLR decreased 0.05 units per day for the first 30 d postpartum and moderately increased afterward. Milk FPR and FLR were 0.71 and 0.52 units lower before AM than PM milking, respectively; while milk PLR was similar before AM and PM milking. Milk FPR and FLR were 0.07 to 0.10 units higher for 2nd-3rd compared with 1st and ≥ 4th parity cows. Milk PLR was 0.03 units greater for ≥ 4th compared with 2nd-3rd and 1st parity cows. Further, crossbred cows had 0.07, 0.08 and 0.03 higher milk FPR, FLR and PLR than Holstein-Friesian cows, respectively. Moderate to high P-values along with moderate to small estimated slopes and wide 95% confidence intervals were observed for the associations between milk component ratios and indicators of EB. A positive linear association was observed between milk FPR and serum Ca concentration within 4 d postpartum; milk FPR increased 0.31 units per each mmol/L increase in serum Ca concentration. Cows with low serum Ca concentration within 4 d postpartum had 0.27 units lower milk FPR compared with cows at or above the threshold (2.12 mmol/L), and tended to have 0.15 units lower milk FPR compared with cows at or above the threshold (2.00 mmol/L). In conclusion, further research is needed to reach conclusions on the association between milk component ratios determined before milking and EB indicators. The potential of milk FPR for monitoring blood Ca status warrants further investigation in early-lactation pasture-based dairy cows.

Emotional attitude and motives of dislike as predictors of discriminatory attitudes

The emotional attitude towards outgroup representatives may differ depending on the target of discrimination. Establishing the role of emotional relationships and the motivation of dislike in adherence to certain combined types of discriminatory attitudes will contribute to the development of measures to counteract them. The aim of the study is to establish emotional attitudes towards representatives of outgroups and the motives of dislike, which are predictors of discriminatory attitudes. The study involved 190 people of both sexes (men — 36.6%), aged 20–40 years. The survey methods of direct and indirect assessment of discriminatory attitudes, affective reactions towards representatives of discriminated groups, motives of dislike, methods of mathematical data processing (descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses, modeling method) were used. The combination of forms of emotional attitude and motivation in the prediction of types of discriminatory attitudes, as well as direct and indirect effects of emotional relationships on generalized forms of discriminatory attitudes, has been revealed. Anger and anxiety act as emotional attitudes towards representatives of outgroups, causing a general discriminatory attitude, while interest and disgust contribute to its reduction. The predictors of discriminatory attitudes towards socially vulnerable groups are fear (positive), interest and pity (negative); dissident groups — anger and fear; outsider groups — anger and disgust; social status groups — irritation and aggression (positive), disgust and interest (negative). The strongest motivational predictors of discriminatory attitudes are the motivation of competition in the labor market in the case of dissident, socially-status and even socially unprotected groups, as well as hostility based on an emotional attitude in the case of dissident and socially-outsider groups. Various emotional attitudes and motivations of rejection towards outgroup representatives explain a significant part of the dispersion of generalized forms of discriminatory attitudes. Generalized discriminatory attitudes are characterized by heterogeneous emotional conditioning and polymotivation.

3D Quantitative-Amplified Magnetic Resonance Imaging (3D q-aMRI).

Amplified MRI (aMRI) is a promising new technique that can visualize pulsatile brain tissue motion by amplifying sub-voxel motion in cine MRI data, but it lacks the ability to quantify the sub-voxel motion field in physical units. Here, we introduce a novel post-processing algorithm called 3D quantitative amplified MRI (3D q-aMRI). This algorithm enables the visualization and quantification of pulsatile brain motion. 3D q-aMRI was validated and optimized on a 3D digital phantom and was applied in vivo on healthy volunteers for its ability to accurately measure brain parenchyma and CSF voxel displacement. Simulation results show that 3D q-aMRI can accurately quantify sub-voxel motions in the order of 0.01 of a voxel size. The algorithm hyperparameters were optimized and tested on in vivo data. The repeatability and reproducibility of 3D q-aMRI were shown on six healthy volunteers. The voxel displacement field extracted by 3D q-aMRI is highly correlated with the displacement measurements estimated by phase contrast (PC) MRI. In addition, the voxel displacement profile through the cerebral aqueduct resembled the CSF flow profile reported in previous literature. Differences in brain motion was observed in patients with dementia compared with age-matched healthy controls. In summary, 3D q-aMRI is a promising new technique that can both visualize and quantify pulsatile brain motion. Its ability to accurately quantify sub-voxel motion in physical units holds potential for the assessment of pulsatile brain motion as well as the indirect assessment of CSF homeostasis. While further research is warranted, 3D q-aMRI may provide important diagnostic information for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

A "glympse" into neurodegeneration: Diffusion MRI and cerebrospinal fluid aquaporin-4 for the assessment of glymphatic system in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

The glymphatic system (GS) is a whole-brain perivascular network, consisting of three compartments: the periarterial and perivenous spaces and the interposed brain parenchyma. GS dysfunction has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). So far, comprehensive research on GS in humans has been limited by the absence of easily accessible biomarkers. Recently, promising non-invasive methods based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) along with aquaporin-4 (AQP4) quantification in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were introduced for an indirect assessment of each of the three GS compartments. We recruited 111 consecutive subjects presenting with symptoms suggestive of degenerative cognitive decline, who underwent 3 T MRI scanning including multi-shell diffusion-weighted images. Forty nine out of 111 also underwent CSF examination with quantification of CSF-AQP4. CSF-AQP4 levels and MRI measures-including perivascular spaces (PVS) counts and volume fraction (PVSVF), white matter free water fraction (FW-WM) and mean kurtosis (MK-WM), diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular spaces (DTI-ALPS) (mean, left and right)-were compared among patients with AD (n = 47) and other neurodegenerative diseases (nAD = 24), patients with stable mild cognitive impairment (MCI = 17) and cognitively unimpaired (CU = 23) elderly people. Two runs of analysis were conducted, the first including all patients; the second after dividing both nAD and AD patients into two subgroups based on gray matter atrophy as a proxy of disease stage. Age, sex, years of education, and scanning time were included as confounding factors in the analyses. Considering the whole cohort, patients with AD showed significantly higher levels of CSF-AQP4 (exp(b) = 2.05, p = .005) and FW-WM FW-WM (exp(b) = 1.06, p = .043) than CU. AQP4 levels were also significantly higher in nAD in respect to CU (exp(b) = 2.98, p < .001). CSF-AQP4 and FW-WM were significantly higher in both less atrophic AD (exp(b) = 2.20, p = .006; exp(b) = 1.08, p = .019, respectively) and nAD patients (exp(b) = 2.66, p = .002; exp(b) = 1.10, p = .019, respectively) compared to CU subjects. Higher total (exp(b) = 1.59, p = .013) and centrum semiovale PVS counts (exp(b) = 1.89, p = .016), total (exp(b) = 1.50, p = .036) and WM PVSVF (exp(b) = 1.89, p = .005) together with lower MK-WM (exp(b) = 0.94, p = .006), mean and left ALPS (exp(b) = 0.91, p = .043; exp(b) = 0.88, p = .010 respectively) were observed in more atrophic AD patients in respect to CU. In addition, more atrophic nAD patients exhibited higher levels of AQP4 (exp(b) = 3.39, p = .002) than CU. Our results indicate significant changes in putative MRI biomarkers of GS and CSF-AQP4 levels in AD and in other neurodegenerative dementias, suggesting a close interaction between glymphatic dysfunction and neurodegeneration, particularly in the case of AD. However, the usefulness of some of these biomarkers as indirect and standalone indices of glymphatic activity may be hindered by their dependence on disease stage and structural brain damage.

Parental report of vocabulary in 3- to 6-year-old Polish children: Reliable but not valid.

For over 30 years, parental reports have been used to study the vocabulary of children under 4 years of age. Research exploring parental checklists as a measure of vocabulary in older children is very limited. Typically, authors of parental checklists report the reliability of the developed tools but do not explore validity in terms of the agreement between parental assessments and the children's actual word knowledge. We aimed to explore the reliability and validity of a parental checklist for assessing vocabulary in children aged between 3 and 6 years. Furthermore, we aimed to evaluate the agreement between indirect (parental checklist) and direct (picture naming and picture recognition tasks) assessments of children's vocabulary. A group of 94 typically developing monolingual Polish-speaking children aged between 3 and 6 years were first directly tested onsite with picture naming and picture recognition tasks (Cross-Linguistic Lexical Tasks). Subsequently, the participants' parents completed an online checklist containing the same set of 128 items and marked all the words that they had ever heard in their child's spontaneous speech. The parental checklist demonstrated very high internal consistency. The scores of the parental checklist and vocabulary tasks were moderately correlated. We compared the total number of words marked by parents and the number of items correctly identified by children in the picture naming and picture recognition tasks. In picture naming, we found no difference between the children's scores and the number of words selected by parents. However, parents selected significantly fewer words than children correctly recognised in the picture recognition task. When data were analysed at the level of individual items (i.e., whether parents selected exactly the same items that children answered correctly), we found that the level of agreement was low. The level of agreement correlated negatively with the children's vocabulary; that is, the more words a child knew, the lower the agreement between the direct measure and the parental checklist. Parental checklists should be used with caution in children aged between 3 and 6 years, especially if the assessed children have a large vocabulary and if item analysis is planned. Such checklists may be of more use in younger children or in children with limited vocabulary. What is already known on the subject Parental checklists are commonly used to assess the vocabulary of children younger than 4 years of age. Previous research has indicated that parental checklists are reliable in terms of internal consistency and valid in terms of predictive and convergent validity. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge This study introduces a parental checklist designed for assessing the vocabulary of monolingual Polish-speaking children aged between 3 and 6 years. Statistical analyses reveal that while the parental checklist exhibits high reliability, and the scores on the checklist correlate with direct measures of vocabulary, the agreement between parental reports and direct vocabulary measures (i.e., validity) is notably low, particularly when examining individual test items. What are the clinical implications of this work? These findings underscore the importance of exercising caution when using parental vocabulary checklists with children aged between 3 and 6 years. These checklists can serve as a replacement for direct vocabulary tests only when the general/overall score is needed. However, when specific words are the subject of interest, parental reports may not be a valid measure.