Multiple Groups Research Articles

Copper‐Catalyzed C4‐selective Carboxylation of Pyridines with CO2 via Pyridylphosphonium Salts

AbstractPyridine motifs are widespread pharmacophores in many drugs. Installing various substituents through pyridine C−H bond functionalization is significant for new drug design and discovery. Developments of late‐stage functionalization reactions enrich the strategies for selective functionalization of pyridines. However, late‐stage C−H carboxylation of pyridines is a long‐standing challenge, especially selectively carboxylation with CO2 on pyridine motifs. Herein, we describe a practical method for C4−H carboxylation of pyridines via one‐pot C−H phosphination and copper‐catalyzed carboxylation of the resulted phosphonium salts with CO2. The reaction is conducted under mild conditions and compatible with multiple active groups and several pyridine drugs, providing diverse valuable isonicotinic acid compounds, demonstrating the application potential of this strategy.

Exploring users’ adoption intention of virtual try-on apps: how users’ individual characteristics affect post-use feelings

PurposeTo gain a deeper understanding of the determinants impacting the intention of Chinese young consumers to utilize virtual try-on apps (VTOs), this study adopts a modified version of the electronic technology acceptance model (e-TAM). The primary objective is to investigate how consumers' characteristics influence their post-use feelings, subsequently affecting their attitude towards VTOs and their intention to use them. Additionally, this research aims to explore potential gender differences within this process.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, a sample of 243 college students from a university in China was recruited to participate in on-site software use. A total of 227 valid questionnaires were collected and used for data analysis. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to empirically evaluate the data and test the research hypotheses. Additionally, multiple group comparisons were conducted based on gender to examine potential differences in the acceptance process.FindingsThe findings of this study reveal a significant association between users' individual characteristics and post-use feelings. Moreover, there are notable differences between male and female students in terms of their perceptions of innovativeness, knowledge and understanding regarding post-use feelings. Notably, four variables within post-use feelings, except for perceived compatibility, are found to be predictive of attitude towards VTOs. Additionally, it is observed that attitude towards VTOs directly influences users' intention to utilize them.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the research on consumers' intention to use VTOs by examining the antecedents of post-use feelings, specifically four consumers’ individual characteristics. The findings of this study offer managerial insights for professionals to formulate marketing positioning and communication strategies.

Çocukların Ağız Alışkanlıklarına İlişkin Ebeveyn Farkındalık ve Bilgi Düzeyinin Değerlendirilmesi: Bir Anket Çalışması

Objective: This study aims to determine parents' awareness of malocclusions that may arise from oral habits in their children and the relationship of this awareness with the sociodemographic characteristics of the family. Materials and Methods: The questionnaire consisting of 16 questions was applied to 501 parents who were referred to the pediatric dentistry clinic. The questionnaire consisted of questions about the sociodemographic characteristics of the parents, their level of knowledge about oral habits and the way they accessed information. The questionnaire was created by editing Melo et al.'s questionnaire, it was modified in Turkish according to the Turkish cultural structure. Eight questions included in the scoring. The correct answer score for each question was “1”. Comparisons in paired groups were performed with two independent samples t-test, in multiple groups were made with the ANOVA test. Duncan's multiple comparison(post-hoc) test was used in order to determine the groups with a difference. Results: A significant difference was found between the education level of the parents and the correct answer score(4.9point) of oral habit(p<0.05). It has been determined that parents don’t have adequate information about oral habits. Parents are more knowledgeable about the possible effects of pacifier use(64.1%) in oral habits than other habits. In current study, there is a lack of knowledge about bottle use, clenching, and mouth breathing. 50.7% of the parents were not informed about oral habits before. Conclusions: Lack of knowledge of parents on oral habits will lead to the need for long and costly orthodontic treatment in the future. Therefore, parent education should be provided during the examinations made by pediatric dentists and pediatricians. It would be beneficial to add this information training to routine public health programs.

Fair concordance between Google Trends and Danish ornithologists in the assessment of temporal trends in Danish bird populations highlights the informational value of big data

The ongoing depletion of natural systems and associated biodiversity decline is of growing international concern. Climate change is expected to exacerbate anthropogenic impacts on wild populations. The scale of impact on ecosystems and ecosystem services will be determined by the impact on a multitude of species and functional groups, which due to their biology and numbers are difficult to monitor. The IPCC has argued that surveillance or monitoring is critical and proposed that monitoring systems should be developed, which not only track developments but also function as “early warning systems.” Human populations are already generating large continuous datasets on multiple taxonomic groups through internet searches. These time series could in principle add substantially to current monitoring if they reflect true changes in the natural world. We here examined whether information on internet search frequencies delivered by the Danish population and captured by Google Trends (GT) appropriately informs on population trends in 106 common Danish bird species. We compared the internet search activity with independent equivalent population trend assessments from the Danish Ornithological Society (BirdLife Denmark/DOF). We find a fair concordance between the GT trends and the assessments by DOF. A substantial agreement can be obtained by omitting species without clear temporal trends. Our findings suggest that population trend proxies from internet search frequencies can be used to supplement existing wildlife population monitoring and to ask questions about an array of ecological phenomena, which potentially can be integrated into an early warning system for biodiversity under climate change.

Perioperative Insulin Pump Therapy Decreases Readmission Risk and Improves Outcomes in Patients with Diabetes.

To evaluate the impact of temporary insulin pump use during hospitalization on glycemia, postoperative complications, and cost/utilization in perioperative patients with diabetes. Patients (n=159) with type 2 diabetes and hospitalized for elective surgery were recruited from three hospitals. Subjects were categorized into the insulin pump group and the multiple daily subcutaneous insulin injection group according to their treatment therapy. Data were collected at admission, discharge, and 3 months post-discharge. Subjects in the CSII group who were still on insulin therapy transitioned from CSII to MDII; however, their daily insulin dosages were lower than those in the MDII group (15.31±10.98 U/d vs. 23.48±17.02 U/d, P=0.015) after discharge. In terms of medical costs, the CSII group had significantly higher hospitalization costs than the MDII group (112.36±103.43 thousand RMB vs. 82.65±77.98 thousand RMB, P=0.043). After 3 months, the CSII group had significantly lower outpatient costs than the MDII group (3.17±0.94 thousand RMB vs. 3.98±1.76 thousand RMB, P ˂ 0.001). In the MDII group, 10 patients reported severe postoperative complications requiring re-hospitalization; there were no similar reports in the CSII group. Temporary use of insulin pump therapy for perioperative patients with diabetes results in a reduction in blood glucose and blood glucose fluctuation during hospitalization, HbA1c, and the risk of postoperative complication and readmission, thus significantly decreasing costs in this complex patient cohort. Further work is needed to better understand indications for utilizing pump therapy based on diabetes phenotype and the complexity of planned surgical intervention.

Risk assessment of psychiatric complications in infectious diseases: CALCulation of prognostic indices on example of COVID-19.

Factors such as coronavirus neurotropism, which is associated with a massive increase in pro-inflammatory molecules and neuroglial reactivity, along with experiences of intensive therapy wards, fears of pandemic, and social restrictions, are pointed out to contribute to the occurrence of neuropsychiatric conditions. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of COVID-19 inflammation-related indices as potential markers predicting psychiatric complications in COVID-19. A total of 177 individuals were examined, with 117 patients from a temporary infectious disease ward hospitalized due to COVID-19 forming the experimental group and 60 patients from the outpatient department showing signs of acute respiratory viral infection comprising the validation group. The PLR index (platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio) and the CALC index (comorbidity + age + lymphocyte + C-reactive protein) were calculated. Present State Examination 10, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment were used to assess psychopathology in the sample. Regression and Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, establishment of cutoff values for the COVID-19 prognosis indices, contingency tables, and comparison of means were used. The presence of multiple concurrent groups of psychopathological symptoms in the experimental group was associated (R² = 0.28, F = 5.63, p < 0.001) with a decrease in the PLR index and a simultaneous increase in CALC. The Area Under Curve (AUC) for the cutoff value of PLR was 0.384 (unsatisfactory). For CALC, the cutoff value associated with an increased risk of more psychopathological domains was seven points (sensitivity = 79.0%, specificity = 69.4%, AUC = 0.719). Those with CALC > 7 were more likely to have disturbances in orientation (χ² = 13.6; p < 0.001), thinking (χ² = 7.07; p = 0.008), planning ability (χ² = 3.91; p = 0.048). In the validation group, an association (R²McF = 0.0775; p = 0.041) between CALC values exceeding seven points and the concurrent presence of pronounced anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairments was demonstrated (OR = 1.52; p = 0.038; AUC = 0.66). In patients with COVID-19, the CALC index may be used for the risk assessment of primary developed mental disturbances in the context of the underlying disease with a diagnostic threshold of seven points.

ROS/MMP-9 mediated CS degradation in BMSC inhibits citric acid metabolism participating in the dual regulation of bone remodelling

It is necessary to figure out the abnormal energy metabolites at the cellular level of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) bone microenvironment. In this study, we constructed PMOP model by ovariectomy and identified 9 differential metabolites compared with control femur by energy metabolomic. The enrichment analysis of differential metabolites revealed that tricarboxylic acid cycle, glucagon pathway and purinergic signaling pathway were the main abnormal metabolic processes. Citric acid was identified as the key metabolite by constructing compound reaction–enzyme–gene network. The functional annotation of citric acid targets identified by network pharmacological tools indicated that matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) may be involved in regulating citric acid metabolism in the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC). Molecular docking shows that the interaction forces between MMP-9 and citric acid synthase (CS) is −638, and there are multiple groups of residues used to form hydrogen bonds. Exogenous H2O2 promotes the expression of MMP-9 in BMSC to further degrade CS resulting in a decrease in mitochondrial citric acid synthesis, which leads to the disorder of bone remodeling by two underlying mechanisms ((1) the decreased histone acetylation inhibits the osteogenic differentiation potential of BMSC; (2) the decreased bone mineralization by citric acid deposition). MMP-9-specific inhibitor (MMP-9-IN-1) could significantly improve the amount of CS in BMSC to promote cellular citric acid synthesis, and further enhance bone remodeling. These findings suggest inhibiting the degradation of CS by MMP-9 to promote the net production of citric acid in osteogenic differentiation of BMSC may be a new direction of PMOP research.

Pairing relations within CO3 chondrites recovered at the Dominion Range and Miller Range, Transantarctic mountains: Constraints from chondrule olivines, noble gas, and H, C, N bulk and isotopic compositions

AbstractThe Dominion Range (DOM) and Miller Range (MIL) dense collection areas (DCAs) have yielded more than 20 and 200 CO3 chondrites (carbonaceous chondrites of the Ornans chemical group), respectively, over multiple field seasons. Several samples have exhibited primitive characteristics and have been the focus of interest. With so many CO3s recovered from this area, a natural question is if there are multiple pairing groups (where pairing refers to two or more meteorites that are part of a single fall) and if there is additional primitive material that would interest the meteorite community. This comprehensive study looks at all samples using several approaches: field and macroscopic observations; magnetic susceptibility; Cr in ferroan olivine; bulk elemental and isotopic analysis of H, C, N, and noble gas analyses to determine cosmic ray exposure (CRE) ages. Magnetic susceptibilities (measured as logχ) for all samples correlate with their type II (i.e., FeO‐rich) olivine Cr contents, with the most primitive CO3s (3.00) have logχ values near 5, while the higher grade CO3s have logχ values as low as 4.17. Altogether, there appear to be two distinct CO3 pairing groups and five other unpaired CO3s recovered at the Dominion Range: (a) the main DOM 08004 pairing group (16 specimens with a CRE age of 10–16 Ma), (b) the DOM 08006 group (2 specimens incl. DOM 10847 with a CRE age of 25 Ma), (c) DOM 14359 with a CRE age of 6 Ma, (d) DOM 18070 with a CRE age of 8 Ma (these two samples have similar ages but distinct trapped 20Ne contents), (e) DOM 10900 with a CRE age of 5.5 Ma, (f) DOM 18286 (with a CRE age of ~59 Ma), and (g) DOM 19034 (with a CRE age of ~43 Ma). There are three distinct age groupings of 3.00–3.05 COs, highlighting the diverse pristine CO3 materials present in the DOM area. There is one large MIL pairing group (MIL 07099; n = 199; 9–14 Ma CRE age where measured) and one smaller pairing group with distinctly lower Cr2O3 in type II olivines (8 samples of unknown CRE age), and five unpaired or unique CO3s. Notably, the large DOM and MIL pairing groups have 9–16 Ma exposure ages that could have been delivered in a single large fall event spanning ~200 km, two separate falls that were ejection paired, or two separate falls from two separate ejections. Finally, we recommend reclassifying several CO3 to CM2 based on new data and that from previous studies.

PET-scan in diagnosis of non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis: a case report

BackgroundNon-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE), also known as marantic endocarditis or Libman–Sacks endocarditis, is a rare non-infectious condition affecting mostly the left-sided heart valves of patients who, most often, suffer from malignancies and connective tissue disorders. Herein, we present a case of a male patient with marantic endocarditis due to occult lung adenocarcinoma.Case presentationThe patient fulfilled the modified Duke’s criteria of possible bacterial endocarditis of the aortic valve; however, multiple blood cultures and serological tests were negative. In addition, the patient’s clinical course was constantly deteriorating. Thus, a fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan was conducted. This examination revealed multiple positive thoracic lymph node groups, as well as a positive lung lesion. The patient underwent aortic valve replacement and lymph biopsies during the operation established the diagnosis of solid/micropapillary lung adenocarcinoma and consequently of the non-bacterial thrombotic endocarditis.ConclusionsAdvanced imaging techniques may be needed to diagnose NBTE and should be kept in mind when the Duke criteria are not definite. Clinical suspicion is key to implement these premises. However, the exact role of the PET-scan has yet to be specified.

Complex geohistory of continental islands advanced allopatric evolution even for the highly dispersive generalist red fox (Vulpes vulpes): multiple phylogenetic groups in the Japanese Archipelago

Abstract The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) plays a key role as an apex-generalist predator in terrestrial ecosystems. We estimated the phylogeographic structure, time to most recent common ancestor (tMRCA), and demographic dynamics based on the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b gene and partial D-loop region sequences of 182 red foxes in the Japanese Archipelago, and discussed the geohistory and biotic interactions that influenced them. The Hondo red fox (Vulpes vulpes japonica), distributed on Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu islands, was supported as a monophyletic group. The tMRCA of the Hondo clade was ~0.148 (95% highest posterior density: 0.236–0.080) Ma. The Hondo clade diverged into two subclades, and each was roughly distributed on the eastern or western area of the Japanese Archipelago. The effective population size of the Hondo red fox remained nearly constant until ~0.03–0.02 Ma; thereafter, it grew ~10-fold. The Kita red fox (Vulpes vulpes schrencki) distributed on Hokkaido Island formed a polyphyletic group, not including the Hondo clade. The completely different phylogenetic structures of the Hondo and Kita red fox indicate that they have independent evolutionary backgrounds. These findings provide crucial insights into the formation mechanisms of diversity and endemism of mammals on continental islands.

The Future of Public Service and Strategy Management-at-Scale

Increasingly, government agencies and non-profit organisations are called on to address challenges that go well beyond any individual organisation’s boundaries and direct control. Strategic management for single organisations cannot respond effectively to these crossboundary, cross-level, and often cross-sector challenges. Instead, a new approach called strategy management-at-scale is required. This article compares strategic management with strategy managementat-scale. It responds to the question, what does strategy managementat-scale look like, and what seems to contribute to its success? The new approach helps foster – but hardly guarantees – direction, alignment and commitment among the multiple organisations and groups needed to make headway against the challenge.

Multiple regression and group method of data handling-based models for predicting arsenic concentration in sedimentary phosphate rock

Multiple regression and group method of data handling-based models for predicting arsenic concentration in sedimentary phosphate rock

Optimization of Chitosan - MIL-101(Fe) - Polyethyleneimine MOF-Based Composite Beads for Methyl Orange Removal

Metal-Organic Framework (MOF)-based composite beads consisting of MIL-101(Fe), Chitosan (CS), and Polyethyleneimine (PEI) crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (GLA) were synthesized. Response Surface Methodology was used to optimize the synthesis conditions of the beads to maximize Methyl Orange (MO) removal via batch adsorption experiments. Using an experimental design with three independent variables MIL-101(Fe) (500-1500 ppm), PEI (1-2%), GLA (0.5-2.5%), a second-order polynomial model was obtained to relate MO removal and these variables. A high R2 (0.9944) and F-value (176.97) suggested good agreement between experimental data and the model. The optimum beads were found to consist of 500 ppm MIL-101 (Fe), 1.44% PEI, crosslinked in 2.11% GLA corresponding to a percent MO removal of 95.75%. Validation experiments done by subjecting the optimized beads to batch adsorption of MO confirmed good predicting capability of the model with an experimental MO removal of 96.20%. Characterization of the beads was performed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The beads were found to contain multiple functional groups and have a coarse surface with a porous structure which are ideal attributes for good adsorbents.the beads was performed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The beads were found to contain multiple functional groups and have a coarse surface with a porous structure which are ideal attributes for good adsorbents.

Speckle noise suppression method in a holographic display based on pixel processing.

In this paper, we propose a method to suppress the speckle noise in a holographic display based on pixel processing. Through the separation of object pixels in space, the recorded object is divided into multiple object point groups. The complex amplitude of the light field for each object point group is recorded as a sub-computer-generated hologram (sub-CGH). The phase of each pixel on a sub-CGH is optimized to generate the final sub-CGH. Therefore, the pixels of the recorded object and sub-CGH are processed. In the reconstruction process, the final sub-CGHs are loaded on the spatial light modulator sequentially. The speckle noise of the reconstructed image is suppressed by reducing the algorithm error and the overlapping area of adjacent image points. The experimental results prove the feasibility of the proposed method.

SnO2-Perovskite Interface Engineering Based on Bifacial Passivation via Multifunctional N-(2-Acetamido)-2-aminoethanesulfonic Acid toward Efficient and Stable Solar Cells.

Bifacial passivation on both electron transport materials and perovskite light-absorbing layers as a straightforward technique is used for gaining efficient and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs). To develop this strategy, organic molecules containing multiple functional groups can maximize the effect of defect suppression. Based on this, we introduce N-(2-acetamido)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (ACES) at the interface between tin oxide (SnO2) and perovskite. The synergistic effect of multiple functional groups in ACES, including amino, carbonyl (C═O), and sulfonic acid (S═O) groups, promotes charge extraction of SnO2 and provides an improved energy level alignment for charge transfer. Furthermore, S═O in ACES effectively passivates the defects of uncoordinated Pb2+ in perovskite films, resulting in enhanced crystallinity and decreased nonradiative recombination at the buried interface. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of related PSCs increases from 20.21% to 22.65% with reduced J-V hysteresis after interface modification with ACES. Notably, upon being stored at a low relative humidity of 40 ± 5% over 2000 h and high relative humidity of 80 ± 5% over 1000 h, the unencapsulated ACES-modified device retains up to 90% and 80% of their initial PCE, respectively. This study deepens defect passivation engineering on the buried interface of perovskites for realizing efficient and stable solar cells.

Pretreatment level of serum sialic acid predicts both qualitative and quantitative bone metastases of prostate cancer.

Recently, serum sialic acid (SA) has emerged as a distinct prognostic marker for prostate cancer (PCa) and bone metastases, warranting differential treatment and prognosis for low-volume (LVD) and high-volume disease (HVD). In clinical settings, evaluating bone metastases can prove advantageous. We aimed to establish the correlation between SA and both bone metastasis and HVD in newly diagnosed PCa patients. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 1202 patients who received a new diagnosis of PCa between November 2014 and February 2021. We compared pretreatment SA levels across multiple groups and investigated the associations between SA levels and the clinical parameters of patients. Additionally, we compared the differences between HVD and LVD. We utilized several statistical methods, including the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman correlation, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and logistic regression. The results indicate that SA may serve as a predictor of bone metastasis in patients with HVD. ROC curve analysis revealed a cut-off value of 56.15 mg/dL with an area under the curve of 0.767 (95% CI: 0.703-0.832, P < 0.001) for bone metastasis versus without bone metastasis and a cut-off value of 65.80 mg/dL with an area under the curve of 0.766 (95% CI: 0.644-0.888, P = 0.003) for HVD versus LVD. Notably, PCa patients with bone metastases exhibited significantly higher SA levels than those without bone metastases, and HVD patients had higher SA levels than LVD patients. In comparison to the non-metastatic and LVD cohorts, the cohort with HVD exhibited higher levels of alkaline phosphatase (AKP) (median, 122.00 U/L), fibrinogen (FIB) (median, 3.63 g/L), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (median, 215.70 ng/mL), as well as higher Gleason scores (> 7). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that an SA level of > 56.15 mg/dL was independently associated with the presence of bone metastases in PCa patients (OR = 2.966, P = 0.018), while an SA level of > 65.80 mg/dL was independently associated with HVD (OR = 1.194, P = 0.048). The pretreatment serum SA level is positively correlated with the presence of bone metastases.

The Preparation of Acryloxyl Group Functionalized Siloxane Polymers and the Study of Their Ultra Violet Curing Properties.

Polysiloxane with multiple acryloxyl groups at the terminal site of the polymer chain was synthesized by the condensation reaction between hydroxyl-terminated polysiloxane and acryloyl chloride and used to improve the cross-linking density of UV-curable silicone materials initiated from dual acryloxy-terminated symmetric polysiloxane or single acryloxy-terminated asymmetric polysiloxane with the mixture of Irgacure 1173 and Irgacure 184 at a mass ratio of 1:1 as the photoinitiator. The effects of factors such as initiator composition, UV irradiation time, structure, and molecular weight of linear dual acryloxy-terminated or single acryloxy-terminated asymmetric siloxane oligomers on the gelation yield, thermal properties, water absorption, and water contact angle of UV-cured film were investigated. The synthesized cross-linking density modifier can be copolymerized with acryloxy-functionalized linear polysiloxanes under the action of a photoinitiator to increase the cross-link density of UV-cured products effectively. Both linear dual acryloxy-terminated or single acryloxy-terminated asymmetric siloxane oligomers can be copolymerized with cross-link density modifiers within 20 s of UV irradiation. The gelation yields of the UV-cured products obtained from the dual acryloxy-terminated siloxane oligomers were greater than 85%, and their surface water contact angles increased from 72.8° to 95.9° as the molecular weight of the oligomers increased. The gelation yields of UV-cured products obtained from single acryloxy-terminated asymmetric siloxane oligomers were less than 80%, and their thermal stabilities were inferior to those obtained from the dual acryloxy-terminated siloxane oligomers. However, the water contact angles of UV-cured products obtained from these single acryloxy-terminated asymmetric siloxane oligomers were all greater than 90°.

New National and International Processes of Human Dimensions of the Environmental Rights

Due to activities such as illegal deforestation, production of chemicals and plastics, exploitation of fossil fuels, and other large-scale extractive activities, businesses operating in the global economy routinely compromise human rights to have a healthy, clean, and sustainable environment. This human right was recognized by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2021 and it includes fundamental rights related to clean air, safe climate, access to safe water and adequate sanitation, healthy and sustainable food production, informal environments for living and working, studying and playing, and biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem. By jeopardizing this human right related to nature, life, health, livelihood, and sustainable development, business activists threaten the life prospects of billions of people. The most vulnerable beneficiaries affected by commercial activities such as children, women, indigenous peoples, local communities, farmers, people with disabilities, and especially those whose identity exists in multiple vulnerable groups usually face the most difficult barriers, including financial, language, information barriers, social labeling associated with human rights violations, lack of access to legal representation, and corruption of law enforcement officials, to adopt effective solutions. When victims in countries with limited law enforcement and economic capacity face corruption and other weaknesses in the rule of law, and when justice must be served through transnational legal actions that are beyond the capacity of most human rights victims, solutions effectively are particularly elusive.

Exploration of PCL-5 symptom validity indices for detection of exaggerated and feigned PTSD

ABSTRACT Introduction There are very few symptom validity indices directly examining overreported posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology, and, until recently, there were no symptom validity indices embedded within the PTSD Checklist for the DSM-5 (PCL-5), which is one of the most commonly used PTSD measures. Given this, the current study sought to develop and cross-validate symptom validity indices for the PCL-5. Method Multiple criterion groups comprised of Veteran patients were utilized (N = 210). Patients were determined to be valid or invalid responders based on Personality Asessment Inventory symptom validity indices. Three PCL-5 symptom validity indices were then examined: the PCL-5 Symptom Severity scale (PSS), the PCL-5 Extreme Symptom scale (PES), and the PCL-5 Rare Items scale (PRI). Results Area under the curve statistics ranged from .78 to .85. The PSS and PES both met classification accuracy statistic goals, with the PES achieving the highest sensitivity rate (.39) when maintaining specificity at .90 or above across all criterion groups. When an ad hoc analysis was performed, which included only patients with exceptionally strong evidence of invalidity, sensitivity rates increased to .60 for the PES while maintaining specificity at .90. Conclusions These findings provide preliminary support for new PTSD symptom validity indices embedded within one of the most frequently used PTSD measures.

Characterizing research partnerships in child health research: A scoping review.

Research partnerships between researchers and knowledge users (KUs) in child health are understudied. This study examined the scope of KU engagement reported in published child health research, inclusive of health research partnership approaches and KU groups. Search strategies were developed by a health research librarian. Studies had to be in English, published since 2007, and were not excluded based on design. A two-step, multiple-person hybrid screening approach was used for study inclusion. Data on study and engagement characteristics, barriers and facilitators, and effects were extracted by one reviewer, with 10% verified by a second reviewer. Three hundred fifteen articles were included, with 243 (77.1%) published between 2019 and 2021. Community-based participatory research was the most common approach used (n = 122, 38.3%). Most studies (n = 235, 74.6%) engaged multiple KU groups (range 1-11), with children/youth, healthcare professionals, and parents/families being most frequently engaged. Reporting of barriers and facilitators and effects were variable, reported in 170 (53.8%) and 197 (62.5%) studies, respectively. Publications have increased exponentially over time. There is ongoing need to optimize evaluation and reporting consistency to facilitate growth in the field. Additional studies are needed to further our understanding of research partnerships in child health.