Patterns Of Association Research Articles

Subgroup learning for multiple mixed-type outcomes with block-structured covariates

The increasing interest is survey research focuses on inferring grouped association patterns between risk factors and questionnaire responses, with grouping shared across multiple response variables that jointly capture one's underlying status. Aiming to identify important risk factors that are simultaneously associated with the health and well-being of senior adults, a study based on the China Health and Retirement Survey (CHRS) is conducted. Previous studies have identified several known risk factors, yet heterogeneity in the outcome-risk factor association exists, prompting the use of subgroup analysis. A subgroup analysis procedure is devised to model a multiple mixed-type outcome which describes one's general health and well-being, while tackling additional challenges including collinearity and weak signals within block-structured covariates. Computationally, an efficient algorithm that alternately updates a set of estimating equations and likelihood functions is proposed. Theoretical results establish the asymptotic consistency and normality of the proposed estimators. The validity of the proposed method is corroborated by simulation experiments. An application of the proposed method to the CHRS data identifies caring for grandchildren as a new risk factor for poor physical and mental health.

Habitual physical activity is related to more creative activities and achievements

Beyond health, physical activity (PA) is associated with better creative ideation performance. People who are habitually more physically active produce more original ideas when asked to think creatively about an alternative use of an everyday object such as a brick. This aligns with findings indicating a positive relationship of PA with more basic cognition, such as memory, attention, as well as executive functioning. However, to the best of our knowledge, to date, no empirical research examined the link between PA (or inactivity) and real-life creative behavior. Therefore, this study investigated how objective and subjective assessments of PA relate to creative activities and achievements. In a sample of 156 participants wearing a mobile sensor for up to five consecutive days, less sedentary behavior and more moderate-to-vigorous PA were associated with more frequent creative activities. A similar pattern of associations occurred for self-rated habitual PA, which explained additional and unique variance of creative activities as well as creative achievements. For objective PA (assessed via sensor), we did not find associations with creative achievements, openness, and creative behavior. The results of this study suggest that the positive effects of habitual PA may generalize from better health, cognition, and creative ideation performance outcomes to more real-life creative behavior such as cooking original dishes and making music.

Diverging timber architecture trajectories in Japan and South Korea: a comparative study

ABSTRACT This study investigates the diverging timber architecture in Japan and South Korea, by means of a cross-country comparative study. The significance of this research lies in its examination of the different trajectories of timber architecture between Japan and South Korea. The novelty and contribution of this research are underscored by its provision of a novel cross-cultural perspective. The research methodology incorporates sophisticated techniques, such as Means-End Chain and Extended Association Pattern Technique (EAPT) respectively. The high degree of respondent agreement, as measured by Fleiss’ kappa coefficient (κ = 0.86), lends robustness to the examination of consumer preferences and perceptions. Key findings of the study reveal that Japanese consumers place a high priority on “energy efficiency,” and seeking a blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern design elements. In contrast, South Korean consumers prioritize “modern and aesthetic” aspects, favor contemporary and innovative designs. Furthermore, the study finds that younger Japanese consumers strongly value sustainability, while older consumers demonstrate a similar level of engagement with wooden multistory housing. Additionally, urban residents in both Japan and South Korea prioritize practicality and modern aesthetics, whereas rural residents in both countries show a preference for traditional aesthetics. The practical applications underscore diverse preferences and guide culturally tailored housing policies.

Exploration of the Impact of Language Proficiency on Vocabulary Association Patterns in English Language Education

This paper explores the lexical association patterns of English as a second language and their relationship with language proficiency. Through the vocabulary association test, the study analyzes the differences in vocabulary association between learners with different language levels. The participants were 100 non-native English-speaking undergraduate students from a top 200 university, such as the University of Nottingham, and a university outside the top 200, such as the University of Aberdeen; the two groups of learners differed in their vocabulary size and learning style. It was found that the two groups of learners differed significantly in vocabulary size, language background, and learning experience. In addition, the study raises three core questions: first, learners’ lexical association patterns, second, differences in association among learners with different language proficiency levels, and third, other variables that affect vocabulary association ability. The limitations of the study are that reaction time was not measured and the influence of native language background on word association was not fully considered; future research should further explore these aspects.

Analysis of missing data in electronic health records of people with diabetes in primary care in Spain: A population-based cohort study

IntroductionResearchers conducting studies based on electronic health records (EHRs) often have to deal with missing data. We aimed to analyze patterns of missing data in lipid profile, sociodemographic variables and risk factors contained in the EHRs of the CARDIABETES project and compare different strategies for addressing the issue. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of people with diabetes, based on EHRs in the Spanish Pharmacoepidemiological Research Database for Public Health Systems (BIFAP). Our response variable was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including all-cause death and hospital admission for cerebrovascular disease or ischemic heart disease. We analyzed patterns of missing data, associations between missingness and MACE, and the effect of eliminating cases with missing data or imputing missing data. ResultsOur total sample included 309,556 people with diabetes. The proportion of individuals with at least one missing value was 76.0%. Regarding diabetes control measures, 10.8% of records had missing glycated hemoglobin values, and 21.4% had missing basal blood glucose values. We observed a non-random pattern of association between missingness and MACE. The strategy of eliminating records with missing data greatly reduced the number of cases and statistical power, and altered the average participant characteristics and cumulative incidence of MACE. By imputing missing data, we were able to circumvent these problems. ConclusionA considerable proportion of missing data was observed for variables such as fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin, and also for other variables such as blood test parameters, BMI, and tobacco and alcohol use. The missing data show a non-random pattern and are associated with a higher incidence of MACE. The strategy of eliminating records with missing data greatly reduced the number of cases and statistical power. The recommended solution is to impute missing data with methods that take all the variables into account, such as MICE with PPM.

Comorbidity alters the genetic relationship between anxiety disorders and major depression.

There is extensive comorbidity between anxiety disorders (ANX) and major depression (MD). Most studies on the genetics of ANX do not exclude comorbid cases of MD, and vice versa, therefore confounding genetic association analyses. Disorder-specific analysis of genomic data may reveal more precise biological pathways and causal relationships. To investigate the genetic relationship between disorder-specific ANX and MD compared to samples with comorbidity, including their causal relationship. Data from UK Biobank was used to perform genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of ANX-only and MD-only, and generate disorder-specific polygenic risk scores (PRS). The Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort (MoBa) was used to test the associations of PRS with diagnosis and symptoms. MD and ANX GWAS data including comorbidities (MD-co and ANX-co) were used as comparators. Genetic correlation was assessed using LDSC, and Mendelian randomization was employed to infer causal relationships. GWAS of ICD-10 diagnoses of ANX, MD, or both. Genetic correlations between pairs of ANX and MD phenotypes. PRS associations with diagnoses of ANX, MD, and their comorbid states, and anxiety or depressive symptoms. The GWAS of ANX-only (9,980 cases and 179,442 controls) and MD-only (15,301 cases and 179,038 controls) showed a lower genetic correlation (0.53) than the one between ANX-co and MD-co (0.90). ANX-only showed a causal relationship with MD-only (P FDR =1.5e-02), but not vice versa , while comorbid cases showed a significant bidirectional causal relationship (P FDR =2.9e-12, P FDR =9.3e-06). The PRS-MD-only were differentially associated with MD-only compared to ANX-only cases (β= -0.08; 95%CI: -0.11, -0.03); however, this differential association was not observed for the PRS-MD-co. A similar pattern of differential association with anxiety and depressive symptoms was observed for PRS-ANX-only, but not for PRS-MD-co. The genetics and underlying biology of ANX and MD are more distinct when comorbid cases are excluded from analyses and reveals that ANX may be causal for MD. This confounding of genetic relationships as a result of comorbidity is likely to apply to other psychiatric disorders. Disorder-specific genetic studies may help uncover more relevant biological mechanisms and guide more targeted clinical interventions. Question: Is the high genetic correlation between anxiety disorders (ANX) and major depression (MD) due to phenotypic overlap (comorbidity) and will disorder-specific (non-comorbid) analysis provide insight into their underlying causal factors?Findings: Applying statistical genetics tools in two large population samples (UK Biobank, n=500,000; and MoBa, n= 130,000), we found a smaller genetic correlation between MD and ANX when comorbid cases were excluded. Additionally, after excluding comorbid cases, Mendelian randomization revealed that genetic liability to ANX is causally linked to MD but not vice versa . Meaning: The genetic overlap between ANX and MD may be driven by phenotypic comorbidity, which inflates their genetic correlation. The results support that ANX has a causal link to MD, suggesting that early interventions for ANX may prevent subsequent development of MD. Further, investigating the genetic underpinnings of ANX and MD, while excluding their comorbid states, may help advance precision medicine and uncover novel biological mechanisms.

Nonlinear and symptom specific associations between chronotype and depression

The chronotype of individuals has been found to be predictive of depression risk and associated with the severity of depression. However, since depression is a phenotypically heterogeneous disease, it seems improbable that chronotype plays a role in every instance of depression. This study investigates the association between the two, while considering possible symptom-specificity and non-linearity of the relationship, utilizing a large sample from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (N = 5217; 54% female; Age: M = 52.65, SD = 18.76). Depression symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and chronotype was determined by calculating sleep midpoints. Further, we also explored the potential mediating role of systemic inflammation, measured by C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, in the chronotype-depression link. The findings substantiate previous research indicating late chronotypes to be associated with higher PHQ-9 sum scores, with a minimum in PHQ-9 at a sleep midpoint of 02:49. The study further differentiates between individual depression symptoms, uncovering varying patterns of association with chronotype. No significant effect of chronotype on levels of CRP was found, suggesting that the link between chronotype and depression symptoms may not be directly mediated and appears to be stable and independent from systemic inflammation. The study highlights the non-linear and symptom-specific nature of the chronotype-depression connection and suggests the need for further, longitudinal studies to elucidate causal mechanisms and potential mediators.

Cognitive performance in ISS astronauts on 6-month low earth orbit missions.

Current and future astronauts will endure prolonged exposure to spaceflight hazards and environmental stressors that could compromise cognitive functioning, yet cognitive performance in current missions to the International Space Station remains critically under-characterized. We systematically assessed cognitive performance across 10 cognitive domains in astronauts on 6-month missions to the ISS. Twenty-five professional astronauts were administered the Cognition Battery as part of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Human Research Program Standard Measures Cross-Cutting Project. Cognitive performance data were collected at five mission phases: pre-flight, early flight, late flight, early post-flight, and late post-flight. We calculated speed and accuracy scores, corrected for practice effects, and derived z-scores to represent deviations in cognitive performance across mission phases from the sample's mean baseline (i.e., pre-flight) performance. Linear mixed models with random subject intercepts and pairwise comparisons examined the relationships between mission phase and cognitive performance. Cognitive performance was generally stable over time with some differences observed across mission phases for specific subtests. There was slowed performance observed in early flight on tasks of processing speed, visual working memory, and sustained attention. We observed a decrease in risk-taking propensity during late flight and post-flight mission phases. Beyond examining group differences, we inspected scores that represented a significant shift from the sample's mean baseline score, revealing that 11.8% of all flight and post-flight scores were at or below 1.5 standard deviations below the sample's baseline mean. Finally, exploratory analyses yielded no clear pattern of associations between cognitive performance and either sleep or ratings of alertness. There was no evidence for a systematic decline in cognitive performance for astronauts on a 6-month missions to the ISS. Some differences were observed for specific subtests at specific mission phases, suggesting that processing speed, visual working memory, sustained attention, and risk-taking propensity may be the cognitive domains most susceptible to change in Low Earth Orbit for high performing, professional astronauts. We provide descriptive statistics of pre-flight cognitive performance from 25 astronauts, the largest published preliminary normative database of its kind to date, to help identify significant performance decrements in future samples.

MMPI-3 Assessment of Externalizing Psychopathology in Targeted Community and University Samples.

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-3 (MMPI-3) scales that are designed to assess various forms of externalizing psychopathology have received relatively little research attention to date. The goal of this investigation was therefore to examine the validity of these MMPI-3 scales in the measurement of the externalizing spectrum. A community sample (n = 206) with high levels of externalizing psychopathology and a university sample (n = 645) were used. The former sample was administered structured clinical interviews for various forms of externalizing psychopathology, whereas the student sample completed the Externalizing Spectrum Inventory-160. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to operationalize the externalizing spectrum using each set of measures. The results indicated that the externalizing MMPI-3 scales were associated with a general externalizing factor and an expected pattern of associations, while systematic residuals of individual disorder symptoms also emerged. Moreover, in the university sample, specific MMPI-3 scales hypothesized to assess antagonistic-externalizing (Aggressiveness, Aggression, and Cynicism) emerged as key predictors of a callous-aggression residual group factor. The Substance Abuse scale was unsurprisingly the best predictor of such dysfunction. These findings provide guidance for mental health practitioners who use the MMPI-3 for the assessment of externalizing psychopathology symptoms.

Music Sequence Creation Technique in Piano Music Production Based on Embedded Neural Network

With the rapid development of computer technology and artificial intelligence, especially the rise of embedded neural network technology. The traditional arrangement methods are facing increasing challenges in the field of music production, and their complexity and time-consuming nature are no longer sufficient to meet the urgent needs of modern audiences for efficient and high-quality computer piano music works. This paper proposes an innovative solution — a piano music production matching method based on embedded neural network fusion, and particularly focused on intelligent creation technology for music sequences. In the system, embedded neural networks are core applied in the process of creating music sequences. By utilizing their powerful feature learning and generalization abilities, neural networks can capture complex patterns and dynamic changes in music sequences, providing infinite possibilities for melody generation and innovation. At the same time, combined with association rule algorithms, the system can discover potential association patterns between notes, further optimizing the fluency and harmony of the melody; The clustering algorithm helps extract common features from massive music data, providing a rich material library for melody innovation.

Orchid phylogenetics and evolution: history, current status and prospects.

Orchidaceae are one of the two largest families of angiosperms; they exhibit a host of changes -- morphological, ecological and molecular -- that make them excellent candidates for evolutionary study. Such studies are most effectively performed in a phylogenetic context, which provides direction to character change. Understanding of orchid relationships began in the pre-evolutionary classification systems of the 1800's that were based solely on morphology, and now is largely based on genomic analysis. The resulting patterns have been used to update family classification and to test many evolutionary hypotheses in the family. Recent analyses with dense sampling and large numbers of nuclear loci have yielded well-supported trees that have confirmed many longstanding hypotheses and overturned others. They are being used to understand evolutionary change and diversification in the family. These include dating the origination of the family, analysis of change in ecological habit (from terrestrial to epiphytic and back again in some cases), revealing significant plastid genome change in leafless holomycotrophs, studying biogeographic patterns in various parts of the world, and interpreting patterns of fungal associations with orchids. Understanding of orchid relationships has progressed significantly in recent decades, especially since DNA sequence data have been available. These data have contributed to an increasingly refined classification of orchids and the pattern has facilitated many studies on character evolution and diversification in the family. Whole genome studies of the family are just beginning and promise to reveal fine-level details underlying structure and function in these plants, and, when set in a phylogenetic context, provide a much richer understanding of how the family has been so successful in diversification.

Biomechanical analysis and teaching strategies of complex movements in physical education teaching

This study suggests a new method for evaluating students’ ordinariness of movement in professional physical education by developing an assessment algorithm based on the biomechanical analysis of complex motions. The study aims to provide purposeful and data-driven techniques for assessing and optimizing movement ability in intricate physical tasks by utilizing higher motion capture and deep learning (DL) approaches, especially the Updated African Buffalo Optimization Based Deep Convolutional Neural Network (UABO-DCNN) categorization. The method includes collecting data utilizing high-precision movement capture equipment to research certain multifaceted movements, preprocessing trajectory data to extract kinematic, temporal, and spatial information, and increasing categorization algorithms with UABO-DCNN. The consequences specify that the algorithm can differentiate between normal and abnormal association patterns with outstanding accuracy. The UABO-DCNN model measures physical education teaching complex movements with accuracy (99.43%), precision (98.12%), recall (98.50%), F1-score (98.56%), and specificity (98.40%). Furthermore, the result is reliable, with a broader tendency toward instructive skill and individualized learning, which requires the development of physical education instruction actions by creating a culture of physical literacy and well-being. The implication of this employment includes an enhanced approach to promote optimal association skill increase in students, particularly for confronting complicated biomechanical measures.

Contrasting patterns of Asaia association with Plasmodium falciparum between field-collected Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii from Cameroon.

The widespread prevalence of Asaia in mosquitoes makes it a potential candidate for paratrangenic control in Anopheles. To better understand whether this bacterium could be used for malaria control, we quantified Asaia in An. gambiae s.l populations in malaria endemic regions examining co-infection with Plasmodium falciparum. Adult Anopheles mosquitoes were collected across two different eco-geographical localities in Cameroon, during both the dry and wet seasons. DNA was extracted from whole individual mosquitoes, and real time-qPCR amplification of the 16S ribosomal RNA was used to quantify Asaia in both An. gambiae and An. coluzzii samples. We also detected and quantified P. falciparum infection in the same mosquitoes. The density of Asaia was successfully quantified in a total of 864 field mosquitoes, comprising of 439 An. gambiae from Bankeng and 424 An. coluzii collected from Gounougou. Interestingly, a higher prevalence of Asaia in An. gambiae (88.3%) compared to An. coluzzii (80.9%) was observed. Moreover, the density of Asaia in both species was significantly affected by seasonal changes in the two localities. Furthermore, a significant difference between the infection densities of Asaia and the Plasmodium infection status in the two species was recorded. However, no correlation was observed between the number of Asaia and P. falciparum infections. This study provides evidence that naturally occurring Asaia infection is not correlated to P. falciparum development within An. gambiae and An. coluzzii. Nevertheless, further studies incorporating experimental infections are required to better investigate the correlation between Anopheles mosquitoes, Asaia, and Plasmodium.IMPORTANCEThe symbiont Asaia has emerged as a promising candidate for paratransgenic control of malaria, but further analysis of its biology and genetics across Africa is necessary. In this study, we investigated and quantified the influence of Asaia in naturally infected An. gambiae s.l. populations with the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole individual mosquitoes collected from two localities, and Asaia was quantified using real-time qPCR by amplification of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. We also detected and quantified Plasmodium falciparum infection in the same mosquitoes and established the correlation between Asaia and Plasmodium coinfection. This study provides evidence that naturally occurring Asaia infection is not correlated with P. falciparum development within An. gambiae and An. coluzzii mosquitoes.

Abstract 4144573: Cardiac biomarkers, intensive lifestyle intervention, and risk of heart failure subtypes in type 2 diabetes – a post-hoc analysis of the Look AHEAD trial

Background: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) identify subclinical heart failure (HF) in type 2 diabetes (T2D). The contribution of changes in cardiac biomarkers to HF risk, particularly HF subtypes, is unclear. Whether HF risk associated with cardiac biomarkers is modifiable with an intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) targeting weight loss is unknown. Methods: Adults with T2D and overweight/obesity in the Look Action for Health in Diabetes (AHEAD) trial without prevalent HF were included. NT-proBNP and hs-cTnT were measured at baseline, 1- and 4-years (Roche Diagnostics). Adjusted Cox models were created to evaluate the associations of baseline, 1- and 4-year change in NT-proBNP and hs-cTnT with risk of HF with preserved and reduced ejection fraction (HFpEF and HFrEF, respectively). Interaction testing was performed to evaluate heterogeneous effects of the ILI vs diabetes support and education (DSE) across baseline cardiac biomarkers. Results: Of the 3,959 participants included, 212 had incident HF (108 HFpEF, 84 HFrEF) over 12 years. Higher baseline NT-proBNP and hs-cTnT were each significantly associated with higher risk of HFpEF and HFrEF ( Table) . Increases in NT-proBNP over 1- and 4-years were significantly associated with higher risk of HFpEF and HFrEF with a similar pattern of association for hs-cTnT and HF subtypes. After accounting for risk factor changes, the association of 1- and 4-year changes in NT-proBNP, but not hs-cTnT, with risk of HF subtypes remained significant. There was a significant interaction between NT-proBNP and ILI for risk of HFpEF but not HFrEF (p-int = 0.001). The ILI reduced HFpEF risk among participants with elevated (≥125 pg/mL) but not non-elevated NT-proBNP (<125 pg/mL) (ILI vs DSE HR [95% CI]: 0.48 [0.25-0.93] and 1.67 [0.94-2.94], respectively). No significant treatment group by hs-cTnT interactions were identified. Conclusions: In T2D, longitudinal changes in cardiac biomarkers, particularly NT-proBNP, are significantly associated with HF risk, independent of risk factor changes. In Look AHEAD, elevated NT-proBNP may identify individuals who are more likely to benefit from the ILI for HFpEF prevention.

APOE Genotype and Biological Age Impact Inter-Omic Associations Related to Bioenergetics.

Apolipoprotein E ( APOE ) modifies human aging; specifically, the ε2 and ε4 alleles are among the strongest genetic predictors of longevity and Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk, respectively. However, detailed mechanisms for their influence on aging remain unclear. Herein, we analyzed inter-omic, context-dependent association patterns across APOE genotypes, sex, and health axes in 2,229 community-dwelling individuals to test APOE genotypes for variation in metabolites and metabolite-associations tied to a previously-validated metric of biological aging (BA) based on blood biomarkers. Our analysis, supported by validation in an independent cohort, identified top APOE -associated plasma metabolites as diacylglycerols, which were increased in ε2-carriers and trended higher in ε4-carriers compared to ε3-homozygotes, despite the known opposing aging effects of the allele variants. 'Omics association patterns of ε2-carriers and increased biological age were also counter-intuitively similar, displaying increased associations between insulin resistance markers and energy-generating pathway metabolites. These results provide an atlas of APOE -related 'omic associations and support the involvement of bioenergetic pathways in mediating the impact of APOE on aging.

Interspecific association patterns of woody species in an evergreen broadleaved forest of Con Dao National Park, Vietnam

The interspecific associations among tree species in natural forest stands help to reveal mechanisms for maintaining species diversity and provide theoretical foundations for vegetation restoration and regeneration. This study focused on woody species within a 4-ha study plot established in an evergreen broadleaved forest in Con Dao National Park, Vietnam. We analyzed the interspecific associations among sixty-four recorded woody species in the study plot based on their presence and absence in subplots at two sampling scales: 10 m × 10 m and 20 m × 20 m. The results indicated that most of the 3,969 pairs of the sixty-four species exhibited independent associations, confirming an individualistic hypothesis proposed by Gleason. Furthermore, species interactions of common species were stronger than those of rare ones, indicating that species abundance influenced interspecific associations, and this result acknowledges the presence of random processes in driving species coexistence. A comparison of observed communities and random communities based on null models revealed that deterministic processes play a dominant role in governing species co-occurrence within the tree communities in the study area. Our study provides insights into the complex dynamics of species interactions within forest ecosystems, contributing to our understanding of biodiversity maintenance and offering valuable guidance for conservation and restoration efforts.

Parental mental disorders and ages of onset of severe mental disorders in offspring: A nationwide family-link study

ObjectiveThe current study used a retrospective study design to investigate the association between age of onset of severe mental disorders in offspring and the likelihood of diagnoses of parental mental disorder. MethodWe enrolled 212,333 people with severe mental disorder, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (BD), or major depressive disorder (MDD) and 2,123,329 controls matched for age, sex, and demographics from the National Health Insurance Database of Taiwan. Poisson regression models were used to examine the likelihood of diagnoses of five mental disorders in their parents compared to the parents of the controls (reported as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval), including schizophrenia, BD, MDD, alcohol use disorder (AUD), and substance use disorder (SUD). The study cohort was classified into child-onset, adolescent-onset, and adult-onset groups according to the onset of severe mental disorders in the offspring. ResultThe parents of people with child-, adolescent-, and adult-onset schizophrenia (OR range: 1.73–9.08, all p < 0.05) or BD (OR range: 1.97–8.17, all p < 0.05) were more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, BD, MDD, AUD, and substance use disorder (SUD) than controls except for AUD in the child-onset group. However, the parents of people with child-, adolescent-, and adult-onset depressive disorder were more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, BD, MDD, AUD, and SUD (OR range: 1.82–4.76, all p < 0.05) than controls. Sub-analyses stratified by sex showed different patterns of associations between parental mental disorders and offspring mental disorders. ConclusionNo matter when the severe mental disorder of the offsprings occurred at different onset stages, their parents had a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with schizophrenia, BD, MDD, AUD, and SUD.

Source–Sink Structural Coupling Within Forest-Clustered Landscapes Drives Headstream Quality Dynamics in Mountainous Sub-Watersheds: A Case Study in Chongqing, China

Water environment quality is profoundly driven by a series of landscape characteristics. However, current knowledge is limited to the independent response of water quality to single landscape elements; this has led to poor knowledge of the potential role of structural coupling within landscapes in driving water quality changes, especially in those agroforestry-mixed mountainous watersheds with highly embedded forest-clustered landscapes and abundant headstreams. Given this fact, this study aims to evaluate whether and how the source–sink coupling structure of forest-clustered landscapes systematically drives headstream quality dynamics. We first systematically assessed the association pattern of source and sink structures within forest-clustered landscapes, and then innovatively proposed and constructed a functional framework of source–sink coupling structure of landscapes across 112 agroforestry-mixed mountainous sub-watersheds in Chongqing, China. On this basis, we further evaluated the driving pattern and predictive performance of the source–sink coupling structure of landscapes behind headstream quality dynamics. We report three findings: (1) headstream quality varied across agroforestry-mixed sub-watersheds, mapping out the source–sink structures and functions of landscapes; (2) there was significant functional coordination between source–sink structures of the forest-clustered landscapes, which significantly drove headstream quality dynamics; (3) the structural positioning and differences of the forest-clustered landscapes along the multivariate functional axes directly corresponded to and predicted headstream quality status. These findings together highlight a key logic that the response of water quality dynamics to landscapes is essentially that to the functional coupling between the source–sink structures of landscapes, rather than the simple combination of a single landscape contribution. This is the first study on the landscape–runoff association from the perspective of source–sink structural coupling, which helps to deepen understanding of the correlation mechanism between water dynamics and landscape systems, and provides a new functional dimension to the development of future landscape ecological management strategies from a local to a global scale.

Empirically Derived Dietary Patterns in Association with Asthma Symptoms in Children and Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Limited data exists regarding the association between dietary patterns and asthma. This study aims to determine the relationship between empirically derived dietary patterns and the likelihood of asthma among a large population of children and adolescents living in central Iran. Methods: A total of 7667 of male and female students aged 6-14 from 48 public and private schools in YAZD urban areas entered the current cross-sectional study. Data on dietary intakes, as well as asthma symptoms and other possible confounders, were collected using a self-administered questionnaire filled by parents. Factor analysis was applied to find major dietary patterns. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for asthma development across quintiles of dietary patterns. Results: Two main dietary patterns were established. A “traditional diet” was determined by meat, fish, fruits, cooked vegetable, raw vegetable, legumes, cereals, bread, macaroni, rice, margarine, butter, olive oil, milk, yogurt, egg, nuts, potato, and a “western-like diet” was characterized by high intakes of simple sugars, fast food(hamburger), fast food (pizza), soft drinks, jelly, chocolate and biscuits of cocoa, ice cream, and sauce. After adjusting for potential confounders, individuals in the top quintile of traditional diet were 0.31 times less likely to have asthma than those in the lowest quintile (OR=0.69; 95% CI: 0.47-1.00). Moreover, individuals in the top quintile of traditional diet were 0.43 times less likely to have wheezing compared with those in the lowest quintile (OR=0.57, 95% CI: 0.46-0.70). However, individuals in the top quintile of the western diet were 0.35 times more likely to have wheezing than those in the lowest quintile (OR=1.35, 95% CI: 1.10-1.66). Conclusions: According to the results, a traditional diet might be associated with lower odds of asthma; however, a western-like diet might be adversely associated with asthma symptoms.

Homophily in social and demographic traits predict association patterns in female western and mountain gorillas.

Affiliative relationships are a hallmark of social relationships in gregarious mammals, but what drives variation of association patterns when kin are absent remains unknown. Gorillas, where females may disperse multiple times in their lives, provide an interesting counterpoint to female philopatric species to examine the factors influencing variation in association patterns. We examined demographic and social factors that may predict association patterns of female western (Gorilla gorilla gorilla; Loango, Gabon) and mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei; Bwindi, Uganda). We looked at dyadic and individual strength scores of social proximity (37 group-years). For individuals, high dominance rank increased association scores while newly emigrated females had lower scores than resident females. For dyads, higher mean dominance rank and both partners having a dependent infant increased association scores, whereas a partner being an immigrant decreased scores. Furthermore, time-matched analysis of birth and immigration events confirmed the temporal nature of these associations. Overall, female gorilla association patterns show flexibility in strength based on real-time contingencies, namely social and demographic traits. Association patterns in species with female secondary dispersal may be governed by homophily, like that of modern humans. Understanding female gorilla social structure can enhance our knowledge of the evolutionary origins of sociality.