Initial Depression Research Articles

Impact of baseline body mass index on antidepressant response: A study in newly diagnosed patients at a tertiary care center in Kolkata

Background: Depression, affecting 350 million globally, poses significant morbidity and mortality. The correlation between major depressive disorder (MDD) and obesity is noted, with studies indicating poorer treatment outcomes among obese individuals. Measuring weight and body mass index (BMI) could aid in predicting depression treatment outcomes, influencing drug efficacy due to their ease of measurement, amid the shared public health burden of MDD and obesity. Aims and Objectives: The aims and objectives of the study are to evaluate baseline BMI’s impact on antidepressant response in newly diagnosed outpatient department (OPD) patients at a tertiary care center. Materials and Methods: This longitudinal observational study was conducted with OPD patients at a tertiary care center, aged 18–65 years with newly diagnosed MDD. Assessment tools included the Diagnostic Criteria for Research accompanying the ICD-10, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and physical measurement devices. Sample size determination considered BMI groups: Normal to underweight (N1=120), overweight (N2=120), and obese (N3=70). The methodology involved patient history, examination, and follow-up assessments after 6 weeks, analyzing antidepressant response statistically. Results: Obese patients exhibited reduced treatment response rates compared to normal and overweight counterparts. Responders had lower mean BMI. Gender disparities in obesity prevalence were noted. Limitations: The study’s limitations include a small sample size of 310 cases, single-center design, and potential selection bias in a tertiary care setting. Conclusion: The findings underscore the complex relationship between BMI, depression severity, and treatment response. Obese individuals demonstrated higher initial depression scores and poorer treatment response, echoing previous research. The study highlights the need for personalized treatment approaches that consider individual BMI levels to optimize depression management strategies effectively.

The Social Failure Model: Do Classroom Norms Play a Role in the Development of Antisocial Behavior and Depressive Symptoms?

This study examined the moderating role of descriptive and status norms in the stability of youth's antisocial behavior, and the link between initial antisocial behavior and the development of depressive symptoms over the course of one academic year, while controlling for initial depression levels. A total of 1081 students (51.06% girls; grades 4 through 6) in schools in low to average socio-economic status neighborhoods completed self-reports and a peer nomination inventory in the fall (T1) and spring (T2) of one year. Descriptive norms were operationalized as the classroom- and sex-specific mean level of antisocial behavior. Status norms were operationalized as the classroom- and sex-specific correlation between antisocial behavior and social preference. Descriptive norms moderated the link between T1 and T2 antisocial behavior, such that youth exhibiting high levels of antisocial behavior showed a greater increase in antisocial behavior in classrooms where descriptive norms strongly favored such behavior (i.e., + 1 SD) than in classrooms with neutral or weak descriptive norms (i.e., - 1 SD). Status norms moderated the association between T1 antisocial behavior and T2 depressive symptoms, such that youth with high levels of antisocial behavior had higher depressive symptoms in classrooms where status norms disfavored antisocial behavior than in classrooms with neutral or favorable norms. No moderating effects of sex or grade were observed. These results suggest that both descriptive norms and status norms play important, albeit distinct, roles in exacerbating youth's depressive symptoms and antisocial behavior, but they may also mitigate these same outcomes in favorable contexts.

Blockade of GluN2B-Containing NMDA Receptors Prevents Potentiation and Depression of Responses during Ocular Dominance Plasticity.

Monocular deprivation (MD) causes an initial decrease in synaptic responses to the deprived eye in juvenile mouse primary visual cortex (V1) through Hebbian long-term depression (LTD). This is followed by a homeostatic increase, which has been attributed either to synaptic scaling or to a slide threshold for Hebbian long-term potentiation (LTP) rather than scaling. We therefore asked in mice of all sexes whether the homeostatic increase during MD requires GluN2B-containing NMDA receptor activity, which is required to slide the plasticity threshold but not for synaptic scaling. Selective GluN2B blockade from 2-6 d after monocular lid suture prevented the homeostatic increase in miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) amplitude in monocular V1 of acute slices and prevented the increase in visually evoked responses in binocular V1 in vivo. The decrease in mEPSC amplitude and visually evoked responses during the first 2 d of MD also required GluN2B activity. Together, these results support the idea that GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors first play a role in LTD immediately following eye closure and then promote homeostasis during prolonged MD by sliding the plasticity threshold in favor of LTP.

Evaluating Family Coping Mechanisms in Pediatric Seizure Disorders: From Emergency Room to Long-Term Follow-Up.

Pediatric seizure disorders profoundly impact family dynamics, often escalating stress and impairing coping mechanisms. This study aimed to longitudinally assess the impact of pediatric seizures on family stress and coping, evaluating the efficacy of multidisciplinary follow-up care in enhancing psychological resilience and adaptation. A longitudinal study design was implemented, enrolling children aged 1-18 who presented with a first seizure and received a neurologist's diagnosis at the Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children "Louis Turcanu," Timisoara, Romania. Validated questionnaires, including the Parenting Stress Index (PSI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and Parental Concerns Questionnaire (PCQ), were employed at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Statistical analysis utilized ANOVA and t-tests to evaluate changes in stress and coping outcomes. The study involved 68 families, with significant reductions in stress and anxiety reported over the follow-up period. Initial PSI scores showed high stress levels across various domains: Emotional Stress (59.47) decreased to 50.63 at one year; Parent-Child Communication Difficulties started at 66.03 ± 20.15 and reduced to 56.92 ± 18.74; and Total Family Stress decreased from 65.55 to 55.97. The HADS scores indicated initial anxiety and depression at 8.2 ± 3.1 and 7.1 ± 2.8, respectively, with reductions to 6.8 and 5.9 by the end of the year. The overall HADS score showed a decrease from 15.4 to 12.8. PCQ results mirrored these findings, with Total Score dropping from 9.7 to 7.7. PSS-10 scores declined from 13.5 to 11.3, with a significant reduction in the positive sub-score. The proactive, multidisciplinary care approach significantly reduced stress and enhanced coping mechanisms in families dealing with pediatric seizures. The decreases in stress, anxiety, and depression scores highlight the potential for integrated care models to improve long-term outcomes in these families. These findings support the continued development of targeted interventions to aid in the management of chronic pediatric conditions.

Predicting early depression in WZT drawing image based on deep learning

AbstractWhen stress causes negative behaviours to emerge in our daily lives, it is important to intervene quickly and appropriately to control the negative problem behaviours. Questionnaires, a common method of information gathering, have the disadvantage that it is difficult to get the exact information needed due to defensive or insincere responses from subjects. As an alternative to these drawbacks, projective testing using pictures can provide the necessary information more accurately than questionnaires because the subject responds subconsciously and the direct experience expressed through pictures can be more accurate than questionnaires. Analysing hand‐drawn image data with the Wartegg Zeichen Test (WZT) is not easy. In this study, we used deep learning to analyse image data represented as pictures through WZT to predict early depression. We analyse the data of 54 people who were judged as early depression and 54 people without depression, and increase the number of people without depression to 100 and 500, and aim to study in unbalanced data. We use CNN and CNN‐SVM to analyse the drawing images of WZT's initial depression with deep learning and predict the outcome of depression. The results show that the initial depression is predicted with 92%–98% accuracy on the image data directly drawn by WZT. This is the first study to automatically analyse and predict early depression in WZT based on hand‐drawn image data using deep learning models. The extraction of features from WZT images by deep learning analysis is expected to create more research opportunities through the convergence of psychotherapy and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) technology, and is expected to have high growth potential.

Influence of Depression on Pain and Disability in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain after Physical Therapy: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background. Depressive complications in chronic pain are detrimental to rehabilitation. This study was aimed at determining the influence of the presence of depressive symptoms on the efficacy of physical therapy among participants with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods. Data was collected from a randomized controlled trial on 113 participants with CLBP. Participants were reallocated into the depressed or nondepressed groups based on the 50-cutoff point of the self-rating depression scale. All patients received 60 min sessions of physical therapy twice a week for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was back-related disability. Secondary outcomes included pain ratings, sleep quality, life quality, other psychological outcomes, and minimal clinically important differences. These outcomes were collected at baseline, 12, 26, and 52 weeks. Results. 31 (27.4%) were accompanied by depressive symptoms. At 12 weeks, the initial depression score was only associated with anxiety score (β=1.196 [0.531 to 1.860], P=0.001) and depression score (β=0.742 [0.200 to 1.284], P=0.009) in the depressed group, but the initial depression score was associated with anxiety score (β=0.409 [0.138 to 0.681], P=0.004), depression score (β=0.920 [0.658 to 1.184], P<0.001), sleep quality (β=0.108 [0.018 to 0.199], P=0.020), and pain anxiety (β=0.465 [0.034 to 0.897], P=0.035) and negatively associated with life quality (β=−0.815 [−1.267 to −0.363], P=0.001) in the nondepressed group. Conclusions. Physical therapy is effective to CLBP with depressive symptoms. A higher initial depression score may weaken the efficacy of physical therapy in the nondepressed group. Depressive complications may adversely influence intervention efficacy for CLBP. This trial is registered with ChiCTR1800016396.

Natural history of depression up to 18 years after stroke: a population-based South London Stroke Register study

BackgroundCurrent evidence on the long-term natural history of post-stroke depression (PSD) is limited. We aim to determine the prevalence, incidence, duration and recurrence rates of depression to 18-years after stroke and assess differences by onset-time and depression severity MethodsData were from the South London Stroke Register (1995-2019, N=6641 at registration). Depression was defined using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (scores>7=depression) at 3-months, then annually to 18-years after stroke. We compared early- (3-months post-stroke) vs late-onset depression(1-year) and initial mild (HADS scores >7) vs severe depression (scores >10) Findings3864 patients were assessed for depression at any time-points during the follow-up (male:55·4% (2141), median age: 68.0 (20·4)), with the number ranging from 2293 at 1-year to 145 at 18-years after stroke. Prevalence of PSD ranged from 31·3% (28·9-33·8) to 41·5% (33·6-49·3). The cumulative incidence of depression was 59·4% (95% CI 57·8–60·9), of which 87·9% (86·5-89·2) occurred within 5-years after stroke. Of patients with incident PSD at 3-months after stroke, 46·6% (42·1-51·2) recovered after 1 year. Among those recovered, 66·7% (58·0-74·5) experienced recurrent depression and 94·4% (87·5-98·2) of recurrences occurred within 5-years since recovery. Similar estimates were observed in patients with PSD at 1-year. 34·3% (27·9-41·1) of patients with severe depression had recovered at the next time-point, compared to 56·7% (50·5-62·8) with mild depression. Recurrence rate at 1-year after recovery was higher in patients with severe depression (52·9% (35·1-70·2)) compared to mild depression (23·5% (14·1-35·4)) (difference: 29·4% (7·6-51·2), P=0.003) InterpretationLong-term depressive status may be established by 5-years post-onset. Early- and late- onset depression presented similar natural history, while severe depression had a longer duration and quicker recurrence than mild depression. These estimates were limited to alive patients completing the depression assessment, who tended to have less severe stroke than excluded patients, so may be underestimated and not generalizable to all stroke survivors

Efficacy of vestibular rehabilitation and its facilitating and hindering factors from real-world clinical data.

Customized vestibular rehabilitation improved dizziness and imbalance in several randomized controlled trials. In the present study, we determined the efficacy of customized vestibular rehabilitation using real-world observational data. In this retrospective observational study, we recruited 64 patients (median age = 60, interquartile range = 48-66.3) who completed the customized vestibular rehabilitation from January to December 2022. The outcomes of rehabilitation were evaluated using the dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) or vestibular disorders activities of daily living scale (VADL). The factors associated with outcomes were assessed with a generalized linear model, of which covariates included patients' age, sex, duration of illness, type of vestibular disorders, initial DHI and VADL scores, exercise compliance, and initial hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) scores. After the median of 6 (4-6) weeks of rehabilitation, DHI and VADL scores significantly improved in patients with either peripheral or central vestibular disorders (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p < 0.05). The initial DHI and VADL scores showed a positive while the sum of HADS scores showed a negative correlation with the outcome. In contrast, the age, sex, duration of illness, types of vestibular disorders, and exercise compliance did not affect the outcome. Customized vestibular rehabilitation is effective for central as well as peripheral disorders, especially when the symptoms are severe and the psychological distress is mild.

Action recommendations review in community-based therapy and depression and anxiety outcomes: a machine learning approach

BackgroundWhile the positive impact of homework completion on symptom alleviation is well-established, the pivotal role of therapists in reviewing these assignments has been under-investigated. This study examined therapists' practice of assigning and reviewing action recommendations in therapy sessions, and how it correlates with patients’ depression and anxiety outcomes.MethodsWe analyzed 2,444 therapy sessions from community-based behavioral health programs. Machine learning models and natural language processing techniques were deployed to discern action recommendations and their subsequent reviews. The extent of the review was quantified by measuring the proportion of session dialogues reviewing action recommendations, a metric we refer to as “review percentage”. Using Generalized Estimating Equations modeling, we evaluated the correlation between this metric and changes in clients' depression and anxiety scores.ResultsOur models achieved 76% precision in capturing action recommendations and 71.1% in reviewing them. Using these models, we found that therapists typically provided clients with one to eight action recommendations per session to engage in outside therapy. However, only half of the sessions included a review of previously assigned action recommendations. We identified a significant interaction between the initial depression score and the review percentage (p = 0.045). When adjusting for this relationship, the review percentage was positively and significantly associated with a reduction in depression score (p = 0.032). This suggests that more frequent review of action recommendations in therapy relates to greater improvement in depression symptoms. Further analyses highlighted this association for mild depression (p = 0.024), but not for anxiety or moderate to severe depression.ConclusionsAn observed positive association exists between therapists’ review of previous sessions’ action recommendations and improved treatment outcomes among clients with mild depression, highlighting the possible advantages of consistently revisiting therapeutic homework in real-world therapy settings. Results underscore the importance of developing effective strategies to help therapists maintain continuity between therapy sessions, potentially enhancing the impact of therapy.

When Will This End? Exploring the Relationship between Depression Symptoms, Perceptions of the Future Self, and Anticipated Length of the COVID-19 Pandemic in College Seniors

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic changed lives overnight. With the pandemic's abrupt spread, graduating college students encountered widespread setbacks and challenges and were left with considerable uncertainty about how long the pandemic would last. This research explored the relationship between anticipation of the pandemic's length and longitudinal mental health, and the role of perception of the future self (i.e., future self-identification) as a potential protective and promotive factor for mental health during the pandemic. Methods: Graduating college seniors completed a two-part longitudinal study starting as the pandemic initially spread in the United States (March 26—April 10, 2020) and ending over half a year into the pandemic's course (October 20-January 27, 2021). Results: Findings suggested that higher initial symptoms of depression did not predict anticipating a longer pandemic, but anticipating a longer pandemic significantly predicted higher downstream depression symptoms over and above the initial symptoms. Additionally, greater future self-identification did not moderate the relationship between anticipated pandemic length and downstream depression (i.e., it was not a significant protective factor). However, having a positive view of the future self significantly predicted better downstream mental health over and above perceptions of pandemic length and initial depression symptoms. Positivity toward the future self may be an important promotive factor for mental health during the pandemic. Discussion: These results indicate that students who anticipate an extended crisis may need extra support, and perception of the future self as positive may be a valuable psychological resource.

A Study on the Longitudinal Relationship between Changes in Depression and Cognitive Function among Older Adults Living Alone.

As South Korea faces unprecedented population aging, this longitudinal study examined the relationship between depression and cognitive function changes in older individuals living alone. The study used data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA). A total of 1354 participants with data available over a period of at least three years, from 2016 (wave 1) to 2020 (wave 8), were included, and latent growth modeling (LGM) was used for analysis. Depression levels increased gradually among older individuals living alone and cognitive function declined over time among older adults living alone. Moreover, higher initial depression levels were associated with lower initial cognitive function levels and a more rapid cognitive decline over time. Therefore, it is imperative that depression be addressed as a potential cause of cognitive impairment and dementia. Furthermore, rapid increases in depression corresponded to rapid declines in cognitive function, indicating the need for continuous monitoring and intervention in cases of escalating depression, as it may negatively affect cognitive abilities. These findings highlight the complex interplay between depression and cognitive function among older individuals living alone. Policy support to encourage participation in these programs is crucial to enhance the well-being of this vulnerable population.

Mental health outcomes for those who have offended and have been given a Mental Health Treatment Requirement as part of a Community Order in England and Wales.

Growing evidence of mental disorders among people going through the criminal justice system suggests the potential benefit of courts adding a Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR) when sentencing an offender to a Community Order (sentence) in England and Wales. Although available since 2003, MHTRs have not been widely used, and there is little evidence on outcomes. To conduct the first large-scale evaluation of mental health outcomes of people with an MHTR as part of their community sentence across multiple sites in England and Wales. Data were collected from 14 sites in England and Wales about individuals who were given an MHTR as part of a community sentence. They were assessed before and after this. During the MHTR, they received a psychotherapeutic intervention by assistant psychologists in a primary care framework. Measures of psychological distress (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure), anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7) and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire) were completed before the MHTR was implemented and after completion. Where paired sample t-tests and Wilcoxon signed ranked tests were used, with samples ranging between 309 and 447 individuals, clinically significant changes were obtained for all measures. Most individuals (63%) were identified as experiencing a reliable change in at least two out of the three scales. Finally, a negative linear relationship, between measures at the start of the intervention and reliable change, was identified with higher pre-measures, indicating that more initial distress, anxiety and/or depression were associated with more sizeable changes. This paper provides the first substantial evidence in support of the MHTR within a primary mental healthcare framework as an effective pathway to reduce mental health problems among individuals under probation supervision as part of a sentence after conviction for a criminal offence. This supports the expansion of the provision across England and Wales. Future research should take account of the non-completers and explore the relationship between the MHTR, mental health improvements and reoffending.

PERFORMANCE AND IMPORTANCE OF PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY

Cancer, as well as its medical treatment, leads to a wide variety of physical and psychosocial problems and, in general, cancer patients are not prepared to deal with the psychological and emotional burden that accompanies the diagnosis of cancer and which only increases with age. time if not treated properly. Thus, psycho-oncology has emerged as an interdisciplinary field with the aim of addressing these issues and providing support for these patients. In this context, this study aims to describe the importance of psycho-oncology in the treatment of cancer patients. It was found that, when the individual is diagnosed with an oncological disease, only physical care cannot be offered, as it is a multifactorial disease, where emotions play a fundamental role. It is concluded, therefore, that the need for psycho-oncology is undeniable, especially in addressing the psychological responses to cancer, such as the initial trauma, denial, anxiety, depression, fear, anger and other manifestations during the various treatment phases.

Temporal relationship between depression and cognitive decline in the elderly: a two-wave cross-lagged study in a Chinese sample

Objectives: Less information is available about the temporal relationship between depression in the elderly and cognitive decline. In the current study, we (1) evaluated the temporal association between depression and cognitive decline in older adults over a 4-year period; (2) indicated which cognitive domains have a strong temporal relationship with depression.Methods: Using data from China Family Panel Studies, we examined the relationship between depression and cognition among adults aged 65 and older with a cross-lagged design.Results: The results showed that initial depression affected subsequent cognitive function, especially immediate and delayed recall, but that cognition decline did not predict depression over time.Conclusion: The findings suggest that depression precedes cognitive decline in older adults, which is of great significance for the future research of mild cognitive impairment and dementia in the elderly.

A model of porcine polymicrobial septic shock

BackgroundSepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Mortality of patients with sepsis is high and largely unchanged throughout the past decades. Animal models have been widely used for the study of sepsis and septic shock, but translation into effective treatment regimes in the clinic have mostly failed. Pigs are considered as suitable research models for human diseases due to their high comparability and similarity to human anatomy, genetics, and the immune system. We here evaluated the previously reported models of septic shock in pigs and established a novel model of polymicrobial sepsis that meets the clinical criteria of septic shock in pigs.Materials and methodsThe literature search was performed using the keywords “pig”, “sepsis” and “septic shock”. For the establishment of septic shock in n = 10 German landrace pigs, mechanical ventilation was initiated, central venous and arterial lines and invasive hemodynamic monitoring via pulse contour cardiac output measurement (PiCCO) established. Peritoneal polymicrobial faecal sepsis was induced by application of 3 g/kg body weight faeces into the abdominal cavity. Septic shock was defined according to the third international consensus definitions (Sepsis-3). Upon shock, pigs underwent the 1-h bundle for the treatment of human sepsis. Cytokine levels were measured by ELISA.ResultsPublished porcine sepsis models exhibited high methodological variability and did not meet the clinical criteria of septic shock. In our model, septic shock developed after an average of 4.8 ± 0.29 h and was associated with a reproducible drop in blood pressure (mean arterial pressure 54 ± 1 mmHg) and significant hyperlactatemia (3.76 ± 0.65 mmol/L). Septic shock was associated with elevated levels of interleukin-6 (IL6) and initial cardiac depression followed by a hyperdynamic phase with significant loss of systemic vascular resistance index after initial resuscitation. In addition, organ dysfunction (acute kidney injury) occurred.ConclusionsWe here established a model of septic shock in pigs that meets the clinical criteria of septic shock utilized in human patients. Our model may thus serve as a reference for clinically relevant sepsis research in pigs.

Rate-limiting recovery processes in neurotransmission under sustained stimulation

At active zones of chemical synapses, an arriving electric signal induces the fusion of vesicles with the presynaptic membrane, thereby releasing neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft. After a fusion event, both the release site and the vesicle undergo a recovery process before becoming available for reuse again. Of central interest is the question which of the two restoration steps acts as the limiting factor during neurotransmission under high-frequency sustained stimulation. In order to investigate this problem, we introduce a non-linear reaction network which involves explicit recovery steps for both the vesicles and the release sites, and includes the induced time-dependent output current. The associated reaction dynamics are formulated by means of ordinary differential equations (ODEs), as well as via the associated stochastic jump process. While the stochastic jump model describes the dynamics at a single active zone, the average over many active zones is close to the ODE solution and shares its periodic structure. The reason for this can be traced back to the insight that recovery dynamics of vesicles and release sites are statistically almost independent. A sensitivity analysis on the recovery rates based on the ODE formulation reveals that neither the vesicle nor the release site recovery step can be identified as the essential rate-limiting step but that the rate-limiting feature changes over the course of stimulation. Under sustained stimulation, the dynamics given by the ODEs exhibit transient changes leading from an initial depression of the postsynaptic response to an asymptotic periodic orbit, while the individual trajectories of the stochastic jump model lack the oscillatory behavior and asymptotic periodicity of the ODE-solution.

Morphology and origin of liquefaction-related sediment failures on the Yellow River subaqueous delta

Subaqueous slopes of many actively prograding deltas are heavily modified by widespread submarine sediment failures, forming highly complex geomorphic features that undergo continuous evolution even over short time scales. However, the effects of wave-seabed interactions (especially liquefaction) on the evolution of seabed sediment failures are rarely studied. Here, we use side-scan sonar, sub-bottom profilers, multibeam bathymetry, and in situ and laboratory geotechnical tests to map the bottom morphology and sediment structure of the Yellow River subaqueous delta. Our results indicate that: 1) The morphology along the Yellow River subaqueous delta is highly complex and can be categorized as a moderately disturbed area and heavily disturbed area; 2) Heavily disturbed area shows notable lines of evidences of liquefication-related sediment failure and four separate morphological zones (Zones 1–4). Zone 1 consists of differently sized sediment highs, which considered to be scarp or monadnock features. Zone 2 undulates with widely distributed tabular sediment blocks, gullies, and small-scale seafloor irregularities. Zone 3 is characterized by irregular, elongate sediment ridges. Finally, Zone 4 is characterized by relatively flat terrain with some localized highs; 3) Sub-bottom profiles used to visualize failure features in Zone 1 show acoustically continuous high-amplitude parallel or subparallel reflection, and the geomorphic features in this area are mainly caused by erosion. In comparison, Zones 2, 3 and 4 lack internal structures and display chaotic/disturbed signatures in corresponding sub-bottom data, which might be an indication of liquefaction; and 4) A combination of preconditioning and triggering factors lead to sediment failures and the complex morphological features in this area; however, silt liquefaction under storm conditions is the most important controlling factor. Based on this evidence, we propose formation mechanism for the liquefaction-related sediment failure features in this area. Sediment liquefaction forms an initial depression and gully when fine particles are resuspended along the arc-shaped liquefaction boundary as sediment vents and re-solidification of the liquefied sediment leads to a stiffer bed. Gullies are then widened and deepened by the predominant currents, and the disturbed depressions develop into elongated highs because of the denser structure and higher strength following liquefaction. While disturbed by engineering activities, the sediment highs become fragmented due to intense localized erosion, having the potential for downslope transport and the formation of sediment ridges. The geometries and distributions of the sediment failure features on the Yellow River subaqueous delta provide insights into process mechanisms and causative factors, especially when compared with other, similar phenomena reported elsewhere.

Predictors of life satisfaction in elders living at home in the Czech Republic.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the life satisfaction of older people living in a home environment and to find out what predictors influence it. The research involved 1,121 older people 60 years and above from the Moravian-Silesian region who live in a home environment. The short form of the Life Satisfaction Index for the Thirds Age (LSITA-SF12) was used to assess life satisfaction. The Geriatric depression scale (GDS-15), the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory Scale (GAI), The Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were used to evaluate related factors. In addition, age, gender, marital status, education, social support, and subjective health assessment were evaluated. The overall life satisfaction score was found to be 36.34 (s = 8.66). The satisfaction of older people was classified into four grades: high satisfaction (15.2%), moderate satisfaction (60.8%), moderate dissatisfaction (23.4%), and high dissatisfaction (0.6%). The predictors of the longevity of the lives of older people were confirmed, both health factors (subjective health assessment, anxiety, and depression [Model 1: R = 0.642; R2 = 0.412; p<0.000]) and psychosocial factors (quality of life, self-esteem, sense of coherence, age, and social support [Model 2: R = 0.716; R2 = 0.513; p<0.000]). In implementing policy measures, these areas should be emphasized. The availability of educational and psychosocial activities (e.g. reminiscence therapy, music therapy, group cognitive behavioural therapy, cognitive rehabilitation) within the community care of the older people and university of third age is appropriate to increase the life satisfaction of the older people. An initial depression screening is also required as part of preventive medical examinations to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of depression.

The Effect of Activity Participation in Middle-Aged and Older People on the Trajectory of Depression in Later Life: National Cohort Study.

More activity participation is an important means of handling depression and promoting positive aging, but the impact of changes in activity participation on the developmental trajectory of depression has not been fully studied. The purpose of this study is to study the relationship between current activity participation and depression in middle-aged and older people (≥45 years old) and the relationship between activity participation and the developmental trajectory of depression in later life in China. This study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) across 7 years and included a total of 4818 middle-aged and older people (≥45 years old). Controlling for relevant control variables, the latent growth curve model and the cross-lag model were used to assess the effect of changes in activity participation on the depression trajectory in later life and the main lag relationship between activity participation and depression. Activity participation as well as depression were measured using the self-reported activity and health status based on the CHARLS questionnaire. Among the 4818 respondents, the mean values of physical activity participation, social leisure activity participation, and depression ranged from 76.98 (SD 15.16) to 83.95 (SD 5.72), from 7.43 (SD 8.67) to 9.25 (SD 10.16), and from 7.61 (SD 5.72) to 8.82 (SD 6.51), respectively. Our findings revealed that activity participation could be related to depression. Physical activity participation predicted initial depression (β=-0.631, P<.001) and its trajectory (β=0.461, P<.001). However, social leisure activity participation predicted initial depression (β=-0.223, P<.001) but did not predict its trajectory (β=0.067, P=.159). Finally, cross-lag regression analysis further demonstrated the predictive effect of activity participation on depression. This study demonstrates the prediction of activity participation for future depression in the Chinese middle-aged and older populations. The data showed that activity participation is significantly associated with changes in depression and future depression among middle-aged and older people in China. The Chinese government should encourage middle-aged and older people to participate in various activities, which can effectively prevent the aggravation of depression and also have a positive significance for positive aging.

Enrichment of phenotype among biological forms of Anopheles stephensi Liston through establishment of isofemale lines

BackgroundVector management programs rely on knowledge of the biology and genetic make-up of mosquitoes. Anopheles stephensi is a major invasive urban malaria vector, distributed throughout the Indian subcontinent and Middle East, and has recently been expanding its range in Africa. With the existence of three biological forms, distinctly identifiable based on the number of ridges on eggs and varying vectorial competence, An. stephensi is a perfect species for developing isofemale lines, which can be tested for insecticide susceptibility and vectorial competence of various biological forms.MethodsWe describe key steps involved in establishment and validation of isofemale lines. Isofemale colonies were further used for the characterization of insecticide susceptibility and differential vector competence. The results were statistically evaluated through descriptive and inferential statistics using Vassar Stat and Prism GraphPad software packages.ResultsThrough a meticulous selection process, we overcame an initial inbreeding depression and found no significant morphometric differences in wings and egg size between the parental and respective isofemale lines in later generations. IndCh and IndInt strains showed variations in resistance to different insecticides belonging to all four major classes. We observed a significant change in vectorial competence between the respective isofemale and parental lines.ConclusionsIsofemale lines can be a valuable resource for characterizing and enhancing several genotypic and phenotypic traits. This is the first detailed report of the establishment of two isofemale lines of type and intermediate biological forms in Anopheles stephensi. The work encompasses characterization of fitness traits among two lines through a transgenerational study. Furthermore, isofemale colonies were established and used to characterize insecticide susceptibility and vector competence. The study provides valuable insights into differential susceptibility status of the parental and isofemale lines to different insecticides belonging to the same class. Corroborating an earlier hypothesis, we demonstrate the high vector competence of the type form relative to the intermediate form using homozygous lines. Using these lines, it is now possible to study host-parasite interactions and identify factors that might be responsible for altered susceptibility and increased vector competence in An. stephensi biological forms that would also pave the way for developing better vector management strategies.Graphical