Proportion Of Population Research Articles

Are Black Offenders Disproportionately Victimizing Asian Americans During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Comparison to Expected Racial Distributions and the Pre-Pandemic Period

ABSTRACT During the COVID-19 pandemic, reports of violence against Asian Americans surged in traditional and social media, often depicting an Asian victim attacked by a Black assailant and suggesting heightened Black animosity toward Asian Americans. Scholars have challenged this Black-Asian conflict narrative by highlighting that White perpetrators commit over 75% of anti-Asian hate crimes. However, the large share of White offenders in anti-Asian hate crime may simply reflect American racial demographics, and Black offenders could be disproportionately victimizing Asian Americans relative to the size of the Black population or offender pool. The current study examined the share of Black offenders in violence against Asian victims relative to the racial composition of local populations or offender pools. Analysis using 2020 NIBRS and Census data indicated overrepresentation of Black offenders in violence against Asian victims relative to the weighted average of the Black population proportion of the 351 cities in which such incidents occurred. However, Black offenders’ share of violence against Asian victims closely matched the proportion Black in the average local potential offender pool. Comparison of 2019 and 2020 data indicated an increase in Black offenders’ share of violence against Asian victims, but this difference in the distributions was not statistically significant.

Differing contributions of the gut microbiota to the blood pressure lowering effects induced by first-line antihypertensive drugs.

This study analyses whether first-line antihypertensive drugs ameliorate the dysbiosis state in hypertension, and to test if this modification contributes to their blood pressure (BP) lowering properties in a genetic model of neurogenic hypertension. Twenty-week-old male Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were untreated or treated with captopril, amlodipine or hydrochlorothiazide. A faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiment was also performed by gavage of faecal content from donor SHR-treated groups to SHR recipients for 3 weeks. Faeces from SHR showed gut dysbiosis, characterized by lower acetate- and higher lactate-producing bacteria and lower strict anaerobic bacteria. All three drugs increased the anaerobic bacteria proportion, captopril and amlodipine restored the proportion of acetate-producing bacterial populations to WKY levels, whereas hydrochlorothiazide decreased butyrate-producing bacteria. Captopril and amlodipine decreased gut pathology and permeability and attenuated sympathetic drive in the gut. Both drugs decreased neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in the hypothalamic paraventricular nuclei. Hydrochlorothiazide was unable to reduce neuroinflammation, gut sympathetic tone and gut integrity. FMT from SHR-amlodipine to SHR decreased BP, ameliorated aortic endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine, lowered NADPH oxidase activity, aortic Th17 infiltration and reduced neuroinflammation, whereas FMT from SHR-hydrochlorothiazide did not have these effects. First-line antihypertensive drugs induced different modifications of gut integrity and gut dysbiosis in SHR, which result in no contribution of microbiota in the BP lowering effects of hydrochlorothiazide, whereas the vasculo-protective effect induced by amlodipine involves gut microbiota reshaping and gut-immune system communication.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on prescription of psychotropic medications in the Italian paediatric population during 2020

BackgroundThere is a global perception that psychotropic utilization in children and adolescents is increasing, especially with the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. Available literature data on paediatric psychotropic medication prescriptions in Italy are limited to one or few regions and not updated. The aim of this study was to provide updated data on psychotropic prescriptions referred to the whole Italian paediatric population, as overall and by subgroups of medications and to evaluate if the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 had an impact on prescription rates.MethodsA descriptive study on psychotropic drug utilization in children and adolescents (< 18 years) resident in all Italian regions during 2020 was performed. Patients registered in the Pharmaceutical Prescriptions database with at least one prescription/dispensing of a psychotropic medication (antipsychotics-N05A), (antidepressants-N06A) and (psychostimulants-N06BA) during the study period were considered. The indicators used were the prescription rate (number of prescriptions per 1000 children) and prevalence of use (proportion of the paediatric population with at least one prescription in the relevant year).ResultsDuring the 2020 the prevalence of psychotropic drug use in the paediatric population was 0.3%, increased of 7.8% if compared to 2019. The same trend was observed for the prescription rate, which recorded an average of 28.2 per 1000 children with an increase of 11.6% if compared to previous year, representing the 0.6% of the overall drug use in this age group. The data showed a growing trend prescription by age, reaching the peak in adolescents aged 12–17 years old, with a prescription rate of 65 per 1000 children and a prevalence of 0.71%. Considering the subgroups of psychotropic medications, the highest prevalence of use was found for antipsychotic drugs, received by the 0.19% of the paediatric population during 2020.ConclusionsPsychotropic drug utilization in children and adolescents has grown during 2020 in Italy and worldwide, raising alarms from health care clinicians and patient advocates about the increase of burden of mental diseases in paediatric population during the COVID-19 pandemic. A more systematic monitoring of the use of psychotropic medications should be implemented in all countries for collecting relevant information about children and adolescents taking psychotropic drugs, in order to address the present and the future of the mental health of the paediatric population.

Predicting of aging population density by a hybrid grey exponential smoothing model (HGESM): a case study from Sri Lanka

PurposeThe global population has been experiencing an unprecedentedly rapid demographic transition as the populations have been growing older in many countries during the current decades. The purpose of this study is to introduce a Grey Exponential Smoothing model (GESM)-based mechanism for analyzing population aging.Design/methodology/approachTo analyze the aging population of Sri Lanka, initially, three major indicators were considered, i.e. total population, aged population and proportion of the aged population to reflect the aging status of a country. Based on the latest development of computational intelligence with Grey techniques, this study aims to develop a new analytical model for the analysis of the challenge of disabled and frail older people in an aging society.FindingsThe results suggested that a well-defined exponential trend has been seen for the population ages 65 and above, a total of a million) during 1960–2022; especially, the aging population ages 65 and above has been rising rapidly since 2008. This will increase to 24.8% in 2040 and represents the third highest percentage of elderly citizens living in an Asian country. By 2041, one in every four Sri Lankans is expected to be elderly.Originality/valueThe study proposed a GESM-based mechanism for analyzing the population aging in Sri Lanka based on the data from 1960 to 2022 and forecast the aging demands in the next five years from 2024 to 2028.

Dietary L-carnitine supplementation modifies blood parameters of mid-lactating dairy cows during standardized lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation

L-carnitine, available as feed additive, is essential for the beta-oxidation of free fatty acids in the mitochondrial matrix. It provides energy to immune cells and may positively impact the functionality of leukocytes during the acute phase response, a situation of high energy demand. To test this hypothesis, German Holstein cows were assigned to a control group (CON, n = 26) and an L-carnitine supplemented group (CAR, n = 27, rumen-protected L-carnitine product: 125 g/cow/d, corresponded to total L-carnitine intake: 25 g/cow/d, supplied with concentrate) and received an intravenous bolus injection of lipopolysaccharides (LPS, 0.5 µg/kg body weight, E. coli) on day 111 postpartum as a model of standardized systemic inflammation. Blood samples were collected from day 1 ante injectionem until day 14 post injectionem (pi), with frequent sampling through an indwelling venous catheter from 0.5 h pi to 12 h pi. All parameters of the white blood cell count responded significantly to LPS, while only a few parameters were affected by L-carnitine supplementation. The mean eosinophil count, as well as the percentage of basophils were significantly higher in CAR than in CON over time, which may be due to an increased membrane stability. However, phagocytosis and production of reactive oxygen species by leukocytes remained unchanged following L-carnitine supplementation. In conclusion, although supplementation with 25 g L-carnitine per cow and day resulted in increased proportions of specific leukocyte populations, it had only minor effects on the functional parameters studied in mid-lactating dairy cows during LPS-induced inflammation, and there was no evidence of direct improvement of immune functionality.

A Nonparametric Composite Group DIF Index for Focal Groups Stemming from Multicategorical Variables

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to develop a nonparametric DIF method that (a) compares focal groups directly to the composite group that will be used to develop the reported test score scale, and (b) allows practitioners to explore for DIF related to focal groups stemming from multicategorical variables that constitute a small proportion of the overall testing population. We propose the nonparametric root expected proportion squared difference (REPSD) index that evaluates the statistical significance of composite group DIF for relatively small focal groups stemming from multicategorical focal variables, with decisions of statistical significance based on quasi‐exact p values obtained from Monte Carlo permutations of the DIF statistic under the null distribution. We conduct a simulation to evaluate conditions under which the index produces acceptable Type I error and power rates, as well as an application to a school district assessment. Practitioners can calculate the REPSD index in a freely available package we created in the R environment.

The effect of long-term alendronic acid treatment on Modic changes in the lumbar spine: a gender and age-matched study

BackgroundLow back pain (LBP) affects a significant proportion of the adult population. Potent anti-resorptive drugs such as intravenous zoledronic acid have been demonstrated to reduce Modic changes (MCs) upon magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine and concomitantly decrease associated LBP. It is uncertain whether oral alendronic acid has a similar effect.Methods82 subjects were recruited in this case-control study. Treatment subjects (n = 41) received oral alendronic acid treatment for at least 1-year and were matched by gender and age (± 2) to control subjects (n = 41) not receiving any anti-osteoporotic medication. The prevalence, type, and extent of MCs were quantified upon T1 and T2-weighted MRIs of the lumbosacral spine.ResultsTreatment subjects received oral alendronic acid for 124.0 ± 62.1 weeks at the time of MRI assessment and exhibited a lower prevalence of MCs over the lumbosacral spine (18/41 vs. 30/41, p < 0.001) as compared to control subjects. Amongst both groups, type 2 MCs were predominant. Quantification of type 2 MCs in treatment subjects revealed a significant reduction in area (113 ± 106 mm2 vs. 231 ± 144 mm2, p < 0.01) and volume (453 ± 427 mm3 vs. 925 ± 575 mm3, p < 0.01) affected by type 2 MCs in comparison to matched controls.ConclusionOral alendronic acid may be useful in the treatment of MC-associated LBP in patients with concomitant osteoporosis.

Change in Marriage Behaviour in North-Central Namibia 1925–2009

Namibia is the only country in Africa for which historical data is available to describe the change in marriage behavior since the 1920s. The aim of this article is to describe and to understand how the age at first marriage changed and how it was related to cohabitation since the 1920s in Namibia. The description of changes is based on parish register material and the family reconstitution method. The mean age at first marriage was over 20 for both sexes as early as the 1920s. In 1945–49, the mean age at first marriage started to increase, reaching about 29 for men and 24 for women at the end of the 1950s. The explanation for the increase was labor migration. The new cohabitation model was introduced from the end of the 1970s to the 1980s. Features of this model were cohabitation before marriage, late marriage age, a low married proportion of the population and high proportion of premarital births.

Revealing Decision-Making Strategies of Americans in Taking COVID-19 Vaccination.

Efficient coverage for newly developed vaccines requires knowing which groups of individuals will accept the vaccine immediately and which will take longer to accept or never accept. Of those who may eventually accept the vaccine, there are two main types: success-based learners, basing their decisions on others' satisfaction, and myopic rationalists, attending to their own immediate perceived benefit. We used COVID-19 vaccination data to fit a mechanistic model capturing the distinct effects of the two types on the vaccination progress. We proved the identifiability of the population proportions of each type and estimated that of Americans behaved as myopic rationalists with a high variation across the jurisdictions, from in Mississippi to in Vermont. The proportion was correlated with the vaccination coverage, proportion of votes in favor of Democrats in 2020 presidential election, and education score.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among adults in India: A primary study based on health behavior theories and 5C psychological antecedents model.

Despite the significant success of India's COVID-19 vaccination program, a sizeable proportion of the adult population remains unvaccinated or has received a single dose of the vaccine. Despite the recommendations of the Government of India for the two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and the precautionary booster dose, many people were still hesitant towards the COVID-19 full vaccination. Hence, this study aimed to identify the primary behavioral and psychological factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy. Cross-sectional data was collected via a multi-stage sampling design by using a scheduled sample survey in the Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh, India, between 15 July 2022 to 30 September 2022. This study has utilized three health behavior models-the Health Belief Model (HBM), the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and the 5C Psychological Antecedents of vaccination, and employed bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regression model to assess the level of vaccine hesitancy and predictive health behavior of the respondents. Results indicate that among the constructs of the HBM and 5C Antecedents models, "perceived benefits", "confidence" and "collective responsibility" showed a lesser likelihood of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. However, in the TPB model constructs, a 'negative attitude towards the vaccine' showed a four times higher likelihood of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. From the future policy perspective, this study suggested that addressing the issue of 'negative attitudes towards the vaccine' and increasing the trust or confidence for the vaccine through increasing awareness about the benefits of the vaccination in India may reduce vaccine hesitancy.

Single-cell RNA-sequencing reveals the transcriptional landscape of lacrimal gland in GVHD mouse model

PurposeTo investigate the global transcriptional landscape of lacrimal gland cell populations in the GVHD mouse model. MethodsSingle-cell RNA sequencing and further bioinformatic analysis of dissociated lacrimal gland (LG) cells from the mouse model were performed. Parts of transcriptional results were confirmed by immunofluorescence staining. ResultsWe identified 23 cell populations belonging to 11 cell types. In GVHD LG, the proportion of acinar cells, myoepithelial cells, and endothelial cells was remarkably decreased, while T cells and macrophages were significantly expanded. Gene expression analysis indicated decreased secretion function, extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis, and increased chemokines of myoepithelial cells. A newly described epithelial population named Lrg1high epithelial cells, expressing distinct gene signatures, was exclusively identified in GVHD LG. The fibroblasts exhibited an inflammation gene pattern. The gene pattern of endothelial cells suggested an increased ability to recruit immune cells and damaged cell-cell junctions. T cells were mainly comprised of Th2 cells and effective memory CD8+ T cells. GVHD macrophages exhibited a Th2 cell-linked pattern. ConclusionsThis single-cell atlas uncovered alterations of proportion and gene expression patterns of cell populations and constructed cell-cell communication networks of GVHD LG. These data may provide some new insight into understanding the development of ocular GVHD.

Understanding phloem's role in long-distance transport and accumulation of arsenic (As) in rice: toward low-As-accumulating grain development.

This review highlights the roles of phloem in the long-distance transport and accumulation of As in rice plants, facilitating the formulation of new strategies to reduce the grain As content. Rice is a staple diet for a significant proportion of the global population. As toxicity is a major issue affecting the rice productivity and quality worldwide. Phloem tissues of rice plants play vital roles in As speciation, long-distance transport, and unloading, thereby controlling the As accumulation in rice grains. Phloem transport accounts for a significant proportion of As transport to grains, ranging from 54 to 100% depending on the species [inorganic arsenate (As(V)), arsenite (As(III)), or organic dimethylarsinic acid (DMA(V)]. However, the specific mechanism of As transport through phloem leading to its accumulation in grains remains unknown. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanism of phloem-mediated As transport is necessary to determine the roles of phloem in long-distance As transport and subsequently reduce the grain As content via biotechnological interventions. This review discusses the roles of phloem tissues in the long-distance transport and accumulation of As in rice grains. This review also highlights the biotechnological approaches using critical genetic factors involved in nodal accumulation, vacuolar sequestration, and cellular efflux of As in phloem- or phloem-associated tissues. Furthermore, the limitations of existing transgenic techniques are outlined to facilitate the formulation of novel strategies for the development of rice with reduced grain As content.

Abstract PO4-09-09: Deep Immunoprofiling Demonstrates Racial Differences in the Peripheral Immune System in Women at Risk for Breast Cancer

Abstract Background: Disparities in breast cancer outcomes between Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and Non-Hispanic White (NHW) women have been attributed to NHB women presenting with more aggressive subtypes and later stage disease, differences in treatment receipt and adherence, access to care and tumor biology. However, previous work has shown that these known factors do not fully account for the observed disparities in outcomes. Systemic immune fitness is a factor not previously studied that may play a role in dictating disease progression and therapeutic responses. Numerous factors, including age and race, impact immune system function and understanding these changes is critical to address disparities in breast cancer outcomes. Here, we developed a pipeline for deep immunoprofiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) at single cell resolution by full-spectrum flow cytometry. Using this pipeline, we sought to investigate whether there are differences in immune fitness between NHB and NHW women at high risk for developing breast cancer. Methods: PBMC were collected and processed from age-matched NHB and NHW women (n=20/cohort) identified as being at high risk for developing breast cancer through our institution’s B-PREP (Breast Cancer Personalized Risk Assessment Education and Prevention) clinic. Two custom antibody panels and protocols for comprehensive immunoprofiling of T and B cell subsets (T/B Panel), as well as monocytic, NK, and dendritic cell subsets (M/N/D Panel), along with functional and exhaustion markers were designed, optimized, and implemented. Traditional gating strategies were used to quantify proportions of canonical cell populations, and unbiased high dimensionality reduction analysis was performed using the OMIQ analysis platform to assess phenotypes and functional status of various immune cell subsets. Results: Significant differences between cohorts in abundance as well as phenotype of various cell populations were observed. Specifically, CD4+ follicular helper T cells, TEMRA CD8, and CD45RA Terminal Effector CD8+ cells were enriched in NHB women while PD-1+/CD3+ cells and PD-1+/CD8+ cells were enriched in the NHW women (Table). Additionally, several immunosuppressive and systemic inflammatory immune cell types were enriched in NHB women (Table). Conclusions: Deep immunoprofiling using single-cell spectral flow cytometry revealed differences in peripheral immune cells between NHB and NHW women at high risk for breast cancer. The significant enrichment of immunosuppressive monocytes and several activated NK cell populations in PBMC samples from NHB women relative to those from NHW women indicate an altered immune environment that may influence breast cancer development. Additional analysis, including a larger sample size and patients with invasive cancer, are ongoing to further understand if differences in immune fitness between NHB and NHW women are associated with disparities in breast cancer outcomes. Table: PBMC populations (% of CD45+) that are significantly enriched in NHB relative to NHW patients Citation Format: Esther Ogayo, Milos Spasic, Tasnim Rahman, Olga Kantor, Tari King, Peter van Galen, Sandra McAllister, Elizabeth Mittendorf. Deep Immunoprofiling Demonstrates Racial Differences in the Peripheral Immune System in Women at Risk for Breast Cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO4-09-09.

Preliminary Screening for the Anthelmintic Activity of Millettia zechiana Harms and Its Modifying Effect on Albendazole.

Helminthic infections affect a greater proportion of the world's population. This study determined the anthelmintic activity of Millettia zechiana and its modifying effect on albendazole. Powdered leaves of M. zechiana were successively extracted with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and ethanol. The anthelmintic potential of the M. zechiana leaf extracts and the modifying effects of the extracts on albendazole were determined on Pheretima posthuma. Phytochemical and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analyses were performed to determine the chemical composition of each extract. The plant extracts of M. zechiana had few or all phytoconstituents such as tannins, saponins, flavonoids, glycosides, terpenoids, phytosterols, and alkaloids present. The IC50 obtained for albendazole, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and ethanol extracts for paralysis time were 0.936, 1.722, 1.283, and 1.348 mg/mL, respectively. The IC50 obtained for albendazole and the ethanol extract for death time were 4.638 and 4.988 mg/mL. The ethanol extract at 10 and 5 mg/mL caused death in the worms after 152.5 ± 8.66 minutes and 304.8 ± 7.27 minutes of exposure, respectively. Ethanol, ethyl acetate, and petroleum ether extracts of M. zechiana significantly modified the activity of albendazole at concentrations of 2.5 and 1.25 mg/mL (P < 0.0001). The ethanol extract which exhibited the best anthelminthic activity was fractionated through column chromatography, and five (5) fractions were obtained. Fractions 1, 2, 4, and 5 had the best paralytic activities against the worms. Fractions 1 and 2 demonstrated better helminthicidal activity than albendazole, which had an IC50 of 3.915. The GC-MS analysis of the ethanol, ethyl acetate, and petroleum ether extracts showed the presence of 10, 10, and 37 compounds, respectively, with 9-octadecenamide, (Z)-, n-hexadecanoic acid, oleic acid, and some aromatic compounds being the most predominant. The results obtained indicate that M. zechiana leaf extract possesses anthelmintic activity.

Convolutional LSTM–LSTM model for predicting the daily number of influenza patients in South Korea using satellite images

ObjectivesInfluenza affects a considerable proportion of the global population each year, and meteorological conditions may have a significant impact on its transmission. In this study, we aimed to develop a prediction model for the number of influenza patients at the national level using satellite images and provide a basis for predicting influenza through satellite image data. Study designWe developed an influenza incidence prediction model using satellite images and influenza patient data. MethodsWe collected satellite images and daily influenza patient data from July 2014 to June 2019 and developed a convolutional long short-term memory (LSTM)–LSTM neural network model. The model with the lowest average of mean absolute error (MAE) was selected. ResultsThe final model showed a high correlation between the predicted and actual number of influenza patients, with an average MAE of 5.9010 per million population. The model performed best with a 2-week time sequence. ConclusionsWe developed a national-level prediction model using satellite images to predict influenza incidence. The model offers the advantage of nationwide analysis. These results may reduce the burden of influenza by enabling timely public health interventions.

Impact of agricultural digitalization on carbon emission intensity of planting industry: Evidence from China

Studying the impact of agricultural digitalization (ADT) on the carbon emission intensity of planting industry (PCI) can help promote sustainable development and realize the “dual carbon” goal. Based on the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2010 to 2020, this study uses the entropy weight method and emission coefficient method to measure the development level of ADT and PCI, respectively. By using the regression analysis method, as well as the robustness test, heterogeneity test, and spatial spillover effect and threshold tests, the impact of ADT on PCI was examined. The results are as follow: (1) PCI is high in the north and low in the south, and the north-south divide is becoming prominent. (2) ADT in China can significantly reduce PCI, as verified through the robustness test. (3) Regional differences exist in the impact of ADT on PCI, with the most significant effect observed in the northeast region, followed by the western and central regions. (4) ADT exerts a significant spatial spillover effect on PCI and an inhibitory effect on PCI of adjacent provinces. (5) The proportion of urban population exerts a threshold effect in the impact of ADT on PCI. When the urban population ratio crosses 69 %, the inhibitory effect of agricultural carbon emissions decreases marginally. Therefore, promoting the green and low-carbon development of the planting industry is highly recommended.

Sustainable development of Chinese higher education through comparison of higher education indices

The purpose of this study is to undertake a comparative study of higher education indices in China and between the 31 administrative divisions of China with the international evaluation system. The analysis includes a comparison of higher education indices between China and six continents and several key countries in the world, as well as a comparison between internal regions in China and Malaysia, both of which are in Asia. The numbers and rankings of higher education institutes (HEIs) of various countries and regions listed in the QS World University Rankings (QS) over 13 years from 2010 to 2023 form the basis of corresponding higher education indices obtained through several calculation formulas. These indices are the QS Higher Education Density Index (QSHEDI), QS Higher Education Quality Index (QSHEQI), QS Higher Education Composite Index (QSHEI), and Relative QS Higher Education Composite Index (RQSHEI), and they reflect the index calculation results of the density, quality, and composite of higher education relative to the regional population. Based on the comparative analysis of the indices from multiple perspectives, this study found that there is a large gap between higher education in China and other countries, and there is also a significant imbalance in the geographical distribution of higher education resources among Chinese provinces based on the population proportion and economic impact. These disparities will hurt the sustainable development of higher education in China. Therefore, paying more attention to the international evaluation system and recognition standards like the QS Rankings becomes necessary to guide the balanced development of higher education among provinces according to the population proportion. It is also vital to improve the international influence of HEIs in China according to internationally recognized requirements so that China's higher education can develop sustainably in the process of global internationalization.

An Overview of Research in the Field of Elderly Health: Bibliometric Analysis

Aim: The proportion of the elderly population in the world continues to increase rapidly, and many health problems arise in old age. This study aims to provide information for future research by conducting a bibliometric analysis of research on elderly health. Materials and Methods: Data on works published in the Web of Science (WoS) database on elderly health until the end of 2022 were obtained. A total of 1,031 works from different disciplines were accessed and analyzed. The VOSviewer 1.6.18 program and Excel Office package program were used for the data analysis. The distribution of the works by year, citation analysis of the works, the country where the research was conducted, the institution conducting the research, and the organizations that provided the most funding were compared. Results: It was determined that the first work on elderly health was published in 1983, the number of publications increased every year after 2005, and most publications were published in 2022 (f = 133). It was determined that the most frequently used keywords were “elderly health” (f = 130), the most publications were in China (265), the country with the highest citation density was the United States of America (USA), and the organization that provides the largest number of funding for research was the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (f = 78). Conclusion: Findings that the issue of elderly health is still up to date and that the interest of researchers in this subject is increasing with each passing year. The results of the study will provide useful clues for future research and scientific strategies in the field of elderly health.

Health District at Queenstown: Catalyst for translational research

Ageing societies dominating global demographics is not new. However, the pace of global population ageing is causing disquietude. In 2017, the global population over age 60 years exceeded those below 5 years for the first time in history, and only 3 years later, the population over age 65 surpassed those below 5.1,2 The US took 72 years to double its proportion of population over age 65 from 7% to 14% while Sweden took 85 years, but Asia has been projected to achieve this in about 23 years, with Singapore having taken 20 years.3 This unprecedented ageing acceleration in populations results from longer individual lifespans due to improvements in healthcare and population health, combined with a steady decline in total fertility rate—the latter being the mean number of children per woman in her lifetime. Unfortunately, the number of years in good health has not kept pace with lengthening lifespan; consequently, time spent in poor health is increasing.4 This demographic change, along with a widening healthspan and lifespan gaps will have dramatic impact on economic growth, workforce composition, healthcare, housing and transportation.

The role of diabetes in low back pain compared to non-diabetics

Background: Type 2 diabetes is a prevalent non-communicable disease, affecting significant proportion of the global population, with an estimated 382 million individuals affected. There exists a correlation among diabetes and low back pain. The objective of this investigation was to examine the potential association linking diabetes and low back pain by utilising the Oswestry disability Index as a gauge of the intensity of persistent lower back pain. Methods: The study was conducted by cross sectional method in which 200 patients with low back pain were included from period of October 2020 to September 2022. Oswestry disability index questionnaire was used for the intensity of lower back pain. Statistical package for the social sciences was used for data analysis. Results: In this study, out of 200 patients, 59 (29.5%) had diabetes and 141 (70.5%) were without diabetes, with a average age of 53.61±15.07 years. Overall, according to gender, patients were equally distributed, while female and male predominance was seen in diabetics and non-diabetics, respectively. Conclusions: The distribution of patients as per gender and ODI score did not differ, although more diabetics had a significantly higher ODI score than non-diabetics. A significant increase in blood glucose, HbA1c, microalbuminuria, and ODI score was noted in diabetics compared with non-diabetics, with significant positive associations of ODI with age, blood glucose, and HbA1c. The increased levels of the diabetic profile parameters and their association with the ODI indicate the possible role of diabetes with low back pain.