Social Domains Research Articles

Elevated cerebral perfusion in neonatal encephalopathy is associated with neurodevelopmental impairments.

Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) represents a primary cause of neonatal death and neurodevelopmental impairments. In newborns with NE, cerebral hyperperfusion is related to an increased risk of severe adverse outcomes, but less is known about the link between perfusion and mild to moderate developmental impairments or developmental delay. Using arterial spin labelling perfusion MRI, we investigated the link between perfusion in 36 newborns with NE and developmental outcome at 2 years. 53% of the infants demonstrated a normal outcome at 24 months, while two had cerebral palsy with impairments in cognitive, motor, and language domains, and three infants died. The remaining infants showed mild or moderate delays in development in one or two domains. Hyperperfusion across the whole brain was associated with more adverse outcome, including an increased risk of death or severe disability such as cerebral palsy. Among the surviving infants, higher perfusion in the bilateral basal ganglia, thalamus, hippocampus and cerebellum during the neonatal period was related to a poorer cognitive outcome at 2 years. Hyperperfusion in infants with NE was associated with a more adverse outcome and lower cognitive outcome scores. In addition to severe adverse outcomes, altered perfusion is also related to mild to moderate impairment following HIE. Neonates with neonatal encephalopathy (NE) show increased cerebral perfusion globally, which is linked to a more adverse outcome. Higher perfusion in the bilateral basal ganglia, thalamus, hippocampus and cerebellum during the neonatal period was related to a poorer cognitive outcome at 2 years. In addition to severe adverse outcomes altered perfusion is related to mild to moderate impairment following NE. To improve neurodevelopmental outcomes, it is important to improve our understanding of the factors influencing cerebral perfusion in infants with NE.

Travelling beyond time: shared brain system for self-projection in the temporal, political and moral domains.

Mental time travel (MTT), a cornerstone of human cognition, enables individuals to mentally project themselves into their past or future. It was shown that this self-projection may extend beyond the temporal domain to the spatial and social domains. What about higher cognitive domains? Twenty-eight participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while self-projecting to different political, moral and temporal perspectives. For each domain, participants were asked to judge their relationship to various people (politicians, moral figures, personal acquaintances) from their actual or projected self-location. Findings showed slower, less accurate responses during self-projection across all domains. fMRI analysis revealed self-projection elicited brain activity at the precuneus, medial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, temporoparietal junction and anterior insula, bilaterally and right lateral temporal cortex. Notably, 23.5% of active voxels responded to all three domains and 27% to two domains, suggesting a shared brain system for self-projection. For ordinality judgement (self-reference), 52.5% of active voxels corresponded to the temporal domain specifically. Self-projection activity overlapped mostly with the frontoparietal control network, followed by the default mode network, while self-reference showed a reversed pattern, demonstrating MTT's implication in spontaneous brain activity. MTT may thus be regarded as a 'mental-experiential travel', with self-projection as a domain-general construct and self-reference related mostly to time. This article is part of the theme issue 'Elements of episodic memory: lessons from 40 years of research'.

Translation and Validation of the Arabic Version of the Cerebral Palsy-Quality of Life Child Self-Reported Questionnaire Among Children in the Saudi Arabian Population.

This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Cerebral Palsy-Quality of Life Child Self-Reported (CP-QoL Child Self-Report) questionnaire after it was translated and culturally adapted into Arabic. This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted during the period from February 2021 to June 2023 in Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City (SBAHC) and the Children with Disability Association in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on children with cerebral palsy (CP) between the ages of nine to 12 years. After translation and cross-cultural adaptation, the questionnaire was administered to 65 children. The reliability and internal consistency of the tool were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha. The validity was analyzed through the association between the CP-QoL Child Self-Report questionnaire and the Arabic version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 3.0-CP module (Mapi Research Trust, Lyon, France) using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The overall internal consistency was 0.870, where it ranged from 0.616 for the pain and impact of disability domain to 0.748 for the social well-being and acceptance domain. The interobserver (test-retest) reliability ranged from 0.540 to 0.779. There was a weak correlation between the domains of the CP-QoL Child Self-Report questionnaire and different domains of PedsQL-CP module. The overall quality of life (QoL) score of the children with CP who participated in the current study was 57.86±4.97. The result of the current study suggests that the English version of the CP-QoL Child Self-Report questionnaire was effectively translated into Arabic and had good psychometric properties in evaluating the QoL of Saudi children with CP aged between nine and 12 years.

Atypical language organization in a Spanish-speaking adolescent with drug-resistant epilepsy: a multicultural case report

Objective: Epilepsy disproportionally affects children from Hispanic/Latino backgrounds, particularly among those born outside the U.S. Longstanding health-related disparities associated with ethnicity (e.g. language use) further contribute to gaps in care. Neuropsychologists are beginning to outline best practices when working with non-English speakers; however, the lack of appropriately normed/validated measures for pre-surgical language evaluation is a limiting factor. This report informs practices among neuropsychologists by discussing atypical language organization in a non-English speaker using a multicultural framework and collaborative therapeutic assessment process. Method: The current study presents a 16-year-old, right-handed, monolingual Spanish-speaking, Latina designated female with drug-resistant focal seizures with impaired awareness. Comprehensive presurgical epilepsy workup included: CBC, video EEG, brain MRI, functional MRI, PET, MEG, baseline neuropsychological evaluation by bilingual Spanish-English providers, and Wada testing. Results: Neuropsychological testing revealed the most pronounced deficits in language, working memory, and processing speed domains. Functional MRI showed bilateral language activation, which Wada testing confirmed along with bilateral memory representation. Conclusion: Diagnosis, treatment, surgical intervention, and post-operative status are discussed. The clinical course is examined through a multicultural lens, highlighting limitations in international health services, barriers accessing health care in the U.S., and patient-specific factors that were considered as a part of the clinical decision-making process. Targeted recommendations related to culturally-informed care are offered.

Developmental Milestones for Children With Down Syndrome.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and adolescents with Down syndrome receive anticipatory guidance regarding development and behavior. However, few tools provide specific guidance on developmental norms for children with Down syndrome. Our objective was to estimate age ranges at which children and adolescents with Down syndrome achieve developmental milestones to facilitate developmental screening by pediatric practitioners. We used standardized questionnaires to obtain information from clinicians and caregivers of children with Down syndrome who received care at the Boston Children's Hospital Down Syndrome Program between March 2018 and March 2023. Data included information from 2599 visits for 842 individuals with Down syndrome ages 2 months to 24 years. We used mixed-effects logistic regressions to predict the probability of achieving 25 specific developmental milestones with 15%, 30%, 45%, 60%, 75%, and 90% probability as a function of age. We further stratified results by individuals' sex. We present age norms for our study's population of people with Down syndrome for key milestones in academic, adaptive, language, and motor domains by calculating the ages at which milestone achievement was 75% probable. We then compare these norms to published norms for the general population. This study provides clinicians and families with age-based norms for achievement of key developmental milestones for children and adolescents with Down syndrome.

Cognitive function in dyslipidemia patients: exploring the impact of statins.

Evidence regarding the relationship between the use of statins and cognitive outcomes presents varying findings. This study aims to analyze the relationship between sustained statin use and cognitive performance in dyslipidemia patients. This study presents findings from the Beijing Ageing Brain Rejuvenation Initiative (BABRI) study, in which a cohort of community-dwelling dyslipidemia patients (Entire sample, N = 1,062, aged 50-86) was recruited. Participants were divided into two groups based on their sustained use statins (Statins group, N = 677) or not use any lipid-lowering agents (Untreated group, N = 385). Furthermore, the entire sample was stratified by age into the middle-aged sample (N = 451) and the older people sample (N = 611), following a similar categorization based on statin application. ANCOVA was used to evaluate the relationship between sustained statin use and cognitive function. Overall, in the total sample, the statins group demonstrated better cognition in overall cognition, memory, visuospatial ability, attention, executive function, and language domains compared to the untreated group. Moreover, the statins group only showed better performance in attention among the middle-aged sample. In the older people sample, statins group exhibited superior cognitive performance across various cognitive domains compared to untreated group. Among dyslipidemia patients in Beijing community, sustained statin users exhibited superior cognitive function across all domains compared to untreated individuals, with particularly noticeable improvements among those aged 65 and above. These findings underscore the protective effect of statins on cognitive function in dyslipidemia patients, highlighting significant benefits for the older people population.

FATORES ASSOCIADOS À QUALIDADE DE VIDA DE CUIDADORES DE IDOSOS COM DEMÊNCIA

The objective of this study was to analyze the factors that influence the quality of life of caregivers of elderly people with Alzheimer's dementia. An integrative literature review study was conducted using the secondary databases Virtual Health Library, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Scientific Electronic Library Online and Online System for Search and Analysis of Medical Literature based on the specific descriptors retrieved in the Health Sciences Descriptors. The factors associated with the quality of life of caregivers of elderly people with Alzheimer's dementia were burden, functional decline and dependence of the elderly to perform activities of daily living, degree of dementia severity, longer time since diagnosis and living with the demented elderly, socioeconomic conditions, psychological stress and decline in social relationships, environment domain, psychological and physical. It is essential that care is also cared for, both from the point of view of health and in relation to public policies of social security and assistance.

Open versus Minimally Invasive Partial Nephrectomy: Trends and Outcomes from a Wide National Population-Based Database.

Objectives: To investigate temporal trends and overall complication rates among open partial nephrectomy (OPN) and minimally invasive partial nephrectomy (MIPN), including the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) on postoperative outcomes. Methods: Patients who underwent OPN or MIPN between 2011 and 2021 were retrospectively analyzed by using PearlDiver-Mariner, an all-payer insurance claims database. The International Classification of Diseases diagnosis and procedure codes were used to identify the type of surgical operation, patient's characteristics (age, sex, region, insurance plan), postoperative complications and SDOH, categorized in education, healthcare, environmental, social, and economic domains. Outcomes were compared using multivariable regression models. Results: Overall, 65,325 patients underwent OPN (n = 23,377) or MIPN (n = 41,948). OPN adoption declined over the study period, whereas that of MIPN increased from 24% to 34% (p = 0.001). The 60-day postoperative complication rate was 15% for the open and 9% for the minimally invasive approach. Approximately 16% and 11% of patients reported at least one SDOH at baseline for OPN and MIPN, respectively. SDOH were associated with higher odds of postoperative complications (OPN = OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01-1.25; MIPN = OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.18-1.46). The open approach showed a significantly higher risk of postoperative complications (OR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.54-1.70) compared to the minimally invasive one. Conclusions: Our findings confirm that MIPN is gradually replacing OPN, which carries a higher risk of complications. SDOH are significant predictors of postoperative complications following PN, regardless of the approach.

Adapting accounting education to evolving business paradigm-an Indian perspective

PurposeThis study examines the need for an accounting curriculum to evolve in response to the changing business landscape. Specifically, this study aims to explore the relationship between various market forces, the shifting dynamics of business, and the importance of adapting accounting education to these changes.Design/methodology/approachThis study is a combination of both quantitative and qualitative research. A structured questionnaire was administered to 320 professionals to gather data, and the study employed descriptive analysis, one-sample t-tests, and structured equation modeling to analyze the relationship between the variables.FindingsThe findings reveal a strong correlation between business transformation and the imperative to adapt accounting education. This study emphasizes the significance of modifying accounting curricula to align with the current market trends. Furthermore, this study addresses the pressing concern of sustainability and the triple bottom line (TBL), advocating specialized education in sustainability accounting programs.Research limitations/implicationsDespite its contributions, this study acknowledges a limitation in its focus solely on the perceptions of professionals and academicians regarding the impact of business transformation on accounting education, without directly examining the prevailing accounting education system. Future research should address this limitation by undertaking a qualitative exploration of the actual accounting education landscape and market requirements.Practical implicationsThe implications of the study span the theoretical, regulatory, environmental, and social domains, stressing the need for educational institutions, regulatory bodies, and industry to collaborate in shaping competent and future-ready accounting professionals. A systematic approach would validate and extend the findings of this study, providing deeper insights into the transformative processes necessary to enhance accounting education in response to evolving business landscapes and environmental dynamics.Originality/valueThe outcome of the study assists educational institutions and regulatory bodies in framing policies to adapt accounting education to the evolving business landscape by updating the accounting curriculum as per the changes in the market forces to make graduates relevant and competent.

B - 42 Evaluating the MMPI-3 Somatic/Cognitive Scales in Service Members and Veterans with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI)

Abstract Objective Research on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, 3 (MMPI-3) Somatic/Cognitive scales is limited, but primarily focused on their relationships with symptom and performance validity tests. This study expands prior literature by providing extensive Somatic/Cognitive Scale correlates with symptom validity tests and neurocognitive measures in a sample of active-duty personnel and veterans. Method The study included Active-duty Service Members (n = 22) and Veterans (n = 31). Various measures of cognitive abilities and symptom validity were examined as a function of the Cognitive Complaints (COG) scale. Results Moderate to large differences were observed between COG groups across all MMPI-3 overreporting scales and all somatic/cognitive scales, save the NUC scale (g = 0.66–1.31 [excluding NUC]). Groups differed on three Memory Complaints Inventory memory scales: General (g = 0.89), Visuo-spatial (g = 0.62), and Verbal (g = 0.97). No significant differences were observed across cognitive tests (e.g., WAIS, CVLT). COG was moderately associated with all MMPI-3 overreporting and most somatic/cognitive scales (r = 0.30–0.72). Small to moderate correlations were observed between COG and most external validity and neurocognitive measures (r = 0.05–0.60). Conclusions Results suggest the COG scale primarily captures subjective distress rather than objective neurocognitive performance, consistent with prior work (Gervais et al., 2009). These patterns are especially pronounced in emotional, social, and somatic symptom domains. Additionally, COG scores were associated with MMPI-3 overreporting scores, but COG had weaker associations with external neurocognitive and symptom validity measures. These results suggest that COG has weak convergent validity with other self-report measures of cognition (e.g., Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory).

Developmental screening of neurodevelopmental disorders before age 6: a nationwide health screening program.

We aimed to investigate the association between developmental screening before 24 months of age and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) at 4-6 years of age. We included 922,899 newborn born between 2014 and 2016 registered in National Health Insurance Service (NHIS). Developmental screening was administered at 9-12 and 18-24 months old with the Korean Developmental Screening Test for Infants & Children (K-DST). Diagnoses of NDDs was based on the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), provided by the NHIS database. Among 637,277 individuals who underwent screening at 9-12 and 18-24 months, Screen-positivity (defined as summed score < -2 standard deviation) for gross motor domain at 9-12 months was significantly associated with the incidence of autism spectrum disorder (aHR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.80-2.80) and cerebral palsy (aHR, 4.81; 95% CI, 3.62-6.38). Screening positive at language domain at 18-24 months old was associated with autism spectrum disorder (aHR 5.50; 95% CI, 4.31- 7.02) and developmental language disorder (aHR 8.67; 95% CI, 7.27-10.33) at 4-6 years of age. Widespread nationwide implementation of screening programs before 24 months was effective in identifying NDDs at 4-6 years of age. Further strategies integrating with referral and intervention systems should be established. We investigated the screening effect of nationwide developmental screening program on neurodevelopmental disorders using nationwide data. Gross motor delay during infancy was significant predictor of later neurodevelopmental disorders. Language, cognitive, and social delay before 24 months of age was associated with later autism spectrum disorders and developmental language disorders. Widespread nationwide implementation of screening programs before 24 months was effective in identifying NDDs at 4-6 years of age and should be encouraged.

Social Determinants of Health in Diverticulitis: A Systematic Review.

There is growing interest in social determinants of health for surgical populations. Within diverticulitis, no systematic collation of available evidence has been performed. To assess frequency, variety, and association directions for social determinants of health in colonic diverticular disease. Four electronic databases were queried: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science. Included studies reported symptomatic left-sided colonic diverticular disease with respect to a social determinant of health according to the Healthy People 2030 initiative or applicable proxy variable. Studies with non-English full text, cohort size fewer than 50, pediatric cohorts, and exclusively non-left sided disease were excluded. Quality assessment through modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale, frequency of variables reported, and effect size trends for common comparisons. Among 50 included studies, 40 were good and 10 were fair in quality. Social determinants of health in diverticulitis were identified across Economic Stability, Education Access and Quality, Health Care Access and Quality, Neighborhood and Built Environment, and Social and Community Context domains. The two most common variables were self-reported race and ethnicity (n = 33) and insurance (n = 22). Among 18 unique studies reporting comparisons of white versus any other self-reported race and ethnicity, twelve identified a disparity disadvantaging non-white groups with effect sizes (95% confidence interval ranging from 1.23 [1.10 -1.37] to 5.35 [1.32 - 21.61]). Among 15 unique studies reporting a non-private versus private insurance comparison, nine identified non-private insurance as a risk factor with effect sizes (95% confidence intervals ranging from 1.15 [1.02 - 1.29] to 3.83 [3.01 - 4.87]). Retrospective studies, heterogeneity across cohort and variable definitions. Social determinants of health domains are associated with a variety of diverticulitis outcomes. Additional studies are needed to address infrequently reported domains and identify optimal strategies for intervening in clinical settings. CRD42023422606.

Establishing minimal clinically important differences for the quality of life scale QLICD-SLE for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus based on ROC curve

The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) is an important concept with big appeal in a field struggling to interpret quality of life (QOL) and other patient-reported outcomes (PRO), is also a bridge between statistics and clinical medicine. This study uses the ROC curve to formulate the MCID value of the Quality of Life Instruments for Chronic Diseases of Systemic lupus erythematosus (QLICD-SLE V2.0) scale. Using the representative item “In general, would you say your health is” of the MOS item short form health survey(SF-36) as an anchor, the questionnaire of QLICD-SLE V2.0 and the anchor item were used to investigate the patients on the first day of hospitalization, and the day before the patient was discharged. 279 patients with lupus erythematosus were participated in this longitudinal follow-up study. The ROC curve was constructed by using the classification based on the anchor item as the gold standard and the difference score of the scale as the test variable. The cut-off point corresponding to the maximum value of the Youden index in the ROC curve is taken as the minimum clinical importance difference (MCID) value of the QLICD-SLE (V2.0) scale. The Results showed that the MCID of physical domain, psychological domain, social domain, general module, specific module and QLICD-SLE (V2.0) total scale are 8.3, 2.3, 2.5, 2.7, 9.2 and 3.2, respectively. Area under the ROC curve of QLICD-SLE (V2.0) is 0.898, P (Area = 0.5) < 0.001, the sensitivity is 100%, the specificity is 66.9%. It concluded that if the total scores after treatments changes at least 3.2 points positively, the treatment intervention can be considered as clinically significant. It is more convincing to use the corresponding cut-off point as the MCID for ROC curve method can visualize the sensitivity and specificity.

Understanding the Contributions of the Hippocampus

The hippocampus plays an important role in human memory, with its anterior portion contributing to coarse-grained representations and its posterior portion contributing to fine-grained ones (Poppenk et al., 2013). My USRA project is focused on understanding the role of the hippocampus in a potential third type of memory representation; a general synthesis of stimuli. Beyond memory, the hippocampus has also been hypothesize to influence clinical disorders. For instance, preliminary research in our lab has found meta-cognitive memory abilities to be organized into factors resembling clinical disorders, when organized by variance in brain structure. My USRA project also aims to understand the contribution of the hippocampus to clinical disorders. My role in this project has been to develop administrative and experimental structure for the protocol, which involves extensive testing. Participants will complete approximately 27 hours of memory tasks, designed to evaluate the nature of their memory, and whether it is oriented towards detail, gist, or a synthesis of all stimuli. To do so, I have developed an extensive task of reading and evaluating reviews, as well as a recall task of lab-generated stories. Participants will also complete approximately 3-4 hours of online questionnaires, administered through Qualtrics. Over the summer, I conducted research to identify validated questionnaires that assess metacognitive abilities, in the domains of memory, attention, language, motor control, social cognition and perception. Results on these questionnaires will be used to validate preliminary findings on the relationship between metacognitive memory, brain variance and sub-threshold levels of clinical disorders, and to investigate whether these findings expand to other forms of metacognition. Finally, participants will complete a number of structural and functional MRI scans (including DTI). This work may help us understand the pure science of the function of human memory, as well as the nature of clinical disorders.

The Influence of Cultural Heritage Status on the Quality of Life of Slum Settlement Community

Surabaya is a fast-growing city facing challenges in infrastructure development, posing a threat to cultural heritage and historic areas. The Kalimas area has been abandoned, negatively impacting the environment. Cultural heritage is valuable as it instills pride, holds significance in civilization, and can improve the quality of life (QOL). The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the quality of life as an individual's perception of differences in life based on culture and the surrounding environment. This study aims to determine the impact of physical conditions in slum settlements on the QOL of the community and identify the slum settlement variables that can improve residents' QOL. The study uses a quantitative approach with analytical techniques such as literature review and multiple linear regression to analyze land characteristics, socio-economic factors, and physical characteristics. QOL is measured using the WHOQOL questionnaire. The data collection methods include secondary data from the Department of Housing, Settlement Areas and Land, and Bappedalitbang of Surabaya City, as well as primary data from observations, questionnaires, and interviews with the research sample. The results indicate that slum settlement variables significantly affect four domains of QOL: physical health, psychology, environment, and social relationships. However, physical characteristics partially do not affect the psychological, environmental, and social relationship domains.

Adherence to DOTS Therapy and its Impact on Quality of Life

A descriptive study “to assess the adherence to DOTS therapy and its impact on quality of life among clients registered at selected DOTS centers of Punjab”. The objectives of the study were to assess the adherence to DOTS therapy among patients who were registered at selected DOTS centers in Punjab, to identify the problems related to adherence among the patients, to assess the impact of DOTS therapy on the quality of life of patients registered at selected DOTS centers of Punjab, to assess the association between adherence to DOTS treatment and socio-demographic variables. A quantitative research approach was designed, and 100 subjects were selected through convenient sampling. The results of the study showed that the majority of the subjects (56%) were non-adhered, while 44% adhered to DOTS treatment. The results revealed that the majority of the subjects 74(74%), felt the unpleasant effects of medication, and 97(97%) felt weird on medication. While 83(83%) subjects felt negative feelings such as blue mood, despair, anxiety, and depression, the majority of the subjects 83(83%) were not satisfied with their health status. Findings revealed that the most affected domain of quality of life was the environment domain (21.41±2.68), physical domain (19.36±3.21), and psychological domain (16.31±1.87). Whereas the social domain is 7.60±1.66 lowest. The study emphasized the need to strengthen adherence to DOTS therapy among the subjects and then reduce the impact of tuberculosis on quality of life.

Exploring the impact of population urbanization on the green economy development: A case study of 30 provincial-level administrative regions in China

The green economy development (GED) has emerged as a paramount objective for urban progress in the 21st century, emphasizing the harmonious advancement across economic, social, and environmental domains. Yet, the impact of population urbanization, a pivotal driver of urban evolution, on GED remains ambiguous. Addressing this knowledge gap necessitates investigations at specific stages of rapid population urbanization in a certain country. In order to explore the relationship between them, this study focuses on China, a distinctive economic entity, utilizing the DEA-SBM model with unexpected outputs to assess its GED efficiency (GE). Additionally, employing the Tobit model, the study scrutinizes the impact of population urbanization on GE in China from 2000 to 2020. Mechanism analyses are further conducted to explore the key roles of environmental policies, population density, and R&D in fostering GE. Findings reveal: (1) a U-shaped relationship between population urbanization and GE; (2) significant enhancement of GE through green credit policy, alongside positive moderating the impact of environmental protection on GE; conversely, environmental assessment policy notably reduce GE, while positively moderating the impact of industrial structure rationalization on GE; (3) a U-shaped relationship between population urbanization and GE under low population density, with population urbanization significantly diminishing GE as population density reaches a critical level; (4) higher amount of R&D personnel corresponding to increased GE at equivalent population urbanization levels. Finally, several management strategies derived from these findings are offered, aiming to assist other developing nations in effectively improving their urban GE.

When inclusive growth is not enough: advances and limitations of development policies in Uruguay 2005–2019

ABSTRACT Along most of the 2005–2019 period, Uruguay experienced an impressive economic growth. The country extended its public policies across industrial, technological, and social domains. However, there was a dearth of significant structural changes, constraining Uruguay’s ability to embark on a sustained developmental trajectory. Our findings reveal that the majority of implemented policies were designed to enhance competitiveness and build capabilities horizontally, rather than promoting structural changes. This allows us to discuss the dynamic nature of developmental processes marked by increasing policy challenges. In doing so, we stress the relevance of policy support and coordination to sustain inclusive growth processes.

The relationship between untreated dental caries and quality of life in children aged 6-12 years at elementary school 060970 belawan

Dental caries is a common oral health problem that occurs in all age groups, especially in children. Untreated dental caries can lead to several issues such as pulpitis, ulceration, fistula, abscess, and pulp necrosis. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between untreated dental caries and quality of life, as well as the most affected domain of quality of life in children aged 8-10 years at Primary School 060970 Belawan in 2023. This was an analytical survey with a cross-sectional design to investigate the association between untreated dental caries measured using the pufa index and the quality of life of children aged 6-12 years using the Child’s Perception Questionnaire 8-10 (CPQ8-10). The subjects of this study were students aged 6-12 years at Primary School 060970 Belawan, selected using total sampling technique where the entire population was included as samples. The study began with oral examinations to determine deft/DMFT and pufa/PUFA scores. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with the respondents to collect data on their quality of life. Data analysis was performed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for normality, which showed that the data were not normally distributed. Spearman correlation test (r=0.600) revealed a significant positive relationship between untreated dental caries and quality of life (p=0.000) with a strong correlation. The social limitations domain of quality of life (r=0.595) was found to be the most affected, indicating a strong association between untreated dental caries and quality of life. In conclusion, an increase in pufa scores is associated with an increase in quality of life scores. An increase in quality of life scores indicates a poor quality of life.

Modern psychometric evaluation of Thai WHOQOL-BREF and its shorter versions in patients undergoing warfarin in Thailand: Rasch analysis

Rasch analysis was employed to investigate the psychometric properties of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and its shorter versions (EUROHIS-QOL-8 and WHOQOL-5) within the context of patients undergoing warfarin in Thailand. A group of 260 patients were recruited from three public hospitals and tasked with completing the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Rasch analysis showed that the WHOQOL-BREF, structured into four-domain subtests, achieved a commendable fit to the Rasch model (χ2[16] = 12.26, p = 0.73), met the criterion of unidimensionality (7.31% significant t-tests; lower bound confidence interval, 4.66), and demonstrated satisfactory reliability (PSI = 0.87). The adoption of a subtest approach facilitated an acceptable fit to the Rasch model for each domain of the WHOQOL-BREF, except for the social domain. However, the presence of local dependency of the three-item social domain was detected, so the reliability was not reported. The WHOQOL-5 proved to be unidimensional, fitting the Rasch model acceptably, and had satisfactory reliability. Conversely, the EUROHIS-QOL-8 presented local dependency; thus, reliability was not reported. Consequently, the WHOQOL-BREF in its four-domain subtests is recommended for pre- and post-HRQoL measurements, whereas the WHOQOL-5 can effectively measure HRQoL levels in between-group analyses.