Long-term Influence Research Articles

Money is power: Carpooling stimulus with evidence from an interactive long-term laboratory experiment

Carpooling is one of the travel demand management strategies to mitigate road congestion. Incentive-Based Travel Demand Management (IBTDM) strategies are pivotal for carpool promotion by providing incentives to address inconveniences and privacy apprehensions, yet their efficacy lacks validation. Considering the constraints of incentive budget as well as the penetration rate, it is important to assess the long-term impact of incentives on carpooling, improve the programs in term of information feedback and identify the individuals who are most inclined to carpool. To achieve the goals, we conducted a laboratory experiment through WeChat applet platform focused on carpooling and departure time choices. 194 participants successfully completed the entire experiment. The experiment emphasizes several crucial elements, including long term (participants making daily travel choices in one month), the interactivity and information feedback mechanisms, instruments enhancing participant engagement (redeeming incentives at the end of the experiment, etc.), exit questionnaire to collect travelers' behavioral strategies. The findings elucidate several key insights: 1) Incentives have a significant long-term influence on encouraging travelers to carpool, and compensatory mechanisms for unsuccessful carpool matches further amplify travelers' impetus. 2) IBTDM administrations can promote carpooling by improving feedback information according to travelers' learning effect in each round, such as introducing real-time displays of the numbers of carpool drivers and passengers. 3) Drawing from the analysis of travelers’ participation, behavioral compliance and psychological strategies of carpooling, it can be inferred that individuals with higher incomes, fewer commuting days who have a solid grasp of the experimental mechanism, constitute prospective candidates for carpooling programs. This work contributes to helping IBTDM administrations clarify the target participants and develop a more reasonable carpooling program. The behavioral data collection approach based on our laboratory experiment is portable for future studies.

Asymmetric impact of climatic parameters on hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Shandong using a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) poses a major threat in Shandong. This study aimed to investigate the long- and short-term asymmetric effects of meteorological factors on HFRS and establish an early forecasting system using autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and nonlinear ARDL (NARDL) models. Between 2004 and 2019, HFRS exhibited a declining trend (average annual percentage change = − 9.568%, 95% CI − 16.165 to − 2.451%) with a bimodal seasonality. A long-term asymmetric influence of aggregate precipitation (AP) (Wald long-run asymmetry [WLR] = − 2.697, P = 0.008) and aggregate sunshine hours (ASH) (WLR = 2.561, P = 0.011) on HFRS was observed. Additionally, a short-term asymmetric impact of AP (Wald short-run symmetry [WSR] = − 2.419, P = 0.017), ASH (WSR = 2.075, P = 0.04), mean wind velocity (MWV) (WSR = − 4.594, P < 0.001), and mean relative humidity (MRH) (WSR = − 2.515, P = 0.013) on HFRS was identified. Also, HFRS demonstrated notable variations in response to positive and negative changes in ∆MRH(−), ∆AP(+), ∆MWV(+), and ∆ASH(−) at 0–2 month delays over the short term. In terms of forecasting, the NARDL model demonstrated lower error rates compared to ARDL. Meteorological parameters have substantial long- and short-term asymmetric and/or symmetric impacts on HFRS. Merging NARDL model with meteorological factors can enhance early warning systems and support proactive measures to mitigate the disease's impact.

Positive Airway Pressure and Metabolic Markers in Children With Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Increasing evidence suggests an association between childhood obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and metabolic syndrome, with more research available on the potential impacts of positive airway pressure (PAP) on metabolic markers in children. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide a systematic synthesis of the evidence on the effect of PAP use on metabolic markers in children with OSA. A search strategy with terms for "OSA" and metabolic markers in pediatrics was run to systematically assess 5 databases until August 26, 2022. Two reviewers independently screened eligible articles, extracted data, and conducted quality appraisal. Meta-analysis was done using random-effects models. Body mass index (BMI), glycemic, lipid, cardiovascular, and other metabolic and inflammatory markers were reported. Sixteen studies (N = 1,213) were included, 15 observational studies and 1 randomized controlled trial (RCT); most reported outcomes in children with obesity. Meta-analysis of 4 studies found no changes in BMI at median average follow-up of 12 months after PAP initiation. A reduction in heart rate and blood pressure parameters was demonstrated in several studies in children with OSA with and without obesity at a median average follow-up of 4.9 months after PAP initiation. Research in echocardiographic outcomes is limited, including one RCT in children with Down syndrome and OSA showing no changes in heart rate variability parameters. Evidence of improvements in glycemic and/or lipid control, liver enzymes, and inflammatory markers with PAP therapy is even more limited and of limited clinical importance. Risk of bias was moderate to critical and outcome evidence very low. Although evidence on effects of PAP on metabolic markers in children with OSA is encouraging, available literature is limited. Longitudinal studies are still required to further assess the long-term influence of PAP on metabolic and inflammatory markers, particularly in children with obesity.

Latent Profiles of Coronavirus-Related Health Literacy in Chinese Residents and Its Related Predictors.

This study aimed to explore the latent profiles of coronavirus-related health literacy among Chinese residents and investigate whether some predictive factors are linked with different latent subgroups of coronavirus-related health literacy. This study was a cross-sectional survey conducted among Chinese residents beginning in April 2020. A total of 1610 Chinese residents aged 15 to 69 years were involved and were asked to complete the questionnaire about coronavirus-related health literacy, demographic information, and COVID-19 pandemic-related information. Examined the latent profiles of coronavirus-related health literacy and explored the influencing factors of different profiles of coronavirus-related health literacy. The results showed that there were 3 latent subgroups, namely, high coronavirus-related health literacy (45.53%), medium coronavirus-related health literacy (47.76%), and low coronavirus-related health literacy (6.71%). Logistic regression analysis showed that gender, education, and the frequency of exposure to news about the pandemic could predict group membership. Most Chinese residents have medium coronavirus-related health literacy. Education is an important factor that has a long-term stable influence on coronavirus-related health literacy, and the frequency of exposure to news about the pandemic is a factor that can improve coronavirus-related health literacy in a short time.

Integrating FinTech with Industry 4.0 for sustainable mineral resource management: Exploring the interplay of technology, regulation, and economic dynamics

In the field of global geology, the intricate relationship between Earth’s mineral resources and their pivotal role in fostering sustainable human development is a fundamental area of scholarly investigation. This research thoroughly explores the complex dynamics between technological progress, financial innovations, and regulatory structures in the context of sustainable management of mineral resources. Covering the period from 2000 to 2022 and including key international stakeholders in the mineral industry, the study employs a Panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach to assess the effects of Industry 4.0 technologies (IND), Financial Technology (FinTech), Regulatory Quality (RQ), Energy Efficiency (EF), and per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on Mineral Resource Capital (MRC). The results reveal a substantial, positive long-term influence of Industry 4.0 on Mineral Resource Capital, underscoring the essential role of technology. Conversely, FinTech exhibits a nuanced association with Mineral Resource Capital, indicating the necessity for its careful incorporation. The analysis highlights the significance of regulatory quality in the sustainable management of resources, while the negative impact of energy efficiency points towards the need for more sustainable industrial practices. Through variance decomposition and impulse response analysis, the study delineates the responsiveness of Mineral Resource Capital to various economic fluctuations, with Granger causality tests offering additional insight into these complex interactions. This investigation contributes significantly to the existing scholarly literature and offers crucial perspectives for policy-makers and industry participants, advocating for a cohesive strategy that effectively harnesses technological and financial innovations to enhance sustainability and economic resilience in the mineral sector.

Experimental study on weathering mechanism of ancient bricks in Jiayuguan Wei-Jin tombs, Gansu, China

This study focuses on the ancient bricks of Wei-Jin tombs in Jiayuguan, Gansu, China, analyzing the deterioration of the bricks under the long-term influence of natural environments and human activities. Currently, the ancient bricks exhibit various degradation diseases such as cracks, exfoliation, fracture, weathering, and microbial erosion, severely affecting the integrity of the cultural relics. Through on-site investigation and characterization testing, the physical and mechanical properties, compositional elements, pore size distribution, and thermal characteristics of the ancient bricks were analyzed. Indoor simulation experiments were conducted to study the impact of different types of environmental erosion cycles (such as H2O, HCl, NaOH, Na2SO4) on the performance and structure of the ancient bricks, the patterns and causes of deterioration were also studied. The results indicate that the cyclic effects gradually transform the porosity of the ancient bricks into lateral microcracks, which continue to expand, leading to varying degrees of degradation of performance. The extent of the impact of these cycles on the properties of ancient bricks is in descending order: Na2SO4, HCl, NaOH, H2O. H2O, NaOH, HCl, Na2SO4.

Parental status and markers of brain and cellular age: A 3D convolutional network and classification study

Recent research shows prominent effects of pregnancy and the parenthood transition on structural brain characteristics in humans. Here, we present a comprehensive study of how parental status and number of children born/fathered links to markers of brain and cellular ageing in 36,323 UK Biobank participants (age range 44.57–82.06 years; 52% female). To assess global effects of parenting on the brain, we trained a 3D convolutional neural network on T1-weighted magnetic resonance images, and estimated brain age in a held-out test set. To investigate regional specificity, we extracted cortical and subcortical volumes using FreeSurfer, and ran hierarchical clustering to group regional volumes based on covariance. Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) derived from DNA was used as a marker of cellular ageing. We employed linear regression models to assess relationships between number of children, brain age, regional brain volumes, and LTL, and included interaction terms to probe sex differences in associations. Lastly, we used the brain measures and LTL as features in binary classification models, to determine if markers of brain and cellular ageing could predict parental status. The results showed associations between a greater number of children born/fathered and younger brain age in both females and males, with stronger effects observed in females. Volume-based analyses showed maternal effects in striatal and limbic regions, which were not evident in fathers. We found no evidence for associations between number of children and LTL. Classification of parental status showed an Area under the ROC Curve (AUC) of 0.57 for the brain age model, while the models using regional brain volumes and LTL as predictors showed AUCs of 0.52. Our findings align with previous population-based studies of middle- and older-aged parents, revealing subtle but significant associations between parental experience and neuroimaging-based surrogate markers of brain health. The findings further corroborate results from longitudinal cohort studies following parents across pregnancy and postpartum, potentially indicating that the parenthood transition is associated with long-term influences on brain health.

REINVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF GROSS DOMESTIC SAVINGS, EXCHANGE RATES, AND NATIONAL DEBT ON MILITARY EXPENDITURE IN MALAYSIA

This study uses the ARDL method to explore how national debt relates to military expenditure, considering both short and long timeframes. In the short term, the research finds that changes in national debt don't strongly impact military expenditure right away. Interestingly, a stronger national currency is associated with lower short-term military expenditure. Additionally, higher domestic savings positively affect military expenditure in the short term, highlighting the role of local resources. In the long term, the study shows that all considered factors such as national debt, exchange rates, and domestic savings are positively contributed to military expenditure. This suggests that over time, increases in these factors are linked to higher military expenditure. Overall, the study highlights the complex connections between national debt, economic factors, and military expenditure, offering insights into both immediate and long-term influences on defense budget choices.

Do school grades matter for growing up? Testing the predictive validity of school performance for outcomes in emerging adulthood.

In putatively meritocratic societies, doing well in school is a pivotal precondition for accessing further and higher education, which, in turn, has a pervasive, long-term influence on adulthood development. Yet, doing well in school may also predict "real-life success" outside formal education settings and independent of the educational qualifications that a person attains. Such predictions are likely to become salient during emerging adulthood, a life period characterized by career explorations and social-emotional adjustment. Here, we tested the predictive validity of end-of-compulsory school grades at age 16 years in a U.K.-representative population cohort sample of up to N = 6,488, who were born between 1994 and 1996, for a broad range of occupational, financial, and social-emotional outcomes at age 23. End-of-compulsory school performance accounted for 1%-20% of the variance across occupational, financial, and social-emotional outcomes in emerging adulthood. Educational attainment attenuated these associations only slightly, with school grades at age 16 accounting for variance in emerging adulthood outcomes independent of later educational attainment. We found that school grades were equally predictive for boys' and girls' outcomes. In children from lower family socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds, school grades were more predictive of their educational attainment, financial attitudes, and anxiety compared to higher SES children, with varying effect sizes (i.e., 0.3%-4.2%). Our findings suggest that school-leaving grades facilitate the successful transition from adolescence to adulthood, independent of educational attainment, and that they might enable children from low-SES families to compensate for some of their background disadvantages. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Scale-dependent effects of herbivory on moss communities in Arctic wetlands: A 25-year experiment.

Arctic ecosystems are undergoing rapid changes, including increasing disturbance by herbivore populations, which can affect plant species coexistence and community assemblages. Although the significance of mosses in Arctic wetlands is well recognized, the long-term influence of medium-sized herbivores on the composition of moss communities has received limited attention. We used data from a long-term (25 years) Greater Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens atlanticus) exclusion experiment in Arctic tundra wetlands to assess changes in the composition of moss communities at multiple spatial scales (cell, 4 cm2; quadrat, 100 cm2; exclosure, 16 m2). We investigated how snow goose grazing and grubbing can alter the composition of the moss community by measuring changes in alpha and beta diversity, as well as in the strength of plant interspecific interactions between moss species. Our results indicate that goose foraging significantly increased species diversity (richness, evenness, and inverse Simpson index) of moss communities at the cell and quadrat scales but not the exclosure scale. Goose foraging reduced the dissimilarity (beta diversity) of moss communities at all three scales, mainly due to decreased species turnover. Furthermore, goose foraging increased positive interaction between moss species pairs. These findings emphasize the critical role of geese in promoting moss species coexistence and increasing homogeneity in Arctic wetlands. This study illustrates how top-down regulation by herbivores can alter plant communities in Arctic wetlands and highlights the importance of considering herbivores when examining the response of Arctic plant biodiversity to future climate change.

The long-term influence of perinatal factors on macular morphology and vessel density in preterm children

BackgroundIncreased survival rate of extremely preterm children is associated with a higher risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and long-term sequelae, which implicate retinal changes. PurposeTo assess an influence of perinatal characteristics on morphology and retinal vascularity of the macula in preterm children. MethodsA cohort of 123 preterm children at the age of 10.5 years (IQR: 8.12-12.77) was prospectively assessed. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was performed using RTVueXR Avanti. Foveal thickness, parafoveal thickness, size of foveal avascular zone (FAZ), superficial and deep vessel density, central choroidal thickness (CCT) were analyzed. The associations between OCTA results and perinatal factors, including the presence of ROP and therapy requirements were assessed in preterm children. ResultsSignificantly smaller FAZ, higher foveal thickness and vessel density were noted in children with ROP, Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, required erythropoietin, transfusion or steroids. Foveal thickness was increased in children with ROP (p < 0.001) and following laser treatment (p < 0.05). Thinner CCT was noted in children with a history of sepsis (p < 0.05) and ROP required treatment (p < 0.05). Pregnancy bleeding was associated with higher superficial foveal vessel density (p < 0.05) and smaller FAZ (p < 0.05). ConclusionNeonatal factors have a huge impact on retinal development, but the role of prenatal factors should not be neglected in preterm children.

Cultural practices supporting early motherhood in a Ghanaian community

Cultural practices help constitute a ‘normal’ way of life within a specific community and set the standard that members of the community are expected to adhere to. Some of these practices may have a short- and long-term influence on young people in ways supportive of teenage motherhood. This study explored cultural practices and beliefs in a study area in Ghana that encourage teenage girls into motherhood unintendedly. An exploratory design was used. Thirty teenage mothers and twenty-two opinion leaders participated in fieldwork conducted between October 2018 and February 2019. Data were analysed using an inductive approach. Four themes became apparent: fear of being cursed for having an abortion; sleeping arrangements; funerals and wakes; and practices of cohabitation in the study area. Cultural practices contribute to teenage motherhood in the Adaklu District of Ghana. Programmes, interventions and policies should be designed to take into consideration the needs, contexts, and backgrounds of teenagers. Future programmes to enhance teenagers ability to avoid teenage pregnancy and motherhood should consider factors such as the family, the person, the community, institutions, and national and international influences.

Private and Public Investment: Are they Substitute or Complementary in Driving Economic Growth in Nigeria?

The paper investigates the relationship between government and private investment with a view to ascertaining their complementarity or substitutability in driving economic growth in Nigeria for the period of 1981-2021. To achieve the objective, nonlinear autoregressive distributed lags (ARDL) models and nonlinear Granger causality tests were employed to analyze annual secondary data which were sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin. Findings show that government investment expenditure displayed a positive and long-term influence on private investment, suggesting a “crowding-in” effect where increased public investment stimulates private investment thereby fostering overall economic growth. Economic adversities or reduced public investment exerted a substantial negative impact on private investment, underscoring the complementarity of government investment expenditure in driving economic growth in Nigeria. Also, the nonlinear Granger causality tests reveal unidirectional relationship as government investment expenditure causes private investment across various embedding dimensions, emphasizing the positive influence of government investment on private investment. The findings generally suggest the need for balanced fiscal policies, prioritizing productive government investments, encouraging private investment, controlling inflation, and making time-sensitive policy decisions to promote economic growth in Nigeria.

Study of the Effectiveness of Corrosion Resistance Growth by Application of Layered AlN–TiO2 Coatings

The work is devoted to the study of the use of AlN–TiO2 coatings as protective materials against corrosion and natural aging, as well as a rise in wear resistance of the steel surface under long-term mechanical influences. The choice of oxy-nitride coatings obtained by magnetron sputtering by layer-by-layer deposition of layers of aluminum nitride and titanium oxide with layer thicknesses of the order of 50 nm and 100 nm as objects of study is due to their high resistance to external influences, which can have a significant impact on growth in the resistance to degradation processes associated with hydrogenation during the operation of steel structures. During determination of the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity of AlN–TiO2 coatings, it was found that the applied coatings, regardless of the conditions for their preparation, have hydrophobic properties (the contact angle is ~125–130°), which are preserved both during corrosion tests (except for TiO2 coatings, for which the change in the contact angle after corrosion tests is ∆ ~ 10°) and when modeling natural aging processes. During the tribological tests of coating samples, it was found that a growth in the number of spray layers (when alternating them) leads to a rise in wear resistance, both in the case of the initial samples and for samples subjected to corrosion in a model solution of 0.1 M NaCl and when simulating natural aging processes.

Weakened hydrological oscillation period increased the frequency of river algal blooms

The evolution of riverine aquatic ecosystems typically exhibits notable characteristic with cumulative, enduring, and hysteresis. Exploring the non-linear response of riverine ecology to long-term hydrological fluctuations become a major challenge in contemporary interdisciplinary research. In response to the critical issue of frequent river algal blooms in the lower Han River, which is impacted by Asian largest inter-basin water diversion project. We identified the non-linear response of eco-hydrology across various time scales through the integration of Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) and Inverse Wavelet Transform (IWT). Our study revealed that: 1) Over the past half century, the hydrological regime in the lower Han river showed a significant downward trend, and existed three significant hydrological oscillation periods (HOPs), including the short-scale Intra-AC (180 days), the medium-scale AC (365 days, the first major period), and the long-scale Inter-AC (2500 days), the variation of Inter-AC changed most dramatically. 2) We further found that the Inter-AC variation of hydrology is more closely related to the formation of river algal blooms in the Han River, and when the hydrological Inter-AC shows steady state or downward trend, the frequency of algal blooms in the lower Han River increases significantly. 3) The river algal blooms in the lower Han River is a cumulative consequence to the long-term hydrological influences. Weakened hydrological Inter-AC is more likely to increase the frequency of river algal blooms, and 10-years Inter-AC cumulation increased the frequency by 60%. Therefore, the weaken of long-scale HOP will significantly increase the frequency of river algal blooms in the future. This study received a critical scientific insight and aimed at provide guidance for the optimization of ecological management within the framework of national large-scale water conservation.

YOGA ADOPTION INTENTIONS AMONGST UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: VARIABLES AND LINKAGES

Introduction: Compared to earlier times, university students are showing low physical activity levels. Compared to university students in the USA, students at Indian higher education institutions are 30% less physically active. The habits and beliefs formed at this stage of life are expected to have a long-term influence. Yoga is considered an alternative therapy effective in improving physical and mental health. Assessing the factors influencing university students' yoga adoption intentions is essential. Aims: To evaluate the selected university students' physical activity level and the mediating role of cues to action. Methods: The research design is cross-sectional and causal. The response of 120 university students was collected. The analysis is based on Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), and the software used includes SmartPLS and Microsoft Excel. Results – The study confirms the full mediation role of cue to action on the relationship between positive attitude for yoga and behavioral intentions to adopt yoga (effect = 0.179, t = 3.098, p &lt; 0.002). Similarly, cue to action partially mediates the relationship between friend's support for yoga and behavioral intentions to adopt yoga (effect = 0.102, t = 2.34, p &lt; 0.019). Conclusion: The university administrators should increase the cue to action for adopting health promotion behavior, including yoga at all levels, i.e., individual, relationships, community, social and policy making. To begin with, interventions such as developing educational videos, mandatory health promotion courses, and a buddy system can be started.

Laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis and anti-Müllerian hormone levels: Findings from the Nurses' Health Study II

ObjectiveAnti-Müllerian hormone is a reliable measure of ovarian reserve associated with menopause timing and fertility. Previous studies have observed that individuals with endometriosis have lower anti-Müllerian hormone levels than those without. However, sample sizes have been small and information is limited regarding the long-term influence of endometriosis on anti-Müllerian hormone levels among the general population, which may have important implications for menopause timing and chronic disease risk. MethodsAmong 1961 premenopausal women in the Nurses' Health Study II who provided a blood sample and had not been pregnant in the last 6 months, we used generalized linear models to determine the association between laparoscopically-confirmed endometriosis and log-transformed plasma anti-Müllerian hormone level, adjusted for age (continuous and squared) and other potential confounding variables. ResultsParticipants were on average 40 years old (interquartile range 37–42 years) at blood draw. Women with endometriosis diagnosed prior to blood draw (n = 119) had a lower mean anti-Müllerian hormone level (1.6 ng/mL [SD = 2.3]) than women without known endometriosis (n = 1842) (2.8 ng/mL [SD = 3.0]). In multivariable adjusted models, women with endometriosis had 29.6 % lower anti-Müllerian hormone levels (95 % CI: −45.4, −9.2 %) than women without. This association was greater among women with a body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or more (percent difference: −44.0 % (−63.7, −13.8)), compared to those with a body mass index of under 25 kg/m2 (percent difference: −19.8 % (−41.7, 10.4)), but did not vary by parity or infertility history. ConclusionsLower anti-Müllerian hormone levels in women with endometriosis may be one mechanism through which endometriosis influences risk of infertility, younger age at menopause, and cardiovascular disease.

Development of e-worksheet based on engineering design process for composition function material

Mathematics learning poses several challenges, making the utilization of technology, particularly e-worksheets, a promising solution to offer a more interactive learning experience and bolster student success. This research aims to describe the validity, practicality, and effectiveness of using Engineering Design Process (EDP)-based e-worksheets in composition function material in high school. The research subjects are 35 eleventh graders at SMAN 1 Tegaldlimo, Banyuwangi, East Java. The Research and Development (R&amp;D) utilized the ADDIE model and collected data through observation, interviews, and tests. The results of expert validation approval obtained a score of 83.33%, which indicates valid or reasonable to use but requires slight updates. The practical results obtained from the analysis of student questionnaires were 76.69%. The pretest and post-test values are analyzed using the Wilcoxon Test with a significance value of &lt; 0.05. The utilization of EDP-based e-worksheets significantly influences composition function material in high school. The N-Gain score shows the mean value was 70.09 %, which is categorized as high (quite effective). Developing e-worksheets based on feedback from teachers and students, as well as further studies on their long-term influence on student learning outcomes, is needed.

Characterizing the Causal Pathway From Childhood Adiposity to Right Heart Physiology and Pulmonary Circulation UsingLifecourse Mendelian Randomization.

Observational epidemiological studies have reported an association between childhood adiposity and altered cardiac morphology and function in later life. However, whether this is due to a direct consequence of being overweight during childhood has been difficult to establish, particularly as accounting for other measures of body composition throughout the lifecourse can be exceptionally challenging. In this study, we used human genetics to investigate this using a causal inference technique known as lifecourse Mendelian randomization. This approach allowed us to evaluate the effect of childhood body size on 11 measures of right heart and pulmonary circulation independent of other anthropometric traits at various stages in the lifecourse. We found strong evidence that childhood body size has a direct effect on an enlarged right heart structure in later life (eg, right ventricular end-diastolic volume: β=0.24 [95% CI, 0.15-0.33]; P=3×10-7) independent of adulthood body size. In contrast, childhood body size effects on maximum ascending aorta diameter attenuated upon accounting for body size in adulthood, suggesting that this effect is likely attributed to individuals remaining overweight into later life. Effects of childhood body size on pulmonary artery traits and measures of right atrial function became weaker upon accounting for adulthood fat-free mass and childhood height, respectively. Our findings suggest that, although childhood body size has a long-term influence on an enlarged heart structure in adulthood, associations with the other structural components of the cardiovascular system and their function may be largely attributed to body composition at other stages in the lifecourse.

Cancer biology in diabetes update: Focusing on antidiabetic drugs.

The association of type 2 diabetes with certain cancer risk has been of great interest for years. However, the effect of diabetic medications on cancer development is not fully understood. Prospective clinical trials have not elucidated the long-term influence of hypoglycemic drugs on cancer incidence and the safety for cancer-bearing patients with diabetes, whereas numerous preclinical studies have shown that antidiabetic drugs could have an impact on carcinogenesis processes beyond the glycemic control effect. Because there is no evidence of the safety profile of antidiabetic agents on cancer biology, careful consideration would be required when prescribing any medicines to patients with diabetes and existing tumor. In this review, we discuss the potential influence of each diabetes therapy in cancer 'initiation', 'promotion' and 'progression'.