Longitudinal Trends Research Articles

Mapping Emotional Intelligence and Psychological Capital Research: A Bibliometric Analysis and Future Research Agenda

This study explores the scholarly literature on emotional intelligence (EI) and psychological capital (PsyCap) using a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to map the research landscape and propose future directions. Data was collected from the Scopus database using specific search queries related to EI and PsyCap, with inclusion and exclusion criteria established to refine the dataset. A total of 39 articles published between 2007 and 2023 were selected for analysis. Utilizing bibliometric techniques through VOSviewer, patterns of citation and collaboration within the field were quantified, capturing descriptive statistics related to citation data and performing network analysis on authors, countries, publications, citations, and keywords. Key documents, sources, authors, organizations, and countries contributing to the discourse on PsyCap and EI were identified, providing insights into the evolution and trends within this field. The analysis revealed longitudinal trends in research output and explored the intersectionality of EI and PsyCap with other individual differences and personality traits. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of knowledge growth in positive organizational psychology, informing evidence-based practices, and guiding future research endeavors.

Salty chemical cocktails as water quality signatures: Longitudinal trends and breakpoints along different U.S. streams

Along urban streams and rivers, various processes, including road salt application, sewage leaks, and weathering of the built environment, contribute to novel chemical cocktails made up of metals, salts, nutrients, and organic matter. In order to track the impacts of urbanization and management strategies on water quality, we conducted longitudinal stream synoptic (LSS) monitoring in nine watersheds in five major metropolitan areas of the U.S. During each LSS monitoring survey, 10–53 sites were sampled along the flowpath of streams as they flowed along rural to urban gradients. Results demonstrated that major ions derived from salts (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+) and correlated elements (e.g. Sr2+, N, Cu) formed ‘salty chemical cocktails’ that increased along rural to urban flowpaths. Salty chemical cocktails explained 46.1% of the overall variability in geochemistry among streams and showed distinct typologies, trends, and transitions along flowpaths through metropolitan regions. Multiple linear regression predicted 62.9% of the variance in the salty chemical cocktails using the six following significant drivers (p < 0.05): percent urban land, wastewater treatment plant discharge, mean annual precipitation, percent silicic residual material, percent volcanic material, and percent carbonate residual material. Mean annual precipitation and percent urban area were the most important in the regression, explaining 29.6% and 13.0% of the variance. Different pollution sources (wastewater, road salt, urban runoff) in streams were tracked downstream based on salty chemical cocktails. Streams flowing through stream-floodplain restoration projects and conservation areas with extensive riparian forest buffers did not show longitudinal increases in salty chemical cocktails, suggesting that there could be attenuation via conservation and restoration. Salinization represents a common urban water quality signature and longitudinal patterns of distinct chemical cocktails and ionic mixtures have the potential to track the sources, fate, and transport of different point and nonpoint pollution sources along streams across different regions.

Divergent drivers of the spatial variation in greenhouse gas concentrations and fluxes along the Rhine River and the Mittelland Canal in Germany

Lotic ecosystems are sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere, but their emissions are uncertain due to longitudinal GHG heterogeneities associated with point source pollution from anthropogenic activities. In this study, we quantified summer concentrations and fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and dinitrogen (N2), as well as several water quality parameters along the Rhine River and the Mittelland Canal, two critical inland waterways in Germany. Our main objectives were to compare GHG concentrations and fluxes along the two ecosystems and to determine the main driving factors responsible for their longitudinal GHG heterogeneities. The results indicated that the two ecosystems were sources of GHG fluxes to the atmosphere, with the Mittelland Canal being a hotspot for CH4 and N2O fluxes. We also found significant longitudinal GHG flux discontinuities along the mainstems of both ecosystems, which were mainly driven by divergent drivers. Along the Mittelland Canal, peak CO2 and CH4 fluxes coincided with point pollution sources such as a joining river tributary or the presence of harbors, while harbors and in-situ biogeochemical processes such as methanogenesis and respiration mainly explained CH4 and CO2 hotspots along the Rhine River. In contrast to CO2 and CH4 fluxes, N2O longitudinal trends along the two lotic ecosystems were better predicted by in-situ parameters such as chlorophyll-a concentrations and N2 fluxes. Based on a positive relationship with N2 fluxes, we hypothesized that in-situ denitrification was driving N2O hotspots in the Canal, while a negative relationship with N2 in the Rhine River suggested that coupled biological N2 fixation and nitrification accounted for N2O hotspots. These findings stress the need to include N2 flux estimates in GHG studies, as it can potentially improve our understanding of whether nitrogen is fixed through N2 fixation or lost through denitrification.

Hepatic artery stenosis following adult liver transplantation: evaluation of different endovascular treatment approaches

PurposeTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of hepatic artery interventions (HAI) versus extra-hepatic arterial interventions (EHAI) when managing clinically significant hepatic artery stenosis (HAS) after adult orthotopic liver transplantation.Materials and methodsA single-center retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on liver transplant patients who underwent intervention for clinically significant HAS from September 2012 to September 2021. The HAI treatment arm included hepatic artery angioplasty and/or stent placement while the EHAI treatment arm comprised of non-hepatic visceral artery embolization. Primary outcomes included peri-procedural complications and 1-year liver-related deaths. Secondary outcomes included biliary ischemic events, longitudinal trends in liver enzymes and ultrasound parameters pre-and post-intervention.ResultsThe HAI arm included 21 procedures in 18 patients and the EHAI arm included 27 procedures in 22 patients. There were increased 1-year liver-related deaths (10% [2/21] vs 0% [0/27], p = 0.10) and complications (29% [6/21] vs 4% [1/27], p = 0.015) in the HAI group compared to the EHAI group. Both HAI and EHAI groups exhibited similar improvements in transaminitis including changes of ALT (-72 U/L vs -112.5 U/L, p = 0.60) and AST (-58 U/L vs -48 U/L, p = 0.56) at 1-month post-procedure. Both treatment arms demonstrated increases in post-procedural peak systolic velocity of the hepatic artery distal to the stenosis, while the HAI group also showed significant improvement in resistive indices following the intervention.ConclusionDirect hepatic artery interventions remain the definitive treatment for clinically significant hepatic artery stenosis; however, non-hepatic visceral artery embolization can be considered a safe alternative intervention in cases of unfavorable hepatic anatomy.Graphical

Shifting Patterns and Evolving User Sentiments Regarding Artificial Intelligence in Financial Decision Making

This research studies the impact of user perceptions on trust and acceptance of artificial intelligence in financial decision-making. A structured questionnaire was administered to capture user sentiments regarding challenges and opportunities associated with AI in finance. Statistical techniques that is ANOVA, paired sample t-tests, and the Tukey Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) test, were performed to explore the data and assess the significant differences in user attitudes. The results supported the alternative hypothesis, revealing that user perceptions significantly impact their trust and acceptance of AI-driven financial solutions. ANOVA analysis demonstrated varying levels of trust and acceptance among different user groups, while paired sample t-tests highlighted significant disparities in concerns about security and privacy, trust in AI, and satisfaction with transparency. Further, key findings suggest that users who perceive more challenges or fewer opportunities tend to have lower trust in AI for financial decisions. Moreover, key differences were found across different demographic groups that highlights the need for customer-focused methods in the development of AI. The implications for financial institutions underscore the importance of addressing user concerns to enhance trust and acceptance of AI-driven solutions. This study contributes to the growing body of research on AI adoption in finance and provides opportunities for future research into longitudinal trends and user-centric AI development strategies. Keywords: artificial intelligence, finance, user perceptions, trust, acceptance, ANOVA, paired sample t-tests, Tukey HSD test, customer-focused methods, AI adoption.

The influence of geopolitics on research activity and international collaboration in science: the case of Russia

AbstractWe study the possible influences of the Russia-Ukraine War on Russia’s research productivity and international collaboration in science. For this purpose, we introduce and apply two recently developed indicators of relative intensity and balance in international collaboration. To see whether longitudinal trends have changed recently, we combine a long-term perspective based on annual updates since the year 2000 with a short-term perspective based on monthly updates since the beginning of 2022. The clearest change is that the productivity of Russian science, as measured within Web of Science, has dramatically decreased after several years of growth. There is also a clear decline in the degree of international collaboration in fields of research that heavily rely on large multinational infrastructures established through state agreements. In other fields, however, the degree of international collaboration is more stable. The general decline in Russian science seems to be more driven by internal factors than by loss of partnerships abroad.

Influence of age and sex on longitudinal metabolic profiles and body weight trajectories in the UK Biobank.

Accurate characterization of how age influences body weight and metabolism at different stages of life is important for understanding ageing processes. Here, we explore observational longitudinal associations between metabolic health and weight from the fifth to the seventh decade of life, using carefully adjusted statistical designs. Body measures and biochemical data from blood and urine (220 measures) across two visits were available from 10 104 UK Biobank participants. Participants were divided into stable (within ±4% per decade), weight loss and weight gain categories. Final subgroups were metabolically matched at baseline (48% women, follow-up 4.3 years, ages 41-70; n = 3368 per subgroup) and further stratified by the median age of 59.3 years and sex. Pulse pressure, haemoglobin A1c and cystatin-C tracked ageing consistently (P < 0.0001). In women under 59, age-associated increases in citrate, pyruvate, alkaline phosphatase and calcium were observed along with adverse changes across lipoprotein measures, fatty acid species and liver enzymes (P < 0.0001). Principal component analysis revealed a qualitative sex difference in the temporal relationship between body weight and metabolism: weight loss was not associated with systemic metabolic improvement in women, whereas both age strata converged consistently towards beneficial (weight loss) or adverse (weight gain) phenotypes in men. We report longitudinal ageing trends for 220 metabolic measures in absolute concentrations, many of which have not been described for older individuals before. Our results also revealed a fundamental dynamic sex divergence that we speculate is caused by menopause-driven metabolic deterioration in women.

Who earns engineering degrees? Detecting longitudinal data trends with infographics

AbstractTypical data available to engineering educators about the state of degrees awarded is disseminated via various groups. The most salient limitations to each of these sources are a lack of disaggregating data by multiple personal identities and an annualized reporting schedule hindering interpretations over time. This analysis ascertains how female degrees earned in engineering changed for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree levels from 2005 to 2021. We sought to understand trends by disaggregating ASEE records by gender, race, and engineering discipline. Data gathered from EDMS were cleaned, analyzed, and visualized, following principles for data sense making and human factors. Results highlight women gravitating towards Biological, Environmental, and Computational engineering disciplines. The total number of all degrees awarded is increasing for all genders in all disciplines, but these trends are not evenly distributed across disciplines. While it is true that the overall proportion of women in engineering wavered near 20%, this statistic does not tell the whole story of what has been occurring in engineering. By disaggregating infographics, we tracked percentage growth in certain fields as well as overall increases in number of degrees awarded at all levels of higher education. Future research is needed to determine causes for women's choices in engineering.

Clinical factors associated with patterns of endocrine therapy adherence in premenopausal breast cancer patients

IntroductionPatients with hormone receptor positive breast cancer are recommended at least five years of adjuvant endocrine therapy, but adherence to this treatment is often suboptimal. We investigated longitudinal trends in adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) adherence among premenopausal breast cancer patients and identified clinical characteristics, including baseline comorbidities and non-cancer chronic medication use, associated with AET adherence.MethodsWe included stage I–III premenopausal breast cancer patients diagnosed during 2002–2011 and registered in the Danish Breast Cancer Group clinical database who initiated AET. We used group-based trajectory modeling to describe AET adherence patterns. We also linked patients to Danish population-based registries and fit multinomial logistic models to compute odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) associating clinical characteristics with AET adherence patterns.ResultsWe identified three adherence patterns among 4,353 women—high adherers (57%), slow decliners (36%), and rapid decliners (6.9%). Women with stage I disease (vs. stage II; OR: 1.9, 95% CI 1.5, 2.5), without chemotherapy (vs. chemotherapy; OR: 4.3, 95% CI 3.0, 6.1), with prevalent comorbid disease (Charlson Comorbidity Index score ≥ 1 vs. 0; OR: 1.6, 95% CI 1.1, 2.3), and with a history of chronic non-cancer medication use (vs. none; OR: 1.3, 95% CI 1.0, 1.8) were more likely to be rapid decliners compared with high adherers.ConclusionsWomen with stage I cancer, no chemotherapy, higher comorbidity burden, and history of chronic non-cancer medication use were less likely to adhere to AET. Taking steps to promote adherence in these groups of women may reduce their risk of recurrence.

95 Maternal Epidemiology of Brachial Plexus Birth Injuries in California: 1996-2012

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: To evaluate the incidence of brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI) and its associations with maternal demographic factors. Additionally, we sought to determine whether longitudinal changes in BPBI incidence differed by maternal demographics. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of over 8 million maternal-infant pairs using California’s Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development Linked Birth Files from 1991-2012. Descriptive statistics were used to determine BPBI incidence and the prevalence of maternal demographic factors (race, ethnicity, age). Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine associations of year, maternal race, ethnicity, and age with BPBI. Excess population level risk associated with these characteristics was determined by calculating population attributable fractions. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The incidence of BPBI between 1991-2012 was 1.28 per 1000 live births, with peak incidence of 1.84 per 1000 in 1998 and low of 0.9 per 1000 in 2008. Incidence varied by demographic group, with infants of Black (1.78 per 1000) and Hispanic (1.34 per 1000) mothers having the highest incidences. Controlling for relevant covariates, infants of Black (AOR=1.88, 95% CI 1.70, 2.08), Hispanic (AOR=1.25, 95% CI 1.18, 1.32) and advanced-age mothers (AOR=1.16, 95% CI 1.09, 1.25) were at increased risk. Disparities in risk experienced by Black, Hispanic, and advanced-age mothers contributed to a 5%, 10%, and 2% excess risk at the population level, respectively. Longitudinal trends in incidence did not vary among demographic groups. Population-level changes in maternal demographics did not explain changes in incidence over time. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Although BPBI incidence has decreased in California, demographic disparities exist. Infants of Black, Hispanic, and advanced-age mothers are at increased BPBI risk compared to White, Non-Hispanic, and younger mothers.

Quantitative evaluation of trastuzumab deruxtecan pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in mouse models of varying degrees of HER2 expression.

Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd; DS-8201; ENHERTU®) is a human epithelial growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-directed antibody drug conjugate (ADC) with demonstrated antitumor activity against a range of tumor types. Aiming to understand the relationship between antigen expression and downstream efficacy outcomes, T-DXd was administered in tumor-bearing mice carrying NCI-N87, Capan-1, JIMT-1, and MDA-MB-468 xenografts, characterized by varying HER2 levels. Plasma pharmacokinetics (PK) of total antibody, T-DXd, and released DXd and tumor concentrations of released DXd were evaluated, in addition to monitoring γΗ2AX and pRAD50 pharmacodynamic (PD) response. A positive relationship was observed between released DXd concentrations in tumor and HER2 expression, with NCI-N87 xenografts characterized by the highest exposures compared to the remaining cell lines. γΗ2AX and pRAD50 demonstrated a sustained increase over several days occurring with a time delay relative to tumoral-released DXd concentrations. Invitro investigations of cell-based DXd disposition facilitated the characterization of DXd kinetics across tumor cells. These outputs were incorporated into a mechanistic mathematical model, utilized to describe PK/PD trends. The model captured plasma PK across dosing arms as well as tumor PK in NCI-N87, Capan-1, and MDA-MB-468 models; tumor concentrations in JIMT-1 xenografts required additional parameter adjustments reflective of complex receptor dynamics. γΗ2AX longitudinal trends were well characterized via a unified PD model implemented across xenografts demonstrating the robustness of measured PD trends. This work supports the application of a mechanistic model as a quantitative tool, reliably projecting tumor payload concentrations upon T-DXd administration, as the first step towards preclinical-to-clinical translation.

Disparity Reduction in United States Breast Reconstruction: An Analysis From 2005-2017 Using 3 Nationwide Data Sets.

Following passage of the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA), a steady rise in breast reconstruction rates was reported; however, a recent update is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate longitudinal trends in breast reconstruction (BR) rates in the U.S. and relevant sociodemographic factors. Mastectomy cases with/without BR from 2005 through 2017 were abstracted from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, and National Cancer Database (NCDB). BR rates were examined using Poisson regression. Multivariable logistic regression analysis of NCDB data was used to identify predictors of reconstruction. Race and insurance distributions were evaluated over time. Of 1,554,381 mastectomy patients, 507,631 (32.7%) received BR. Annual reconstruction rates per 1000 mastectomies increased from 2005 to 2012 (NSQIP: Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) 1.077; SEER: 1.090; NCDB: 1.092) and stabilized from 2013 to 2017. NCDB data showed that patients who were younger (≤59 years), privately insured, had fewer comorbidities, and underwent contralateral prophylactic mastectomy were more likely to undergo BR (all p<0.001). Over time, the increase in BR rates was higher among Black (252.3%) and Asian (366.4%) patients than White patients (137.3%). BR rates increased more among Medicaid (418.6%) and Medicare (302.8%) patients than privately insured (125.3%) patients. This analysis demonstrates stabilization in immediate BR rates over the last decade; reasons behind this stabilization are likely multifactorial. Disparities based on race and insurance type have decreased, with a more equitable distribution of BR rates.

Abstract 6464: Real-world evidence (RWE) presented at AACR annual meetings: A 10-year trend analysis

Abstract Introduction: RWE is increasingly used in the oncology community, particularly following the 2016 21st Century Cures Act. A recent analysis of RWE presented at ASCO reported a significant increase in relative frequency of RWE abstracts from 2011-2021[1]. We conducted a similar trend analysis of RWE presented at AACR and predictive factors associated with publication. Methods: EMBASE was queried for abstracts presented at AACR 2013-2022, using terms related to study designs and methodologies that employ use of RWE. Details on study design, location, data source, patient number, cancer site, analytical approach, endpoints, and presentation type (oral vs. poster) were extracted and analyzed. Searches in Google Scholar identified published manuscripts associated with each abstract. The Cochran-Armitage trend test and Monte-Carlo estimation of the exact test were used to detect trends over time; p-values are provided for descriptive purposes. Relative risk ratios were calculated to determine statistically significant predictors of publication. Results: Of 56,920 total abstracts presented at AACR from 2013-2022, 611 (1.1%) RWE abstracts were identified. The proportion of presented abstracts with RWE increased from 0.6% in 2013 to 2.0% in 2022 (p&amp;lt;0.001). Among the RWE abstracts, use of electronic medical record (2013: 0% vs. 2022: 9.3%; p=0.002) and genomics databases (i.e., GENIE) (2013: 0% vs. 2022: 8.3%; p=0.006) increased over time. While majority of RWE abstracts were presented as posters (95.9%), the proportion of oral presentations increased in the last decade (2013: 0.0% vs. 2022: 3.7%; p=0.005). Abstracts with sample sizes &amp;lt;500 decreased significantly over time (p=0.002); those with sample sizes 5,000-&amp;lt;50,000 increased significantly over time (p=0.001). The proportion of abstracts including multiple cancer sites (vs. single-site) increased from 5.1% in 2013 to 20.4% in 2022 (p&amp;lt;0.001). The most common cancer sites were lung, breast, and colorectal. Statistically significant factors associated with publishing an abstract into a manuscript included study sample size 500-&amp;lt;5,000 or ≥100,000, inferential statistics (vs. descriptive), propensity score matching, and effectiveness or disease burden endpoints.Conclusion: RWE studies presented at AACR increased in the recent decade, with more robust study designs, incorporation of novel clinico-genomic databases such as GENIE, and advanced analytical approaches. These findings suggest the value of RWE has been increasingly recognized by the oncology research community and that RWE is being used to provide critical insights and inform patient care. Given FDA’s recent guidance on RWE to support regulatory decision-making, this trend will likely continue. [1] Azad Fet al. Longitudinal trends of real-world evidence (RWE) reporting in oncology conferences: An 11-year ASCO Annual Meeting analysis. Citation Format: Jihong Zong, Lauren C. Bylsma, Orsolya Lunacsek, Jon Fryzek. Real-world evidence (RWE) presented at AACR annual meetings: A 10-year trend analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 6464.

Digital economy and institutional dynamics: striving for equitable public service in a digitally transformed era.

The rapid emergence of China's digital economy has sparked profound interest in the complex interplay between digitalization and the provision of public services. This study aims to delve deeper into how the development of the digital economy impacts the level of equalization in public service delivery and evaluates whether institutional factors can moderate this transformation. Against the backdrop of pursuing "common prosperity," this research provides valuable guidance for policymaking and strategic planning. It ensures that the ascent of the digital economy not only elevates the standards of public services but also fosters their equitable distribution, thereby advancing the cause of social equity. The study utilized the System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) model along with longitudinal trend data spanning from 2009 to 2018. This approach facilitated an in-depth analysis of the relationship between the digital economy and the level of equalization in public service delivery. The application of this model provided deeper insights into the impact of the digital economy on public service equalization and the identification of underlying mechanisms. This study reveals a complex paradox that the digital economy is exacerbating regional disparities in the provision of basic public services. Furthermore, the research underscores the pivotal role of institutional environments in mitigating the adverse effects of the digital economy on public service provision. By examining the interplay between digital economy growth and institutional frameworks, the study suggests that adaptable and robust institutions are essential for harnessing the digital economy's benefits while minimizing its potential drawbacks. In conclusion, the findings from this study offer substantial insights into the dual impact of the digital economy on public service provision, enriching the ongoing discourse on digital transformation and social equity. The research underscores the significance of strategic policy reforms and institutional adjustments to harness the transformative power of the digital economy, promoting equitable access to public services and advancing the goal of "common prosperity" in the digital age.

Childhood Overweight and Obesity During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

This cohort study analyzes the prevalence of overweight and obesity among preschool children in Sweden before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic and longitudinal trends in body mass index.

Reading cultures – Towards a clearer, more inclusive description

Background: This article describes how the National Reading Barometer project has redefined the concept of ‘reading culture’ in South Africa.Objectives: As expressed in the 2023 National Reading Survey (N = 4250) and the 2023 National Reading Barometer, a clearer description of reading cultures was developed to describe both individual reading practices (measured through the survey) and the national reading ecosystem (measured through the barometer).Method: We describe the survey and statistical tools developed to measure the new concept of reading cultures. This includes a survey questionnaire that introduced novel questions alongside established indicators. Reading is defined and measured through six distinct dimensions: reading purpose, habits, volume, depth, motivation, and identity. The expanded understanding of reading purpose includes reading for information, communication, and enjoyment. At an ecosystem level, the National Reading Barometer was applied to visualise data from the National Reading Survey and secondary data on reading ability, access to reading material, and enabling environmental indicators to provide a baseline for high-level longitudinal trends in the national reading environment.Results: The National Reading Barometer and National Reading Survey assisted to redefine the debate on reading cultures by providing evidence-based descriptions of varied reading cultures and situating these within the reading ecosystem.Conclusion: We conclude by proposing how this revised concept of reading cultures and the new tools for measuring impact may open research and policy advocacy opportunities in the literacy sector.Contribution: This article contributes a pluralistic, Afrocentric, and modernised understanding of reading cultures.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on longitudinal trends of surgical mortality and inpatient quality of care in Ontario, Canada.

Previous studies have shown the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with reductions in volume across a spectrum of non-SARS-CoV-2 hospitalizations. In the present study, we examine the impact of the pandemic on patient safety and quality of care. This is a retrospective population-based study of discharge abstracts. We applied a set of nationally validated indicators for measuring the quality of inpatient care to hospitalizations in Ontario, Canada between January 2010 and December 2022. We measured 90-day mortality after selected types of higher risk admissions (such as cancer surgery and cardiovascular emergency) and the rate of patient harm events (such as delirium, pressure injuries and hospital-acquired infections) occurring during the hospital stay. A total 13,876,377 hospitalization episodes were captured. Compared with the pre-pandemic period, and independent of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the pandemic period was associated with higher rates of mortality after bladder cancer resection (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 1.20 (1.07-1.34)) and open repair for abdominal aortic aneurysm (aRR 1.45 (1.06-1.99)). The pandemic was also associated with higher rates of delirium (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.04 (1.02-1.06)), venous thromboembolism (aOR 1.10 (1.06-1.13)), pressure injuries (aOR 1.28 (1.24-1.33)), aspiration pneumonitis (aOR 1.15 (1.12-1.18)), urinary tract infections (aOR 1.02 (1.01-1.04)), Clostridiodes difficile infection (aOR 1.05 (1.02-1.09)), pneumothorax (aOR 1.08 (1.03-1.13)), and use of restraints (aOR 1.12 (1.10-1.14)), but was associated with lower rates of viral gastroenteritis (aOR 0.22 (0.18-0.28)). During the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2-positive admissions were associated with a higher likelihood of various harm events. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with higher rates of patient harm for a wide range of non-SARS-CoV-2 inpatient populations. Understanding which quality measures are improving or deteriorating can help health systems prioritize quality improvement initiatives. No patient or public contribution.

Micro-environmental personal radio-frequency electromagnetic field exposures in Melbourne: A longitudinal trend analysis

BackgroundA knowledge gap exists regarding longitudinal assessment of personal radio-frequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposures globally. It is unclear how the change in telecommunication technology over the years translates to change in RF-EMF exposure. This study aims to evaluate longitudinal trends of micro-environmental personal RF-EMF exposures in Australia. MethodsThe study utilised baseline (2015-16) and follow-up (2022) data on personal RF-EMF exposure (88 MHz-6 GHz) measured across 18 micro-environments in Melbourne. Simultaneous quantile regression analysis was conducted to compare exposure data distribution percentiles, particularly median (P50), upper extreme value (P99) and overall exposure trends. RF-EMF exposures were compared across six exposure source types: mobile downlink, mobile uplink, broadcast, 5G-New Radio, Others and Total (of the aforementioned sources). Frequency-specific exposures measured at baseline and follow-up were compared. Total exposure across different groups of micro-environment types were also compared. ResultsFor all micro-environmental data, total (median and P99) exposure levels did not significantly change at follow-up. Overall exposure trend of total exposure increased at follow-up. Mobile downlink contributed the highest exposure among all sources showing an increase in median exposure and overall exposure trend. Of seven micro-environment types, five of them showed total exposure levels (median and P99) and overall exposure trend increased at follow-up.

Public perceptions of synthetic cooling agents in electronic cigarettes on Twitter.

Amid a potential menthol ban, electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) companies are incorporating synthetic cooling agents like WS-3 and WS-23 to replicate menthol/mint sensations. This study examines public views on synthetic cooling agents in e-cigarettes via Twitter data. From May 2021 to March 2023, we used Twitter Streaming Application Programming Interface (API), to collect tweets related to synthetic cooling agents with keywords such as 'WS-23,' 'ice,' and 'frozen.' The deep learning RoBERTa (Robustly Optimized BERT-Pretraining Approach) model that can be optimized for contextual language understanding was used to classify attitudes expressed in tweets about synthetic cooling agents and identify e-cigarette users. The BERTopic (a topic modeling technique that leverages Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) deep-learning model, specializing in extracting and clustering topics from large texts, identified major topics of positive and negative tweets. Two proportion Z-tests were used to compare the proportions of positive and negative attitudes between e-cigarette users (vapers) and non-e-cigarette-users (non-vapers). Of 6,940,065 e-cigarettes-related tweets, 5,788 were non-commercial tweets related to synthetic cooling agents. The longitudinal trend analysis showed a clear upward trend in discussions. Vapers posted most of the tweets (73.05%, 4,228/5,788). Nearly half (47.87%, 2,771/5,788) held a positive attitude toward synthetic cooling agents, which is significantly higher than those with a negative attitude (19.92%,1,153/5,788) with a P-value < 0.0001. The likelihood of vapers expressing positive attitudes (60.17%, 2,544/4,228) was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than that of non-vapers (14.55%, 227/1,560). Conversely, negative attitudes from non-vapers (30%, 468/1,560) were significantly (P < 0.0001) higher than vapers (16.2%, 685/4,228). Prevalent topics from positive tweets included "enjoyment of specific vape flavors," "preference for lush ice vapes," and "liking of minty/icy feelings." Major topics from negative tweets included "disliking certain vape flavors" and "dislike of others vaping around them." On Twitter, vapers are more likely to have a positive attitude toward synthetic cooling agents than non-vapers. Our study provides important insights into how the public perceives synthetic cooling agents in e-cigarettes. These insights are crucial for shaping future U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations aimed at safeguarding public health.

Routine evaluation of HBV-specific T cell reactivity in chronic hepatitis B using a broad-spectrum T-cell epitope peptide library and ELISpot assay

BackgroundThe clinical routine test of HBV-specific T cell reactivity is still limited due to the high polymorphisms of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) in patient cohort and the lack of universal detection kit, thus the clinical implication remains disputed.MethodsA broad-spectrum peptide library, which consists of 103 functionally validated CD8+ T-cell epitopes spanning overall HBsAg, HBeAg, HBx and HBpol proteins and fits to the HLA polymorphisms of Chinese and Northeast Asian populations, was grouped into eight peptide pools and was used to establish an ELISpot assay for enumerating the reactive HBV-specific T cells in PBMCs. Totally 294 HBV-infected patients including 203 ones with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 13 ones in acute resolved stage (R), 52 ones with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 26 ones with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were detected, and 33 CHB patients were longitudinally monitored for 3 times with an interval of 3–5 months.ResultsThe numbers of reactive HBV-specific T cells were significantly correlated with ALT level, HBsAg level, and disease stage (R, CHB, LC and HCC), and R patients displayed the strongest HBV-specific T cell reactivity while CHB patients showed the weakest one. For 203 CHB patients, the numbers of reactive HBV-specific T cells presented a significantly declined trend when the serum viral DNA load, HBsAg, HBeAg or ALT level gradually increased, but only a very low negative correlation coefficient was defined (r = − 0.21, − 0.21, − 0.27, − 0.079, respectively). Different Nucleotide Analogs (NUCs) did not bring difference on HBV-specific T cell reactivity in the same duration of treatment. NUCs/pegIFN-α combination led to much more reactive HBV-specific T cells than NUCs monotherapy. The dynamic numbers of reactive HBV-specific T cells were obviously increasing in most CHB patients undergoing routine treatment, and the longitudinal trend possess a high predictive power for the hepatitis progression 6 or 12 months later.ConclusionThe presented method could be developed into an efficient reference method for the clinical evaluation of cellular immunity. The CHB patients presenting low reactivity of HBV-specific T cells have a worse prognosis for hepatitis progression and should be treated using pegIFN-α to improve host T-cell immunity.