Negative Interaction Effect Research Articles

Influence of perceived impostorism on self-esteem and anxiety among University Nursing Students: Recommendations to implement mentorship program

ABSTRACT Background: The imposter phenomenon (IP) involves feelings of intellectual fraudulence and phoniness in challenging new roles. IP feelings are associated with low self-esteem and anxiety in nursing students, especially during transition or early stages of nursing training. This research aims to find out the prevalence of IP and its relation with self-esteem and anxiety among nursing undergraduates. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional survey randomly selected nursing students from the six established nursing institutions in Uttarakhand state. Three hundred eight (n = 308) participants completed the survey questionnaires, which included a structured socio-demographic sheet, the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), the Generalized Anxiety Scale-7 (GAS-7), and the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSES). Appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics were used to generate the results. Results: The mean age of the students was 20.93 (SD = 1.09) years. The mean CIPS score was 58.57 (SD = 10.69). Frequent to intense feelings of impostorism were reported by 43.4%, and 51.3% reported at least moderate IP feelings. Further, second-year students than third year, on average, significantly reported higher scores on imposter phenomenon (P < 0.001), anxiety (P = 0.006), and lower scores on self-esteem (P = 0.018). As predicted, CIPS scores correlated positively with GAS-7 (r = -.340, P < 0.01) and negatively with RSES (r = -.307, P < 0.01). A multiple regression model predicting the imposter phenomenon with self-esteem demonstrated a negative main effect of self-esteem (P < 0.001) and significant two-way interaction. Conclusions: A higher proportion of the students reported feelings of imposter phenomenon. Low self-esteem was reported as a strong predictor of IP. Institutional strategies such as mentorship, supervised education, and early screening of psychological issues could be preventive and promotive strategies. Future research is recommended to identify the cause of poor IP in students.

Topological interface states in solid/liquid phononic crystal waveguides and sensing applications

Topologically protected states in phononic crystals provide a new avenue to design robust acoustic devices as they are immune to structural imperfections or defects. In this work, the topological characteristics of solid/liquid phononic waveguides are investigated numerically using the finite element approach. Both the topologically trivial and non-trivial phononic crystals can be obtained by varying their geometry and hence are used for the construction of the phononic crystal structure that possesses the topological interface state. Furthermore, the wave barriers are designed by using another kind of PCs with a complete band gap, which can reduce the negative effect of acousto-structural interaction at the waveguide boundaries. The topological interface state is employed for the detection of sound velocity of the mixtures of water and 1-propanol. Importantly, the sensing quantities of the topological phononic crystal sensor are robust against introduced structural perturbations.

Cheatgrass alters flammability of native perennial grasses in laboratory combustion experiments

Abstract Background The invasive annual grass cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) increases fuel continuity, alters patterns of fire spread, and changes plant communities in sagebrush shrublands of the Great Basin (USA) and adjacent sagebrush steppe, but no studies have contrasted its flammability to native perennial grasses. Understanding cheatgrass flammability is crucial for predicting fire behavior, informing management decisions, and assessing fire risk in invaded areas. This study aimed to determine the flammability of cheatgrass compared to two native perennial grasses (Columbia needlegrass [Achnatherum nelsonii] and bluebunch wheatgrass [Pseudoroegneria spicata]) across a range of fuel moistures. Results All three grass species had decreased flammability with increasing fuel moisture. Columbia needlegrass averaged 11% lower mass consumption than cheatgrass, and bluebunch wheatgrass had longer flaming duration and higher maximum temperatures than cheatgrass and Columbia needlegrass. The addition of cheatgrass to each perennial grass increased combined mass consumption, flaming duration, and flame heights. For these three attributes, the impact differed by the amount of cheatgrass in the mixture. Maximum and mean temperatures during perennial grass combustion were similar with and without cheatgrass addition. Some attributes of Columbia needlegrass flammability when burned with cheatgrass were higher than expected based on the flammability of each species, suggesting that Columbia needlegrass may be susceptible to pre-heating from combustion of cheatgrass. Conversely, the flammability of bluebunch wheatgrass and cheatgrass together had both positive and negative interactive effects, suggesting the impact on joint flammability from cheatgrass differs by perennial grass species. Conclusions This study provides experimental evidence supporting previous qualitative observations of cheatgrass flammability. Cheatgrass increased perennial grass sustainability and consumption, suggesting that cheatgrass poses a significant fire threat to native grasses regardless of moisture content. The study provides species-specific insights into flammability, which could be used to inform efforts to prevent or mitigate cheatgrass-induced wildfires.

Negative Social Exchanges are Associated With More Severe Depressive Symptoms Above and Beyond the Effects of Positive Social Exchanges in Male U.S. Service Members and Veterans.

Risk for depression is heightened among male service members/veterans relative to civilians. Research suggests social support protects service members/veterans from depressive symptoms, but most studies focus on positive social support. Negative social support, which can include unwanted emotional involvement or social negativity, could be more impactful on depressive symptoms than positive; however, this has not been examined in military samples. Moreover, it is unclear whether positive interactions buffer the effects of negative interactions. SM/Vs (N = 508) were recruited online using convenience sampling and completed demographics, and measures of depression and social exchange frequencies, a metric of positive and negative social support. This secondary data analysis was drawn from a parent study that was approved by an institutional review board. A correlation comparison calculator compared the strength of bivariate associations of positive social exchanges and negative social exchanges with depression. Linear regression examined the simultaneous effects of positive and negative social exchanges, and subsequently examined whether positive social exchanges moderated the association of negative social exchanges and depression. The positive bivariate association of negative exchanges and depression (r = 0.48, P < .001) was statistically stronger than the negative bivariate association of positive exchanges and depression (r = -0.40, P < .001). A regression analysis revealed that higher negative exchanges were positively associated with depression (partial r = 0.40, P < .001) and higher positive exchanges were negatively associated with depression (partial r = -0.32, P < .001) after accounting for covariates, but positive exchanges did not mitigate the association of negative exchanges and depression (P > .05). Decreasing the frequency of negative social exchanges is associated with lower depressive symptoms and may have a stronger relationship with depression than positive exchanges, suggesting independent pathways to depression. Longitudinal assessments are needed to determine the potential directionality of these relationships and to address the limitations associated with convenience sampling and cross-sectional data collection.

Interaction Effects Between Low Self-Control and Meaning in Life on Internet Gaming Disorder Symptoms and Functioning in Chinese Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Latent Moderated Structural Equation Modeling Study.

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is an emerging behavioral addiction with mental health implications among adolescents. Low self-control is an established risk factor of IGD. Few studies have, however, examined the moderating role of meaning in life (MIL) on the relationships between low self-control and IGD symptoms and functioning. This study aimed to examine the effects of low self-control and MIL and their interaction effects on IGD symptoms and family and school functioning in a structural equation model. A sample of 2064 adolescents (967, 46.9% male; mean age 14.6 years) was recruited by multistage cluster random sampling from 5 middle schools in Sichuan, China, in 2022. The participants completed a self-report questionnaire with validated measures on low self-control, presence of MIL, search for MIL, IGD symptoms, school commitment, and family functioning. Construct validity, measurement invariance, and structural invariance of the measures were evaluated by confirmatory factor analysis across sex. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the indirect effects of low self-control and MIL on family and school functioning through IGD symptoms. Latent moderated structural equation modeling was performed to examine the interaction effects between low self-control and MIL on IGD symptoms, school commitment, and family functioning. All scales showed satisfactory model fit and scalar measurement invariance by sex. Males showed significantly greater IGD symptoms and lower levels of self-control (Cohen d=0.25-1.20, P<.001) than females. IGD symptoms were significantly and positively associated with impulsivity (β=.20, P=.01), temper (β=.25, P<.001), and search for meaning (β=.11, P=.048) and significantly and negatively associated with presence of meaning (β=-.21, P<.001). Presence of MIL and impulsivity showed a significant and negative interaction effect (β=-.11, SE .05; P=.03) on IGD symptoms. The positive effect of impulsivity on IGD symptoms was stronger among adolescents with low presence of MIL than those with high presence of MIL. Temper showed significant and positive interaction effects with presence of MIL (β=.08, SE .04; P=.03) and search for MIL (β=.08, SE .04; P=.04) on family functioning. The negative effects of temper on family functioning were stronger among adolescents with low levels of MIL than among those with high levels of MIL. This study provides the first findings on the interaction effects between low self-control and presence of MIL and search for MIL on IGD symptoms and functioning among a large sample of adolescents in rural China. The results have implications for targeted interventions to help male adolescents with lower self-control and presence of meaning.

Vulnerability of kelp, Ecklonia radiata, to persistent nitrogen pollution and coastal darkening

Coastal darkening is expected to have pervasive impacts on benthic primary producers. However, the effects of nitrogen enrichment, an often-co-occurring stressor, on benthic primary producers and their functions is less clear. This study investigates the interactive effects of coastal darkening and nitrogenous eutrophication, including nitrogen source (NH4+ vs. NO3−), on the function of the kelp Ecklonia radiata. First, an in-situ experiment was used to assess the differential impacts of NH4+ and NO3− pulse enrichment on the photosynthetic performance and pH modulation capacity of E. radiata. Second, a laboratory experiment was used to assess the longer-term impacts of nitrogen enrichment under low-light conditions mimicking coastal darkening on service provisioning, including photosynthetic performance, pH modulation, nutrient uptake and growth. While pulse nitrogen enrichment had no impacts on the photosynthetic performance of E. radiata in-situ, persistent exposure to either NH4+ or NO3− acted as a stressor to sporophytes as indicated by elevated rates of dark respiration and lamina erosion and reduced photosynthetic efficiency and growth rates. Furthermore, low-light conditions elicited reduced photosynthetic capacity at saturating irradiance, which extended to a reduction in the extent of pH modulation, and significantly increased lamina erosion. While the two stressors appeared to act on distinct parameters, ultimately, both darkening and eutrophication directly reduced net primary production, especially when in combination. These results demonstrate the negative interactive effects of coastal darkening and eutrophication on E. radiata function, while suggesting a vulnerability of E. radiata to even moderate levels of persistent nitrogen enrichment. This vulnerability highlights the need to consider environmental conditions during kelp conservation and restoration, and when attempting to valorise kelp ecophysiology for nature-based solutions.

Discrimination against migrants: does social capital moderate harmful effects on mental health?

Abstract The harmful mental health effects of perceived discrimination are well established. Yet, the role of regional-level social capital in mitigating these effects remains underexplored. Using data from the German Socioeconomic Panel (SOEP; 2010-2021) we apply random effects models to assess the effect of perceived discrimination on mental health (mcs subscale of the SF-12) adjusting for individual socio-demographic factors and regional-level socioeconomic deprivation. We assess interaction with general social capital (civic organisations, electoral turnout, generalised trust) and migrant-specific resources (proportion of non-nationals and share of far-right votes). We juxtapose non-refugee migrants (n = 13478) with refugees subject to mobility restrictions (n = 5558) to assess for bias introduced by selective mobility into regions. In the non-refugee sample, we confirm negative effects of frequent discrimination experiences on mcs (ß: -3.74; 95%CI: -4.39, -3.08). Moderation analyses show insignificant results for general social capital, but a negative interaction effect of proportion of non-nationals (ß: -0.71; 95%CI: -1.34, -0.08). Analyses among refugees confirm the negative effect of discrimination on mcs (ß: -6.29; 95%CI: -7.49, -5.08) and the moderating effect of the proportion of non-nationals (ß: -1.63; 95%CI: -2.78, -0.48), as well as showing a positive moderation effect for generalised trust (ß: 0.84; 95%CI: 0.11-1.57). Results demonstrate the negative implications of living in areas with a high proportion of non-nationals for migrants experiencing discrimination, which may be explained by the higher marginalisation of migrants in these areas and increased service access barriers. The absence of a moderation effect of general social capital appears to be the result of selection bias, with positive effects of generalised trust seen for refugee migrants. Key messages • Ethnic discrimination affects mental health of refugee and non-refugee migrants. • The effect of discrimination on mental health are stronger in areas with higher proportion of non-nationals.

The role of gender in shaping Black and Latina women’s experiences in anticipated interracial interactions

People's fear of being negatively stereotyped or devalued based on one or more of their social identities — social identity threat — contributes to negative anticipated experiences in interracial interactions. Prior research, however, has largely failed to consider the role of gender in shaping people's experiences in interracial interactions. To address this gap, the present research examined the implications of anticipated cross-gender interracial interactions among Black and Latina women who experience social identity threat based on their multiple marginalized identities. Across three studies, Black and Latina women imagined (Study 1) or anticipated (Studies 2 and 3) an interaction with a White man or a White woman. In the third study, Black and Latina women anticipated a cross-gender (vs. gender-matched) interaction with a same race/ethnicity partner or White partner. Compared to women who expected to interact with a White female partner, Black and Latina women who imagined or anticipated an interaction with a White male partner reported more perceived partner prejudice. Greater perceived partner prejudice, in turn, increased their levels of social identity threat, which predicted more anticipated negative interpersonal outcomes (e.g., anticipated trust and belonging, friendship interest) in the interaction. These results suggest that for Black and Latina women, the negative effects of interracial interactions may be most pronounced in cross-gender interracial interactions.

Development of means for suppressing the negative effects of interaction between the pilot and reentry and other high-speed vehicles

Several novel active and passive means for the suppression of pilot-induced oscillations are considered in the paper. The potential of the proposed means in eliminating Category I, II, and III pilot-induced oscillations was studied in ground-based simulation for two controlled element dynamics corresponding to an aerospace vehicle and a second-generation supersonic transport. The experiments demonstrated that the highest effectiveness in suppressing pilot-induced oscillations and improving task performance is provided by integrating both proposed active suppressors with one of the passive prefilters.

Demographic Risk Factors Vary in the Invasion Front of Chronic Wasting Disease in West Virginia, USA.

After detecting chronic wasting disease (CWD) in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Hampshire County, West Virginia, USA, in 2005, we investigated the change of CWD apparent prevalence and potential factors influencing infection risk during the invasion front. Over eight sampling years (2006-2012 and 2017) during a 12-yr period within a 101-km2-area monitoring zone, we sampled and tested a total of 853 deer for CWD by ELISA and immunohistochemistry. Bayesian logistic regression of risk factors included collection year, age class, sex, and adjusted body weight (weight after accounting for sex, age, kidney fat index, and number of fetuses). In the whole-herd model (n=634), collection year, age, and adjusted body weight were associated with increased odds of CWD, whereas an age-weight interaction had a negative relationship. We found that males drove the positive associations with age and adjusted body weight, whereas females were responsible for the negative interaction effect. These findings suggest potential behavioral and physiological mechanisms related to sex that may influence CWD exposure. Older males exhibited higher CWD prevalence, aligning with previous studies. Notably, the novel finding of adjusted body weight as a risk factor in males warrants further investigation, and this study highlights the need for future research on social behavior and its role in CWD transmission within white-tailed deer populations.

Understanding the Dynamics of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives on Daily Well-Being: Insights from Experience Sampling Data

Previous studies have consistently found that hedonic and eudaimonic motives positively predict subjective well-being. In this study, we emphasized the importance of considering curvilinear effects alongside main effects and interactions to fully understand these relationships. Using polynomial regression models, we examined the relationships between hedonic motives, eudaimonic motives, and subjective well-being. To examine both trait-level and momentary-level relations with well-being, we used experience sampling methodology to collect real-time data from 161 participants over a 7-day period. Our findings suggested that engaging in activities towards fulfilling both motives was associated with positive experiences, and individuals with high levels of hedonic and eudaimonic motives in their daily lives generally reported higher subjective well-being. Nevertheless, we also identified negative interaction effects between both motives on subjective well-being, which imply that there may be a limit to the positive contributions of combinations of both motives to subjective well-being. We discuss the implications of our findings for understanding the nuanced relationships between hedonic and eudaimonic motives and subjective well-being.

DIGITAL INFORMATION’S INFLUENCE ON FORMING TOURISM EVENT IMPRESSIONS: THE INTERPLAY OF GENDER AND TOURISM TYPES

Digital information plays a crucial role in shaping tourists' expectations and impressions of potential destinations and activities. This study explores how perceptions of digital information vary across different tourism experience types (adventure, leisure, cultural) and examines the complex interactions between digital information perception and tourism engagement. A survey was conducted among tourists actively participating in various tourism types to collect data on their digital information consumption habits and their influence on their overall perceptions. The findings reveal that leisure and adventure tourists demonstrate a stronger initial reliance on digital information compared to cultural tourists. However, all tourism types exhibit negative interaction effects, suggesting diminishing returns of digital information as engagement increases. Specifically, leisure and adventure tourism show stronger positive main effects on digital information perception compared to cultural tourism. Interestingly, leisure and adventure tourism also display more pronounced negative interaction effects than cultural tourism. These insights suggest that destination marketers should employ nuanced, personalized strategies catered to specific tourism types, considering the varying levels of digital information reliance and the changing needs of tourists as their engagement progresses. For leisure and adventure tourism, this may involve front-loading comprehensive digital information, while cultural tourism may benefit from a more consistent information flow throughout the experience. These tailored approaches could enhance destination brand affinity and improve the overall tourist experience across different tourism segments.

Should we feel the same? Mutual recognition and congruence between therapist and client regarding ruptures and repairs.

The pattern of rupture and repair within therapeutic alliances has been associated with improved outcome. The present study adds to this body of research by examining rupture and repair from a dyadic perspective. First, we examined the relationship between mutual recognition of ruptures, rupture intensity, and client ratings of session helpfulness. We then examined client-therapist congruence regarding rupture and repair characteristics and their relation to client ratings of session helpfulness. Data were collected from 90 client-therapist dyads (providing two subsamples of 61 and 45 dyads) during 16 sessions of short-term psychodynamic therapy. Clients and therapists rated the occurrence of ruptures, rupture characteristics, and rupture repair following each session. Clients also rated session helpfulness following each session. We found a significant negative interaction effect, indicating that when clients rated ruptures as more intense, therapist rupture recognition was related to lower client ratings of session helpfulness. Client-therapist congruence in the perception of rupture intensity was positively related to client perceptions of the extent to which ruptures were discussed. Finally, we found a significant positive relationship between client-therapist congruence in their perception of rupture repair and client ratings of session helpfulness. This study demonstrates the significance of the dyadic view of the rupture/repair process. Therapist recognition of ruptures may not be enough to facilitate repair, specifically in ruptures with a high level of intensity. Nevertheless, congruence in intensity is valuable for addressing the rupture within the session, and congruence in repair is valuable for session helpfulness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

How human activities affect and reduce ecological sensitivity under climate change: Case study of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China

Ecological sensitivity (ES) shows the adaptability of ecosystem. As anthropogenic activities and climatic change intensify, they affect ES individually and interactively. Thus, clarifying the effects of anthropogenic activities and climatic change on ES, and grading them to improve them, is beneficial for improving the ecological resilience and sustainable development of the region. However, few studies focus on the effects of climate-anthropogenic interactions on ES. According to data from 130 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB), this study constructs index systems of ES, anthropogenic activities and climate change. And response surface methodology (RSM) is utilized to analyze the effects of factors acting alone and interacting on ES, as well as the ecological improvement paths under different climatic condition. The results manifest that: (1) From years 2001–2021, the ES of the YREB fluctuates in time, increasing by 2.2%, due to declining biological abundance and water network density. Spatially, it displays a spatial distribution of “high in the north and low in the south.” In 2021, the percentages of cities in the YREB with relatively high and high sensitivity reach nearly 50%. (2) Among the climatic and anthropogenic factors, the proportions of cities where urbanization, advanced industrial structure, precipitation and temperature factors individually significantly affected ES is 67.7%, 63.1%, 56.2% and 54.6%, respectively, suggesting that all these factors have a significant impact on ES in most of the YREB. The proportion of negative interaction effects in the significant interaction between anthropogenic and climatic factors is 78.6%, indicating that most of the climatic factors have an inverse role in the anthropogenic effect on ES. (3) Improvement paths for areas with high sensitivity (27 cities) are found by RSM. A total of 24 cities can reduce ES by harmonizing anthropogenic factors under different climatic conditions. Meanwhile, 17 cities should take targeted measures in the light of climate change. This study proposes relevant recommendations for zoning governance, which is expected to provide enlightening opinions for the field of regional ecological governance. Meanwhile, it provides ideas for the in-depth application of RSM in the ecological field.

Do high housing prices inhibit entrepreneurial activity?—Evidence from Yangtze River Delta cities, China

AbstractContrary to the existing literature that suggests the inhibitory or facilitating effect of housing prices on entrepreneurial dynamism, this paper explores the nonlinear effect of housing prices on entrepreneurship and countervailing effect of entrepreneurial dynamism on housing prices, in addition to investigating the spatial interaction between the two. This paper constructs a simultaneous equation model (SEM) to empirically test the interaction and spillover effects between housing prices and entrepreneurial dynamism. The results show that: (1) there is a two‐way interaction between housing prices and entrepreneurial dynamism; (2) the estimated coefficients of housing prices and the quadratic square term of housing prices (14.285 and −0.744, respectively) are consistent and significant as expected, indicating an inverted U‐shaped effect of housing prices on entrepreneurial dynamism; and (3) in geospatial terms, there are positive spatial spillovers and negative spatial interaction effects for both house prices and entrepreneurial dynamism in Yangtze River Delta cities.

Association between air pollution, meteorological factors and hand, foot, and mouth disease incidence in Zhejiang Province: A Bayesian spatio-temporal modelling study

Temperature and humidity are known to influence seasonal patterns of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) transmission. However, the effect of air pollution and climate-air pollution interaction on the intensity of HFMD epidemics is poorly understood. This study aims to quantify the exposure-response effects of air pollution on HFMD risk by level of meteorological indicators in Zhejiang Province. A spatiotemporal Bayesian hierarchical model was used to determine the exposure-response association between air pollution, meteorological factors and the relative risk (RR) of HFMD. The model was fitted to monthly HFMD case data for the 92 counties in Zhejiang Province between January 2013, and December 2021. We assessed both linear interaction effects between air pollutants and meteorological factors on HFMD, and the modification role of extreme weather conditions on the nonlinear air pollutant-HFMD association. A 10 μg/m³ increase in PM10 and NO2 concentration raised the HFMD risk by 6.6% (RR = 1.066, 95% CI: 1.042, 1.092) and 20.8% (RR = 1.208, 95% CI: 1.162, 1.256) respectively. HFMD was negatively associated with O3 (RR = 0.980, 95% CI: 0.968, 0.993), SO2 (RR = 0.820, 95% CI: 0.776, 0.868) and CO (RR = 0.770, 95% CI: 0.621, 0.956). Temperature, humidity, and precipitation positively interacted with most air pollutants on HFMD, while wind speed had a negative interaction effect. In higher temperature conditions, the HFMD risk associated with PM10 increased. Elevated humidity levels amplified the risk associated with PM10, as did CO concentrations within a certain range. Heavy rainfall intensified the risk of HFMD associated with PM10, SO2, and CO. Results of this study showed that air pollution was associated with HFMD incidence, with different climate factors playing various modification roles in the associations and primarily leading to increased risk under extreme conditions. These findings provide a theoretical basis for personal protection and government prevention and control measures.

Urban residential greenness and cancer mortality: Evaluating the causal mediation role of air pollution in a large cohort

Evidence linking greenness to all-site and site-specific cancers remains limited, and the complex role of air pollution in this pathway is unclear. We aimed to fill these gaps by using a large cohort in southern China. A total of 654,115 individuals were recruited from 2009 to 2015 and followed-up until December 2020. We calculated the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in a 500-m buffer around the participants’ residences to represent the greenness exposure. Cox proportional-hazards models were used to evaluate the impact of greenness on the risk of all-site and site-specific cancer mortality. Additionally, we assessed both the mediation and interaction roles of air pollution (i.e., PM2.5, PM10, and NO2) in the greenness–cancer association through a causal mediation analysis using a four-way decomposition method. Among the 577,643 participants, 10,088 cancer deaths were recorded. We found a 10% (95% CI: 5–16%) reduction in all-site cancer mortality when the NDVI increased from the lowest to the highest quartile. When stratified by cancer type, our estimates suggested 18% (95% CI: 8–27%) and 51% (95% CI: 16–71%) reductions in mortality due to respiratory system cancer and brain and nervous system cancer, respectively. For the above protective effect, a large proportion could be explained by the mediation (all-site cancer: 1.0–27.7%; respiratory system cancer: 1.2–32.3%; brain and nervous system cancer: 3.6–109.1%) and negative interaction (all-site cancer: 2.1–25.7%; respiratory system cancer: 2.0–25.7%; brain and nervous system cancer: not significant) effects of air pollution. We found that particulate matter (i.e., PM2.5 and PM10) had a stronger causal mediation effect (25.0–109.1%) than NO2 (1.0–3.6%), while NO2 had a stronger interaction effect (25.7%) than particulate matter (2.0–2.8%). In summary, greenness was significantly beneficial in reducing the mortality of all-site, respiratory system, and brain and nervous system cancer in southern China, with the impact being modulated and mediated by air pollution.

Pitch-Tracking Metrics as a Predictor of Future Shoulder and Elbow Injuries in Major League Baseball Pitchers: A Machine-Learning and Game-Theory Based Analysis.

Understanding interactions between multiple risk factors for shoulder and elbow injuries in Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers is important to identify potential avenues by which risk can be reduced while minimizing impact on player performance. To apply a novel game theory-based approach to develop a machine-learning model predictive of next-season shoulder and elbow injuries in MLB pitchers and use this model to understand interdependencies and interaction effects between the most important risk factors. Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Pitcher demographics, workload measures, pitch-tracking metrics, and injury data between 2017 and 2022 were used to construct a database of MLB pitcher-years, where each item in the database corresponded to a pitcher's information and metrics for that year. An extreme gradient boosting machine-learning model was trained to predict next-season shoulder and elbow injuries utilizing Shapley additive explanation values to quantify feature importance as well as interdependencies and interaction effects between predictive variables. A total of 3808 pitcher-years were included in this analysis; 606 (15.9%) of these involved a shoulder or elbow injury resulting in placement on the MLB injured list. Of the >65 candidate features (including workload, demographic, and pitch-tracking metrics), the most important contributors to predicting shoulder/elbow injury were increased: pitch velocity (all pitch types), utilization of sliders (SLs), fastball (FB) spin rate, FB horizontal movement, and player age. The strongest game theory interaction effects were that higher FB velocity did not alter a younger pitcher's predicted risk of shoulder/elbow injury versus older pitchers, risk of shoulder/elbow injury increased with the number of high-velocity pitches thrown (regardless of pitch type and in an additive fashion), and FB velocity <95 mph (<152.9 kph) demonstrated strong negative interaction effects with higher SL percentage, suggesting that the overall predicted risk of injury for pitchers throwing a high number of SLs could be attenuated by lower FB velocity. Pitch-tracking metrics were substantially more predictive of future injury than player demographics and workload metrics. There were many significant game theory interdependencies of injury risk. Notably, the increased risk of injury that was conferred by throwing with a high velocity was even further magnified if the pitchers were also older, threw a high percentage of SLs, and/or threw a greater number of pitches.

Evaluating strategies to recruit health researchers to participate in online survey research

BackgroundEngaging researchers as research subjects is key to informing the development of effective and relevant research practices. It is important to understand how best to engage researchers as research subjects.MethodsA 24 factorial experiment, as part of a Multiphase Optimization Strategy, was performed to evaluate effects of four recruitment strategy components on participant opening of an emailed survey link and survey completion. Participants were members of three US-based national health research consortia. A stratified simple random sample was used to assign potential survey participants to one of 16 recruitment scenarios. Recruitment strategy components were intended to address both intrinsic and extrinsic sources of motivation, including: $50 gift, $1,000 raffle, altruistic messaging, and egoistic messaging. Multivariable generalized linear regression analyses adjusting for consortium estimated component effects on outcomes. Potential interactions among components were tested. Results are reported as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).ResultsSurveys were collected from June to December 2023. A total of 418 participants were included from the consortia, with final analytical sample of 400 eligible participants. Out of the final sample, 82% (341) opened the survey link and 35% (147) completed the survey. Altruistic messaging increased the odds of opening the survey (aOR 2.02, 95% CI: 1.35–2.69, p = 0.033), while egoistic messaging significantly reduced the odds of opening the survey (aOR 0.56, 95%CI 0.38–0.75, p = 0.08). The receipt of egoistic messaging increased the odds of completing the survey once opened (aOR 1.81, 95%CI: 1.39–2.23, p < 0.05). There was a significant negative interaction effect between the altruistic appeal and egoistic messaging strategies for survey completion outcome. Monetary incentives did not a have a significant impact on survey completion.ConclusionIntrinsic motivation is likely to be a greater driver of health researcher participation in survey research than extrinsic motivation. Altruistic and egoistic messaging may differentially impact initial interest and survey completion and when combined may lead to improved rates of recruitment, but not survey completion. Further research is needed to determine how to best optimize message content and whether the effects observed are modified by survey burden.

Investigating weather variables driving boxwood blight epidemics: Insights from field trials with Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’ in northern Germany between 2006 and 2020

AbstractBoxwood blight is a highly invasive disease, but studies on host–pathogen–environment interactions are rare because the initial research emphasis has been on developing resistant cultivars and chemical control of the disease. We used generalized additive models to investigate weather variables driving boxwood blight epidemics in field trials conducted between 2006 and 2020. Briefly, three or four replicate rows with 10 boxwood plants per row were planted in 0.75 m2 plots. Plants were artificially inoculated in 2006, while those in subsequent years were naturally infected with inoculum left over from previous trials. Disease severity was assessed by estimating the percentage of leaves blighted, including fallen leaves. There was a significant positive main effect of mean rainfall per rainy day, daily minimum temperatures and daily minimum relative humidity on disease severity observed over individual field trial periods. There was a significant negative interaction effect of mean rainfall per rainy day and daily maximum wind speed, and daily minimum relative humidity and daily minimum temperature on disease severity. Higher disease severity was associated with higher mean rainfall per rainy day and lower daily maximum wind speed. Likewise, an increase in daily minimum relative humidity at lower daily minimum temperatures was associated with a greater increase in disease severity than at higher temperatures, suggesting that higher temperatures resulted in lower humidity that led, in turn, to less disease severity. The implications of our findings for forecasting models and conservation of boxwood are discussed.