Individual Characteristics Research Articles

Utilization of molecular genetic approaches for colorectal cancer screening

The feasibility of population screening for colorectal cancer has been demonstrated in several studies. Most of these studies have considered individual characteristics, diagnostic approaches, epidemiological data, and socioeconomic factors. In this article, we comment on an editorial by Metaxas et al published in the recent issue of the journal. The authors emphasized the need to raise public awareness through health education programs and the possibility of using easily accessible non-invasive screening methods. Here, we focus on non-invasive molecular genetic approaches that can aid in colorectal cancer screening. On the one hand, we highlighted the use of tumor DNA/RNA markers directly for screening and, on the other hand, underline the use of polygenic risk assessment and hereditary predisposition to select individuals for more thorough cancer screening.

Influence of social media on maternal decision-making and breastfeeding practices

Breastfeeding practices are influenced by multifactorial determinants including individual characteristics, external support systems, and media influences. This commentary emphasizes such complex factors influencing breastfeeding practices. Potential methodological limitations and the need for diverse sampling in studying breastfeeding practices are highlighted. Further research must explore the interplay between social influences, cultural norms, government policies, and individual factors in shaping maternal breastfeeding decisions.

Spatial Correlation Network Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Industrial Carbon Emission Efficiency of Cities in Pearl River Basin

China has experienced rapid development of urbanization and industrialization, and urban industrial carbon reduction has become the key to green and sustainable development. Exploring urban industrial carbon emissions and its spatial correlation characteristics is of great importance for promoting collaborative cooperation between cities and achieving the "dual carbon" goal. Considering 49 cities in the Pearl River Basin as research objects, the super slacks-based measure model was used to measure the urban industrial carbon emission efficiency from 2010 to 2020, and exploratory spatiotemporal data analysis was used to explore its spatial pattern. On this basis, we used social network analysis and quadratic assignment procedure （QAP） methods to explore the spatial correlation network characteristics and influencing factors of urban industrial carbon emission efficiency. The results indicated that the industrial carbon emission efficiency of the Pearl River Basin showed a downward trend. Additionally, a strong spatial imbalance and heterogeneity was observed. The Pearl River Delta Region always dominated the spatial correlation network of carbon emission efficiency, forming a multi-level composite network system with the core network as the primary component and the conventional network as the auxiliary component. Economically developed cities, such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Dongguan have long been in the center of the network and have extensive connections with other cities, while playing an intermediary role. The level of urbanization, science and technology, and industrialization have an increasingly significant positive impact on the strength of the connection between urban industrial carbon emission networks. The Pearl River Basin industrial carbon emission efficiency network has significant individual differences and hierarchical characteristics. According to the individual centrality, network role, and clustering characteristics, combined with the corresponding influencing factors, the Pearl River Basin urban collaborative carbon emission reduction strategy was formulated. This study can provide reference for the formulation and implementation of regional low-carbon collaborative development strategies.

User behavior and energy-saving potential of electric washing machines

With the intensification of the global energy crisis and the increase in environmental awareness, energy-saving problems related to household appliances have garnered widespread attention. Here, the usage patterns of electric washing machine users and their energy-saving potential was mainly explored, so as to improve the current situation that the influencing factors of existing research behaviors were not deep enough and the energy saving potential was not specific enough. A questionnaire survey was used to gather information on 20,840 users, including individual characteristics, energy-saving awareness, and usage behavior. The study analyzed the differences in users’ energy-saving awareness and behavior through a series of analysis methods, and evaluated the energy-saving and water-saving potential of electric washing machines. The results showed that user behavior such as washing mode, washing temperature, and the volume ratio of clothes significantly affected on the energy and water consumption of electric washing machines. Individual characteristics of users such as gender, age, educational background, and family income were strongly correlated with their awareness of and decisions made regarding energy conservation. Improving the energy efficiency of electric washing machines and optimizing user purchasing behavior could result in 38,787.54 GWh national energy savings potential, and 6.90 million tons of water-saving potential. This study will help manufacturers and government departments better understand consumers’ usage behavior regarding electric washing machines, which could allow them to modify their market strategies and bolster the promotion and education of energy efficiency labels for electric washing machines. This also could support the nation’s objectives for environmental preservation, water and energy conservation, and the sale of products with lesser energy efficiency.

Perfectionism and Suicidal Ideation in Outpatient Depressed Adults: The Moderating Role of Self-Esteem, Loneliness and Rumination

IntroductionIdentifying factors that contribute to the development of suicidal ideation (SI) is crucial for prevention and treatment. Perfectionistic Concerns (PC) represent the experience of external pressure to be perfect and have been consistently linked to SI, but it is unclear how PC and SI are associated in depressed adults. This study examined the association between PC and SI and whether self-esteem, loneliness and rumination (brooding, reflection and depression-related rumination) moderated this association in a clinical sample.MethodsThis cross-sectional study used a psychiatric outpatient sample of depressed adults, selected for the presence of SI. In total 110 adults (mean age 33.54 (SD = 12.03) and 60% female) participated in this study. Associations were estimated by regression analyses.ResultsPC was not associated with SI in the sample (r = .16, p = .087). However, high levels of PC in combination with low self-esteem (β = -.29, p = .007) or with high levels of depression-related rumination (β = .22, p = .017) were positively associated with SI. Loneliness, brooding and reflection did not moderate the PC-SI relationship.DiscussionThese findings underline the importance of taking into account the individual characteristics in depressed, perfectionistic individuals when estimating SI severity and selecting the focus of intervention. Due to the cross-sectional design no causal inferences can be made.

Efficacy and safety of edoxaban in patients with cardioembolic stroke

Ischemic strokes due to cardiogenic embolism are associated with an increased risk of death or permanent disability, which emphasizes the importance of their prevention. Edoxaban is a Xa inhibitor that is widely used globally as a new oral anticoagulant to prevent thromboembolic complications in patients with atrial fibrillation and an increased risk of stroke. The purpose of this review is to summarize data on the efficacy and safety of edoxaban in the secondary stroke prevention. The literature review was conducted using PubMed and Medscape databases to search for publications on clinical trials and clinical guidelines on oral anticoagulant treatment for stroke prevention. The results of clinical trials show that in patients with atrial fibrillation, edoxaban is non-inferior to warfarin in efficacy for primary and secondary stroke prevention, but compared to warfarin, edoxaban treatment is much safer (significantly reduces the risk of serious bleedings, including intracranial ones). The safety profile of edoxaban makes it one of the best drugs for the treatment of elderly patients and those with chronic kidney disease. In general, the results of recent clinical trials indicate that in cardioembolic stroke due to atrial fibrillation, the early initiation of treatment with direct oral anticoagulants is safe and reduces the risk of recurrent embolic events. Timely determination of the etiological subtype of ischemic stroke, in particular the detection of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, and consideration of individual patient characteristics are the key to an optimal secondary prevention strategy that minimizes the risk of recurrent brain damage and improves the quality of life after stroke.

Flexible working and well-being: evidence from the UK

Abstract Recent technological advancements have facilitated alternative work arrangements. This paper investigates how flextime and working from home (WfH) relate to workers’ well-being using longitudinal data drawn from the Understanding Society study for the UK. It accounts for individual, job, and family characteristics while controlling for individual fixed effects. Additionally, it employs the Oster test to examine the potential influence of unobserved variables. Results show that men experience improved job satisfaction and mental health with flextime arrangements, while women predominantly benefit in terms of job satisfaction. Additionally, women adopting remote work report heightened satisfaction with job and life, and better mental health, whereas men primarily report greater job satisfaction. Interestingly, flextime effects are stronger for men, while WfH is more beneficial for women. Some heterogeneous effects are also found by parental status, age, and income groups.

Enhancing Sustainable Decision Making: The Impact of Emotional Valence, Arousal, and Personality on Risk Recognition During Contract Review

The capacity to identify risks during the pre-contract phase is crucial for effective contract management. Among the various factors that can influence this ability, emotions play a significant role in determining the risk recognition capabilities of individuals. This study aims to investigate the complex interplay between emotional states, personality traits, learning styles, and risk recognition during contract review with physiological and psychological responses. Firstly, a theoretical framework that delineates the relationship among the demographic and emotional factors and risk recognition performance during contract review is proposed. Secondly, an experiment is conducted to record the physiological and psychological responses. Finally, a hierarchical regression model is employed. The results indicated that emotional valence and arousal significantly influence risk recognition performance (p < 0.001), while individual factors such as personality traits and risk propensity indirectly affect risk recognition performance through the mediating role of emotions (p < 0.01). The research contributes to the existing literature by elucidating the indirect pathways through which individual characteristics influence risk perception. These insights can inform sustainable risk management strategies, helping organizations and individuals make more informed and effective decisions in contract management.

Pengaruh Disiplin Kerja dan Karakteristik Individu Terhadap Kinerja Pegawai pada Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah Kabupaten Karawang

This study aims to determine the effect of work discipline and individual characteristics on employee performance. The method used in this research is quantitative method. The population of this study consisted of 40 employees of the Karawang Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency. The sample of this study used a saturated sampling method, the entire population in this study was sampled. Data analysis was carried out using validity test, reliability test, normality test and hypothesis testing using t test (partial) and f test (simultaneous). The results of this study indicate that there is a partial influence between work discipline and employee performance with a value of 3,557. there is also a partial influence between individual characteristics and employee performance with a value of 2,341. The level of employee performance is jointly influenced by work discipline and individual characteristics. This can be seen from the F-count value of 49,707 which is greater than 2.85. Employee performance at the Regional Disaster Management Agency is influenced by individual characteristics and work discipline by 72.9%.

Determinants of Consumers’ Intention to Use Autonomous Delivery Vehicles (ADVs): A Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis Approach

While numerous studies have investigated the factors associated with autonomous delivery vehicles (ADVs), there remains a paucity of research concerning consumers’ intentions to utilize these technologies. Prior research has predominantly concentrated on the effects of individual variables on outcomes, often neglecting the synergistic influence of various factors on consumer intention. This study seeks to examine the collective impact of pro-environmental motives (including awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility), normative motives (such as subjective norms and personal norms), risk factors (COVID-19 risk and delivery risk), and individual characteristics (including trust in technology and innovation) on consumers’ intentions to adopt ADVs. Employing a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), this research analyzed data from 561 Chinese consumers collected via an online platform. The results yielded six distinct solutions, indicating that multiple combinations of antecedent factors could lead to a higher intention to adopt compared to any singular factor. These findings offer significant theoretical and practical implications for the effective implementation of ADVs in the last-mile delivery sector.

Integrating AI and ML for Enhanced Homeopathic Management of Canine Epilepsy

Canine epilepsy, a prevalent neurological disorder, poses significant challenges in veterinary medicine. Traditional treatment approaches often yield variable outcomes, necessitating exploration of alternative therapies. This study investigates the efficacy of homeopathic remedies in managing canine epilepsy and explores the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to enhance treatment protocols. We analyzed data from 32 epileptic dogs, documenting various parameters including age, breed, sex, weight, seizure frequency and duration pre- and post-treatment, homeopathic remedies used, potency, treatment duration, and owner observations. Remedies included Agaricus mus, Belladonna, Cicuta virosa, Cina, Hyoscyamus, Cuprum met and Natrum mur, administered in potencies of 30C, 200C, 1M and 0/1 LM over treatment durations ranging from 2 to 24 months. Descriptive statistics and visualizations revealed significant findings. Bulldogs and male dogs exhibited the highest improvement levels, particularly with Agaricus mus and Natrum mur remedies. Notably, remedies administered at LM potencies (0/1 LM) and longer durations (21 months) demonstrated superior efficacy. Improvement levels during treatment showed moderate correlations with treatment duration, indicating prolonged administration enhances therapeutic outcomes. We trained 3 different ML algorithms logistic regression, random forest and xgboost. The Random Forest model emerged as the most accurate, with an accuracy of 86%. Feature importance analysis revealed that pre-treatment seizure frequency, homeopathic remedy used, and treatment duration were critical predictors of treatment success In conclusion, Integrating AI and ML can revolutionize this aspect by analyzing large datasets to predict optimal treatment protocols based on individual patient characteristics. Machine learning algorithms can identify patterns and correlations that may not be immediately apparent, offering insights into the most effective remedies, potencies, and durations for specific breeds and demographics. This approach promises to enhance the quality of life for affected dogs and provide veterinarians with robust tools for decision-making.

Impact of DPP-4 Inhibitors in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Heart Failure: An In-Depth Review

The increasing prevalence of both type 2 diabetes mellitus and heart failure has underscored the urgent need for optimized therapeutic strategies that address the complex interplay between these conditions. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors have emerged as a popular class of glucose-lowering agents due to their favorable glycemic effects, safety profile, and potential cardiovascular benefits. However, the impact of DPP-4 inhibitors on heart failure outcomes in patients with diabetes remains contentious, with conflicting evidence from clinical trials and observational studies. This review critically examines current evidence on the use of DPP-4 inhibitors in patients with coexisting diabetes and heart failure, focusing on pharmacodynamics, safety, and efficacy outcomes. We explore the physiological mechanisms by which DPP-4 inhibitors may influence heart failure risk, including modulation of inflammation, oxidative stress, and myocardial fibrosis. Clinical trials such as SAVOR-TIMI 53, EXAMINE, and TECOS are evaluated to provide a comprehensive analysis of DPP-4 inhibitors’ effects on hospitalization for heart failure, mortality, and cardiovascular events in diabetic patients. While some trials suggest an increased risk of HF hospitalizations with specific DPP-4 inhibitors (e.g., saxagliptin), others report neutral effects, raising questions about the class effects versus individual drug characteristics within this group. Additionally, we address discrepancies in outcomes related to patient demographics, HF phenotype, and comorbid conditions that may influence DPP-4 inhibitors’ risk–benefit profile. Comparative insights into alternative glucose-lowering therapies such as SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists are also provided, highlighting potential implications for treatment selection in this high-risk population. In summary, this review synthesizes available evidence on DPP-4 inhibitors’ impact in diabetic patients with heart failure, aiming to guide clinicians in making informed therapeutic decisions. While DPP-4 inhibitors remain a viable option in diabetes management, caution is warranted in patients with advanced heart failure, and future research is essential to refine patient-specific guidelines.

Individual and Situational Characteristics of the Occurrence of Cyber Sickness in the Context of Virtually Supported Military Training

Abstract Cyber sickness (CS) is considered a major challenge in the use of virtual reality (VR). This impacts the planned implementation of VR in the training of operational forces. The present work aimed to investigate the prevalence and onset of CS during virtually supported military training using head-mounted displays (HMDs) and explore related predictor variables. For this purpose, a quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in which German soldiers (N = 100) were exposed to an immersive fifteen-minute VR scenario. We measured CS severity, age, heart rate (HR), and skin conductance (SC). Using newly developed categories to classify CS severity, the results showed a small prevalence (4%) of CS in the studied sample. Susceptibility to CS was the only predictor of the occurrence of CS symptoms. Accordingly, the present work provides evidence that CS may play a minor role in affecting virtually supported operational training. At the same time, the easily detectable susceptibility to CS promises rapid detection of vulnerable users. Implications and further research are discussed to detect, control, and mitigate CS.

Decisional Control Preferences in Managing Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms of the Pancreas.

To evaluate patient preferences for decision-making role in the management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas and to identify individual characteristics associated with those preferences. Management of IPMNs is rooted in uncertainty with current guidelines failing to incorporate patients' preferences and values. A representative sample of participants aged 40-70 were recruited to evaluate a clinical vignette where they were given the option to undergo surveillance or surgical resection of their IPMN. Their preferred role in the decision-making process for the vignette was evaluated using the Control Preference Scale. The relationship between control preference and variables including cancer anxiety, health literacy, and education level was analyzed. Of the 520 participants in the study, most preferred an active role (65%), followed by shared (29%), and passive roles (6%) in the decision-making process. Lower health literacy was significantly associated with a more passive control preference (p = 0.003). Non-active preference was significantly associated with Latino race compared to White race (odds ratio = 0.52, p = 0.009) in multivariate analysis. We found no significant association between control preference and education level or cancer anxiety. Most patients preferred an active role in IPMN treatment decisions. Lower health literacy and Latino race were associated with a preference for non-active decision roles. Clinicians should strive to align patient involvement in IPMN treatment decisions with their patient's preferred role.

Prevalence and characteristics of participants in Dry January 2024: findings from a general population survey in France

BackgroundDry January is a one-month alcohol abstinence challenge for the general population running since 2013 in the United Kingdom, and 2020 in France. Dry January has gained increasing popularity among the public, but studies assessing the individual characteristics associated with awareness and participation remain sparse.MethodsUsing quota sampling, a representative sample of 5,000 French adults completed an online cross-sectional survey between 8 and 17th January 2024. Chi-square tests and binary logistic regressions were used to explore demographic and alcohol-related characteristics associated with awareness of the Dry January campaign as well as participation.ResultsAmong 4,075 past-year alcohol users, 2,468 (61%) were aware of the “Dry January” campaign, of whom 497 (20%) were participants (12% of all alcohol users). Extrapolated to the entire adult French population, this corresponds to an estimated 4.5 million people participating in the Dry January 2024. Awareness was comparable between genders and across age groups, but was greater among individuals with higher occupational status, and lower among those living in Eastern regions of France. Individuals aware of the campaign were more likely to self-evaluate their drinking as “at risk” and to report high-risk consumption. Participation rates did not differ by gender, occupational status, or region but decreased with age. Compared to non-participants, Dry January participants were more likely to self-identify their drinking as at-risk, to be concerned about health-related effects of alcohol, to be concerned about their control (or lack thereof) over drinking, and to report hazardous use or possible alcohol use disorder. However, no evidence was found for an association between high-risk consumption based on AUDIT-C and participation. Among participants, aiming for reduction (vs. abstinence) and official registration (vs. unofficial participation), were associated with worsened alcohol-related measures.ConclusionThis study indicates a stable level of awareness, but encouraging participation in Dry January in France. The results also confirm that temporary alcohol abstinence campaigns primarily attract high-risk drinkers and individuals reporting harmful consequences related to alcohol.

Examining the connection between resourcefulness and resilience: Analysis of UK rural SME firm-level enterprise characteristics

The ability of rural enterprises to withstand external shocks has been examined at regional and sectoral levels using extensive evidence bases. However, little is known of rural SMEs' resourcefulness and how this can affect their resilience. Rural SMEs have been exposed to severe operational disruptions in the face of recent internal and external shocks caused by turbulent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis suggests SME resilience is not sector-wide and depends on enterprises' behaviour, entrepreneurial activity and ability to manage existing resources: a process generally known as ‘bricolage’. This paper examines the connection between resourcefulness of rural SMEs and their resilience capacity. Data from an extensive cross-sectional survey of rural SMEs in the UK was used in a multivariate analysis to create a typology of rural SMEs based on resourcefulness measured by behaviours such as social networking. Rural SME enterprise types are then compared against variables indicating resilient performance during the pandemic. Four rural SME enterprise types emerge from the analysis, each with different strategic behaviours and resilience performance attributes. The typology underscores the importance of resourcefulness in SME resilience and argues that resilience goes beyond regional or sectoral contexts and has to do with idiosyncratic features and individual characteristics. The analysis emphasises the importance of supporting and enhancing resourcefulness capabilities in resilience planning and provides a valuable baseline for further in-depth research on understanding rural SMEs' ability to be resilient in times of crisis.

A fast differential network with adaptive reference sample for gaze estimation

Most non-invasive gaze estimation methods do not consider the inter-individual differences in anatomical structure, but directly regress the gaze direction from the appearance image information, which limits the accuracy of individual-independent gaze estimation networks. In addition, existing gaze estimation methods tend to consider only how to improve the model’s generalization performance, ignoring the crucial issue of efficiency, which leads to bulky models that are difficult to deploy and have questionable cost-effectiveness in practical use. This paper makes the following contributions: (1) A differential network for gaze estimation using adaptive reference samples is proposed, which can adaptively select reference samples based on scene and individual characteristics. (2) The knowledge distillation is used to transfer the knowledge structure of robust teacher networks into lightweight networks so that our networks can execute quickly and at low computational cost, dramatically increasing the prospect and value of applying gaze estimation. (3) Integrating the above innovations, a novel fast differential neural network (Diff-Net) named FDAR-Net is constructed and achieved excellent results on MPIIGaze, UTMultiview and EyeDiap.

Can Internet Use Increase Rural Women’s Income? Evidence from Underdeveloped Areas of China

Although the widespread use of the Internet in rural areas provides new opportunities for economic growth, whether and how rural women benefit from it remains a question. Guided by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 and its targets, this study examines the impact of Internet use on rural women’s income by using survey data from 1384 rural households in underdeveloped areas of China. The results indicate that Internet use can significantly increase rural women’s income in underdeveloped areas. Additionally, the income effects of Internet use are heterogeneous across the different purposes of Internet use, income levels, individual characteristics, and family characteristics. Further analysis reveals that increasing labor input and enhancing capital endowment are two important channels through which Internet use increases rural women’s income. The results offer further empirical support for policymakers to utilize the Internet to increase rural women’s income and contribute to poverty alleviation in underdeveloped areas.

Association of Patients’ Knowledge on the Disease and Its Management with Indicators of Disease Severity and Individual Characteristics in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Results from COSYCONET 2

Association of Patients’ Knowledge on the Disease and Its Management with Indicators of Disease Severity and Individual Characteristics in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Results from COSYCONET 2

Comparing The Mediterranean and The Japanese Dietary Pattern in Relation to Longevity - A Narrative Review.

The Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) and Japanese dietary pattern (JDP) have received increasing attention from the scientific community and media, predominantly due to their association with increased longevity and health. Although similarities between the two dietary patterns are evident, a detailed comparison between them is still relatively unexplored. This narrative review aimed to explore the similarities and differences between the MDP and JDP in terms of longevity while also reflecting on the adoption of these diets by other populations outside their regions of origin. Both dietary patterns are plant-based, minimally processed, and sustainable for their respective regions and have been shown to significantly prolong life expectancy in different populations. Nevertheless, these dietary patterns also differ in terms of macronutrient ratios, food preparation and consumption and individual cultural characteristics of each population. Additionally, both dietary patterns are part of broader lifestyle patterns, which include other behaviors, such as abstaining from smoking, engaging in regular physical activity, having low stress levels and a sense of community, spirituality/religiousness and purpose. The promotion of these two dietary patterns should be implemented in other regions after considering cultural and socio-economical characteristics.