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Children frequently respond differently to therapies compared to adults. Differences also exist between paediatric age groups for pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in both efficacy and safety. Paediatric pharmacovigilance requires an understanding of the unique aspects of children with regard to, for example, drug response, growth and development, clinical presentation of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), how they can be detected and population‐specific factors (e.g., more frequent use of off‐label/unlicensed drugs). In recognition of these challenges, a group of experts has been formed in the context of the conect4children (c4c) project to support paediatric drug development. This expert group collaborated to develop methodological considerations for paediatric drug safety and pharmacovigilance throughout the life‐cycle of medicinal products which are described in this article. These considerations include practical points to consider for the development of the paediatric section of the risk management plan (RMP), safety in paediatric protocol development, safety data collection and analysis. Furthermore, they describe the specific details of post‐marketing pharmacovigilance in children using, for example, spontaneous reports, electronic health care records, registries and record‐linkage, as well as the use of paediatric pharmacoepidemiology studies for risk characterisation. Next the details of the assessment of benefit–risk and challenges related to medicinal product formulation in the context of a Paediatric Investigation Plan (PIP) are presented. Finally, practical issues in paediatric signal detection and evaluation are included. This paper provides practical points to consider for paediatric pharmacovigilance throughout the life‐cycle of medicinal products for RMPs, protocol development, safety data collection and analysis and PIPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improved global access to novel age‐appropriate formulations for paediatric subsets, either of new chemical entities or existing drugs, is a priority to ensure that medicines meet the needs of these patients. However, despite regulatory incentives, the introduction to the market of paediatric formulations still lags behind adult products. This is mainly caused by additional complexities associated with the development of acceptable age‐appropriate paediatric medicines. This position paper recommends the use of a paediatric Quality Target Product Profile as an efficient tool to facilitate early planning and decision making across all teams involved in paediatric formulation development during the children‐centric formulation design for new chemical entities, or to repurpose/reformulate off‐patent drugs. Essential key attributes of a paediatric formulation are suggested and described. Moreover, greater collaboration between formulation experts and clinical colleagues, including healthcare professionals, is advocated to lead to safe and effective, age‐appropriate medicinal products. Acceptability testing should be a secondary endpoint in paediatric clinical trials to ensure postmarketing adherence is not compromised by a lack of acceptability. Not knowing the indications and the related age groups and potential dosing regimens early enough is still a major hurdle for efficient paediatric formulation development; however, the proposed paediatric Quality Target Product Profile could be a valuable collaborative tool for planning and decision making to expedite paediatric product development, particularly for those with limited experience in developing a paediatric product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Developing children's skills in producing oral narratives can reflect their linguistic and cognitive abilities. However, to evaluate these abilities appropriately, it is necessary to find and apply an efficient narrative assessment tool. This study primarily aimed to assess the reliability and validity of a picture story, as a narrative eliciting tool, based on Persianspeaking children's narratives. This assessment is going to be done at the microstructure and macrostructure levels. Furthermore, to evaluate the power of the assessment tool, we explored the effect of age and gender variables on using different narrative elements at the microstructure and macrostructure levels. Materials and Methods: We used a picture story, "Frog, where are you?" to elicit oral narratives in 48 subjects, including 7-, 9-, and 11-year-old boys and girls. The reliability and validity of the tool were respectively assessed by test-retest and factor analysis. Results: The findings indicated a significantly high correlation between the evaluated features based on test-retest. Besides, factor analysis revealed four categories: sentence structures, references, conjunctions, measures of story length. They were valid indicators for assessing Persian-speaking children's narratives. The results also showed a statistically significant difference among different age groups, but an insignificant effect of gender on using discursive features in the tales. Conclusion: The picture story "Frog, where are you?" can be used as a reliable and valid narrative eliciting tool for Persian data at the microstructure and macrostructure levels. Also, the age factor, but not the gender one, affects the stories recited by Persian children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The condition and health of large oil-immersed power transformers' insulation have a direct impact on the safety and stability of the power grid. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the aging characteristics of oil–paper insulation in power transformers. In this study, we developed a computational model for reclosing current calculation and multiphysics coupling models for magnetic-circuit-force, electrostatic field, and temperature field simulations. The calculated aging resulted in a mechanical stress of 8.71 MPa, an electric field strength of 2.26 × 106 V/m, and a temperature of 113.7 °C. We conducted combined electrical–thermal–mechanical aging tests on the oil–paper insulation and measured various insulating paper performance parameters at different aging stages. Our study revealed that both the mechanical and electrical properties of the insulating paper deteriorated in both aging groups. However, the changes were more pronounced in the electrical–thermal–mechanical aging group compared to the electrical–thermal aging group, indicating that mechanical stress accelerated the aging process of the insulating paper. In the early stages of aging, the rate of performance changes in the electrical–thermal aging group was similar to that in the electrical–thermal–mechanical aging group. However, as the aging time increased, the degradation of performance induced by mechanical aging became more significant. This suggests that the insulating paper's resistance to mechanical damage, specifically short-circuit resistance, noticeably decreased after prolonged aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agent-based epidemiological simulators have been proven to be one of the most successful tools for the analysis of COVID-19 propagation. The ability of these tools to reproduce the behavior and interactions of each single individual leads to accurate and detailed results, which can be used to model fine-grained health-related policies like selective vaccination campaigns or immunity waning. One characteristic of these tools is the large amount of input data and computational resources that they require. This relies on the development of parallel algorithms and methodologies for generating, accessing, and processing large volumes of data from multiple data sources. This work presents a parallel workflow for extending the social modeling of EpiGraph, an agent-based simulator. We have included two novel parallel social generation stages that generate a detailed and realistic social model and one new visualization stage. This work also presents a description of the algorithms used in each stage, different optimization techniques that permit to reduce the application convergence time, and a practical evaluation of large workloads on HPC systems. Results show that this contribution can be efficiently executed in parallel architectures and the results allow to increase the simulation detail level, representing a significant advance in the simulator scenario modeling. As a summary of results, the first contribution of this paper is the development of two models (a spatial and a social one) that assign geographical and socioeconomic indicators to each simulated individual (i.e., agents), reproducing the real social distribution of the city of Madrid. The second contribution presents an improved parallel and distributed algorithm that executes the two aforementioned models using different parallelization strategies and preserving the load balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change increases the risk of illness through rising temperature, severe precipitation and worst air pollution. This paper investigates how monthly excess mortality rate is associated with the increasing frequency and severity of extreme temperature in Canada during 2000-2020. The extreme associations were compared among four age groups across five sub-blocks of Canada based on the datasets of monthly T90 and T10, the two most representative indices of severe weather monitoring measures developed by the actuarial associations in Canada and US. We utilize a combined seasonal Auto-regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and bivariate Peaks-Over-Threshold (POT) method to investigate the extreme association via the extreme tail index χ and Pickands dependence function plots. It turns out that it is likely (more than 10%) to occur with excess mortality if there are unusual low temperature with extreme intensity (all χ > 0.1 except Northeast Atlantic (NEA), Northern Plains (NPL) and Northwest Pacific (NWP) for age group 0-44), while extreme frequent high temperature seems not to affect health significantly (all χ ≤ 0.001 except NWP). Particular attention should be paid to NWP and Central Arctic (CAR) since population health therein is highly associated with both extreme frequent high and low temperatures (both χ = 0.3182 for all age groups). The revealed extreme dependence is expected to help stakeholders avoid significant ramifications with targeted health protection strategies from unexpected consequences of extreme weather events. The novel extremal dependence methodology is promisingly applied in further studies of the interplay between extreme meteorological exposures, social-economic factors and health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the digital age, social media has emerged as a significant platform, generating a vast amount of raw data daily. This data reflects the opinions of individuals from diverse backgrounds, races, cultures, and age groups, spanning a wide range of topics. Businesses can leverage this data to extract valuable insights, improve their services, and effectively reach a broader audience based on users' expressed opinions on social media platforms. To harness the potential of this extensive and unstructured data, a deep understanding of Natural Language Processing (NLP) is crucial. Existing approaches for sentiment analysis (SA) often rely on word co-occurrence frequencies, which prove inefficient in practical scenarios. Identifying this research gap, this paper presents a framework for concept-level sentiment analysis, aiming to enhance the accuracy of sentiment analysis (SA). A comprehensive Urdu language dataset was constructed by collecting data from YouTube, consisting of various talks and reviews on topics such as movies, politics, and commercial products. The dataset was further enriched by incorporating language rules and Deep Neural Networks (DNN) to optimize polarity detection. For sentiment analysis, the proposed framework employs predefined rules to trigger sentiment flow from words to concepts, leveraging the dependency relations among different words in a sentence based on Urdu language grammatical rules. In cases where predefined patterns are not triggered, the framework seamlessly switches to its sub-symbolic counterpart, passing the data to the DNN for sentence classification. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed framework surpasses state-of-the-art approaches, including LSTM, CNN, SVM, LR, and MLP, achieving an improvement of 6–7% on Urdu dataset. In conclusion, this research paper introduces a novel framework for concept-level sentiment analysis of Urdu language data sourced from social media platforms. By combining language rules and DNN, the proposed framework demonstrates superior performance compared to existing methodologies, showcasing its effectiveness in accurately analyzing sentiment in Urdu text data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malaria infection can present with a wide variety of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe. Plasmodium falciparum isolates in uncomplicated and severe malaria infections may have different parasite genetic profiles. This study was conducted to assess differences in genetic diversity and allelic frequencies in P. falciparum isolates according to malaria severity and age of patients in the Gublack area, northwest Ethiopia. Methods: Cross-sectional health facility-based study conducted in Gublak, Ethiopia between July, 2017 and October, 2017. Symptomatic P. falciparum malaria patients with microscopically-confirmed infection were enrolled. Parasite DNA was extracted from filter paper blood spots and the polymorphic regions of the msp-1 and msp-2 genes were genotyped using allele-specific nested-PCR with fragment analysis by gel electrophoresis. Results: A total of 118 patients were enrolled including 95 (80.5%) with uncomplicated infection and 23 (19.5%) with severe disease. In msp-1, the K1 allelic family was similarly prevalent in uncomplicated 42 (44.2%) and severe disease 12 (52.2%). In msp-2, FC27 was detected in 55 (57.9%) of uncomplicated infections and IC/3D7 in 14 (60.9%) of severe infections. 76 (64.4%) of the 118 isolates contained multiple genotypes; 56 (58.9%) in uncomplicated infections and 19 (82.6%) in severe infections. The overall of multiplicity of infection was 2.2 (95% CI 1.98–2.42) with 1.4 (95% CI 1.23–1.55) and 1.7 (95% CI 1.49–1.86) for msp-1 and msp-2, respectively. Multiplicity of infection was significantly higher in severe than uncomplicated infections (3.0 (95% CI 2.61–3.47) versus 2.0 (95% CI 1.83–2.23), respectively, p = 0.001). There was no difference in multiplicity of infection across age groups (p = 0.104). Conclusion: Patients with severe malaria were more likely to have multiclonal infections. Further studies are needed to describe the association between P. falciparum genotypes and malaria severity in different malaria transmission areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mealtimes are a period of heightened distress for individuals with eating disorders. Patients frequently display maladaptive coping strategies, such as hiding food and using distraction techniques to avoid eating. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the evidence for meal support interventions as a first-line intervention for eating disorders. Method: Six databases were systematically searched in January 2024. Papers including patients with an eating disorder, and meal support or meal supervision, were examined. Quality appraisal was conducted. Results: Ten studies met inclusion criteria. Meal support was conducted individually and in group settings. Two studies examined the practical or interpersonal processes of meal support. Carers and trained clinicians implemented meal support. Individuals across the lifespan were examined. Settings included inpatient units, community clinics, and the home. Studies were heterogeneously evaluated with retrospective chart audits, pre- and post- cohort studies, semi-structured interviews, video analysis, and surveys. Discussion: Meal support intervention is potentially suitable and beneficial for patients of various age groups and eating disorder diagnoses. Due to the lack of consistent approaches, it is apparent there is no standardised framework and manualised approach. This highlights the need for the development of a co-designed approach, adequate training, and rigorous evaluation. Plain English summary: Previous research indicates that meal support may be potentially beneficial as an independent intervention in the treatment of eating disorders, but inconsistent approaches and a lack of standardization make evaluations challenging. The current study aims to provide an overview of current meal support interventions, how they are implemented, and their impacts on health outcomes and hospital admissions in people experiencing an eating disorder. Gaps in current knowledge and research highlight the need for further investigation, and the development of a co-designed approach, adequate training, and rigorous evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading global cause of mortality. Age is an important covariate whose effect is most easily investigated in a healthy cohort to properly distinguish the former from disease-related changes. Traditionally, most of such insights have been drawn from the analysis of electrocardiogram (ECG) feature changes in individuals as they age. However, these features, while informative, may potentially obscure underlying data relationships. In this paper we present the following contributions: (1) We employ a deep-learning model and a tree-based model to analyze ECG data from a robust dataset of healthy individuals across varying ages in both raw signals and ECG feature format. (2) We use explainable AI methods to identify the most discriminative ECG features across age groups.(3) Our analysis with tree-based classifiers reveals age-related declines in inferred breathing rates and identifies notably high SDANN values as indicative of elderly individuals, distinguishing them from younger adults. (4) Furthermore, the deep-learning model underscores the pivotal role of the P-wave in age predictions across all age groups, suggesting potential changes in the distribution of different P-wave types with age. These findings shed new light on age-related ECG changes, offering insights that transcend traditional feature-based approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-to-human contact plays a leading role in the transmission of infectious diseases, and the contact pattern between individuals has an important influence on the intensity and trend of disease transmission. In this paper, we define regular contacts and random contacts. Then, taking the COVID-19 outbreak in Yangzhou City, China as an example, we consider age heterogeneity, household structure and two contact patterns to establish discrete dynamic models with switching between daytime and nighttime to depict the transmission mechanism of COVID-19 in population. We studied the changes in the reproduction number with different age groups and household sizes at different stages. The effects of the proportion of two contacts patterns on reproduction number were also studied. Furthermore, taking the final size, the peak value of infected individuals in community and the peak value of quarantine infected individuals and nucleic acid test positive individuals as indicators, we evaluate the impact of the number of random contacts, the duration of the free transmission stage and summer vacation on the spread of the disease. The results show that a series of prevention and control measures taken by the Chinese government in response to the epidemic situation are reasonable and effective, and the young and middle-aged adults (aged 18-59) with household size of 6 have the strongest transmission ability. In addition, the results also indicate that increasing the proportion of random contact is beneficial to the control of the infectious disease in the phase with interventions. This work enriches the content of infectious disease modeling and provides theoretical guidance for the prevention and control of follow-up major infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reference intervals and median values of serum vitamin B12 level in blood from patients among the Latvian population were established for different age groups with a two-year step using data for a large number of patients, accumulated in E. Gulbis Laboratory in Latvia. The data represents the general population of Latvia. An indirect in silico method, developed in E. Gulbis laboratory for determination of serum vitamin B12 blood level reference intervals, was used. Strong elevation of serum vitamin B12 blood level was observed in children who were between 2 and 10 years old. The paper discusses the serum vitamin B12 values for children and a different serum vitamin B12 reference interval for young children is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from the 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), this paper investigates the effect of public expenditures on household investment in risky financial assets. Our findings show that a higher level of public expenditures significantly increases household investment in stocks and other risky financial assets and that the respondent's overconfidence in their financial well‐being partially mediates such an effect. We further provide evidence that the influence of public expenditures on household investment behavior in risky financial assets is robust after considering various sample heterogeneities by disaggregating public expenditures and risky financial assets into different subcategories and dividing households into different age and socioeconomic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper describes changes in the prevalence and intensity of schistosome parasite infections in a project integrating mass drug administration (MDA), water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH), and behavioral change interventions. Methods: The Geshiyaro Project comprises three intervention arms. Arm 1 is subdivided into "Arm 1 pilot" (one district) and Arm 1 (four other districts), both receiving integrated community-wide MDA with intensive WaSH interventions. Arm 2 involves 17 districts with community-wide MDA interventions, while Arm 3 serves as a control with school-based MDA interventions in three districts. A total of 150 individuals, stratified by age group, were randomly selected from each of the 45 sentinel sites. Arm sizes were 584 (Arm 1 pilot), 1636 (Arm 1), 2203 (Arm 2), and 2238 (Arm 3). Statistical tests were employed to compare infection prevalence and intensity across the different arms. Results: The prevalence of schistosome parasite infection ranged from 0% to 2.6% and from 1.7% to 25.7% across districts, employing the Kato-Katz (KK) and point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) diagnostics, respectively. The mean infection intensity level showed no marked difference between baseline and follow-up surveys when measured by KK, except in Arm 2 (t = 6.89, P < 0.0001). Infection prevalence decreased significantly in Arm 1 (t = 8.62, P < 0.0001), Arm 2 (t = 6.94, P < 0.0001), and Arm 3 (t = 8.83, P < 0.0001), but not in Arm 1 pilot (t = 1.69, P = 0.09) by POC-CCA, when trace was considered positive. The decrease was significant only in Arm 1 (t = 3.28, P = 0.0001) and Arm 2 (t = 7.62, P < 0.0001) when the trace was considered negative in POC-CCA. Arm 2 demonstrated a significant difference in difference (DID) compared to the control group, Arm 3, regardless of whether trace in POC-CCA was considered positive (DID = 3.9%, df = 8780, P = 0.025) or negative (DID = −5.2, df = 8780, P = 0.0004). Conclusions: The prevalence of schistosomiasis was low when employing the KK diagnostic but moderate in some locations by the POC-CCA diagnostic. The infection level had decreased across all arms of the Geshiyaro study at mid-term of the 7-year project, but further efforts are needed to reduce the rate of parasite transmission based on the POC-CCA diagnostic scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper describes changes in the prevalence and intensity of schistosome parasite infections in a project integrating mass drug administration (MDA), water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH), and behavioral change interventions. Methods: The Geshiyaro Project comprises three intervention arms. Arm 1 is subdivided into "Arm 1 pilot" (one district) and Arm 1 (four other districts), both receiving integrated community-wide MDA with intensive WaSH interventions. Arm 2 involves 17 districts with community-wide MDA interventions, while Arm 3 serves as a control with school-based MDA interventions in three districts. A total of 150 individuals, stratified by age group, were randomly selected from each of the 45 sentinel sites. Arm sizes were 584 (Arm 1 pilot), 1636 (Arm 1), 2203 (Arm 2), and 2238 (Arm 3). Statistical tests were employed to compare infection prevalence and intensity across the different arms. Results: The prevalence of schistosome parasite infection ranged from 0% to 2.6% and from 1.7% to 25.7% across districts, employing the Kato-Katz (KK) and point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) diagnostics, respectively. The mean infection intensity level showed no marked difference between baseline and follow-up surveys when measured by KK, except in Arm 2 (t = 6.89, P < 0.0001). Infection prevalence decreased significantly in Arm 1 (t = 8.62, P < 0.0001), Arm 2 (t = 6.94, P < 0.0001), and Arm 3 (t = 8.83, P < 0.0001), but not in Arm 1 pilot (t = 1.69, P = 0.09) by POC-CCA, when trace was considered positive. The decrease was significant only in Arm 1 (t = 3.28, P = 0.0001) and Arm 2 (t = 7.62, P < 0.0001) when the trace was considered negative in POC-CCA. Arm 2 demonstrated a significant difference in difference (DID) compared to the control group, Arm 3, regardless of whether trace in POC-CCA was considered positive (DID = 3.9%, df = 8780, P = 0.025) or negative (DID = −5.2, df = 8780, P = 0.0004). Conclusions: The prevalence of schistosomiasis was low when employing the KK diagnostic but moderate in some locations by the POC-CCA diagnostic. The infection level had decreased across all arms of the Geshiyaro study at mid-term of the 7-year project, but further efforts are needed to reduce the rate of parasite transmission based on the POC-CCA diagnostic scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper describes changes in the prevalence and intensity of schistosome parasite infections in a project integrating mass drug administration (MDA), water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH), and behavioral change interventions. Methods: The Geshiyaro Project comprises three intervention arms. Arm 1 is subdivided into "Arm 1 pilot" (one district) and Arm 1 (four other districts), both receiving integrated community-wide MDA with intensive WaSH interventions. Arm 2 involves 17 districts with community-wide MDA interventions, while Arm 3 serves as a control with school-based MDA interventions in three districts. A total of 150 individuals, stratified by age group, were randomly selected from each of the 45 sentinel sites. Arm sizes were 584 (Arm 1 pilot), 1636 (Arm 1), 2203 (Arm 2), and 2238 (Arm 3). Statistical tests were employed to compare infection prevalence and intensity across the different arms. Results: The prevalence of schistosome parasite infection ranged from 0% to 2.6% and from 1.7% to 25.7% across districts, employing the Kato-Katz (KK) and point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) diagnostics, respectively. The mean infection intensity level showed no marked difference between baseline and follow-up surveys when measured by KK, except in Arm 2 (t = 6.89, P < 0.0001). Infection prevalence decreased significantly in Arm 1 (t = 8.62, P < 0.0001), Arm 2 (t = 6.94, P < 0.0001), and Arm 3 (t = 8.83, P < 0.0001), but not in Arm 1 pilot (t = 1.69, P = 0.09) by POC-CCA, when trace was considered positive. The decrease was significant only in Arm 1 (t = 3.28, P = 0.0001) and Arm 2 (t = 7.62, P < 0.0001) when the trace was considered negative in POC-CCA. Arm 2 demonstrated a significant difference in difference (DID) compared to the control group, Arm 3, regardless of whether trace in POC-CCA was considered positive (DID = 3.9%, df = 8780, P = 0.025) or negative (DID = −5.2, df = 8780, P = 0.0004). Conclusions: The prevalence of schistosomiasis was low when employing the KK diagnostic but moderate in some locations by the POC-CCA diagnostic. The infection level had decreased across all arms of the Geshiyaro study at mid-term of the 7-year project, but further efforts are needed to reduce the rate of parasite transmission based on the POC-CCA diagnostic scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Among Korean research papers there have been studies on the correlation between tuberculosis-hypertension and diabetes and the correlation between dementia-hypertension and diabetes, but there were no analysis data specifically on tuberculosis and dementia. (2) Methods: A total of 2992 tuberculosis patients in the Gyeongbuk region were analyzed through a final analysis of integrated disease and health management system data collected from 2021 to 2022. In this selection, patients with tuberculosis under 50 years of age and 368 people diagnosed with tuberculosis were excluded. (3) Results: From 2021 to 2022, among the 2992 tuberculosis patients in Gyeongsangbuk-do aged 50 or older, 2722 (91.0%) belonged to the general tuberculosis patient group, while 270 (9.0%) belonged to the dementia–tuberculosis patient group. The average age in the dementia–tuberculosis group was 81.4 years, significantly higher than the general group's average of 75.7 years. Within the dementia–tuberculosis patient group, 235 patients (87.0%) had underlying medical conditions in addition to dementia and tuberculosis. The tuberculosis treatment cure rate was 56.3% (1477 patients) in the general group and 38.9% (105 patients) in the dementia–tuberculosis patient group. (4) Conclusions: The cure rate was notably higher in the general group. Similarly, the mortality rate (deaths due to tuberculosis) was significantly higher in the dementia–tuberculosis patient group (7.0%, 19 patients) compared to the normal group (3.0%, 81 patients). The mortality rate in the dementia group was more than twice that of the general group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gaming industry has seen a considerable expansion thanks to the ever-increasing and widespread consumption of digital games in different contexts of use and across all age groups. We are witnessing a commercial boom and awakening the attention of researchers from different scientific areas to address an interdisciplinary topic. Digital games consumption has inspired some studies investigating the use and adoption of these games and, in this context, we ask: "how has the use and adoption of digital games by adults been studied?". We conducted a documental study with a meta-analysis approach to answer these questions, considering the most relevant research papers published in the last fifteen years, according to a set of inclusion criteria. The planned objectives consider identifying the main dimensions in the studies about the use and adoption of digital games by adults and the findings of this study delineate several dimensions as prospective latent variables for inclusion in future studies within acceptance models for digital games. Furthermore, our research illuminates the socialization dimension, particularly when amalgamated with other conceptual dimensions. This nuanced understanding underscores the intricate interplay between various factors influencing the acceptance and adoption of digital gaming technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) is a highly effective intervention for preventing malaria, particularly in areas with highly seasonal transmission. Monitoring and evaluating (M&E) SMC programmes are complex due to the scale, time-sensitive delivery of the programme, and influence of external factors. This paper describes the process followed to develop a comprehensive M&E framework tailored specifically for the SMC context. Methods: The Framework was developed through a literature and programme review, and stakeholder dialogues across three implementing countries—Burkina Faso, Chad, and Nigeria. Expert consultation further refined the Framework through an iterative approach drawing upon data collected through the three sources. The Framework was designed using the Logical Framework Approach incorporating external factors and intentionally aligned with global malaria M&E standards. Results: An overall aim and seven programme objectives were developed measured by 70 indicators. The indicators also capture the causal links between the implementation and results of the programme. The Framework leverages the use of current data sources and existing mechanisms, ensuring efficient data use without requiring a significant increase in resources for overall programme optimization. It also promotes the use of data triangulation, and stratification for a more nuanced understanding of factors affecting programme performance and timely data informed decision-making. Conclusions: The SMC M&E Framework presented here provides a standardized approach for programme implementers to enhance decision-making for optimal programme performance. This is an essential tool as the scope of SMC programmes expands to new geographies and target age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to identify and evaluate differences in the attitudes to using FinTech products and services in Poland adopted by two study cohorts–one comprised of young customers, born no earlier than in 1990, and the other comprised of other adults. The main motivation for our research was to answer the question if young people growing up in the market economy will behave differently in the use of FinTech than older generations living in the former political and economic system. We also wanted to find the factors that determine the perception and willingness to use FinTech in the mentioned age groups. The data discussed in the paper were provided by the CAWI survey that was conducted in 2020 and covered a sample of 1,153 adult Poles. To achieve our goal, we used nonparametric statistical testing and the backward stepwise logistic regression models. The research demonstrated that young customers showed considerably more interest in all the aspects of the use of FinTech within the framework of our study than the other adults. Regarding the experience of using FinTech, such determinants as the male gender, the larger household in which a given respondent lives, and the possibility of making financial decisions independently exerted more impact on the young customers cohort than on the other adults. Irrespective of their opinion about FinTech, the persons under 30 years of age are more likely to use FinTech beyond average than the other adults whereas the persons over 30 years of age will do so only if they evaluate FinTech very well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely accepted that the transition from youth to adulthood in western industrialized societies brings with it a series of tensions and dilemmas in terms of identity formation. One of the areas where such formational issues often manifest themselves is through the faith journeys of young people. This paper presents empirical evidence from a small-scale qualitative study of one faith–sport initiative—Run the Race Well—a US-based venture which, through an annual retreat program, aims to provide theological support for high school athletes involved in the higher echelons of sport in their age group. Utilizing the "voices" of retreat participants, the paper uncovers some of the issues surrounding the Christian identity of the young people who have participated in the program and explores how the prioritization of lifestyle activities (e.g., education, sport, and faith) has the potential to give rise to particular problems and anxieties. The paper discusses some of the complexities of this prioritization process to reveal how young people seek to navigate and negotiate their identities, both as elite athletes and Christians, and how the tensions and dilemmas of teenage life shape their views of the overall relationship between sport and faith. The paper concludes by suggesting that amidst the wider anxieties of youth transition, intentional investment by others (via theological teaching, sports coaching, and one-to-one, group, and peer mentoring) can provide a catalyst for identity formation and personal/faith development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic diversity within species represents a fundamental yet underappreciated level of biodiversity. Because genetic diversity can indicate species resilience to changing climate, its measurement is relevant to many national and global conservation policy targets. Many studies produce large amounts of genome‐scale genetic diversity data for wild populations, but most (87%) do not include the associated spatial and temporal metadata necessary for them to be reused in monitoring programs or for acknowledging the sovereignty of nations or Indigenous peoples. We undertook a distributed datathon to quantify the availability of these missing metadata and to test the hypothesis that their availability decays with time. We also worked to remediate missing metadata by extracting them from associated published papers, online repositories, and direct communication with authors. Starting with 848 candidate genomic data sets (reduced representation and whole genome) from the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration, we determined that 561 contained mostly samples from wild populations. We successfully restored spatiotemporal metadata for 78% of these 561 data sets (n = 440 data sets with data on 45,105 individuals from 762 species in 17 phyla). Examining papers and online repositories was much more fruitful than contacting 351 authors, who replied to our email requests 45% of the time. Overall, 23% of our email queries to authors unearthed useful metadata. The probability of retrieving spatiotemporal metadata declined significantly as age of the data set increased. There was a 13.5% yearly decrease in metadata associated with published papers or online repositories and up to a 22% yearly decrease in metadata that were only available from authors. This rapid decay in metadata availability, mirrored in studies of other types of biological data, should motivate swift updates to data‐sharing policies and researcher practices to ensure that the valuable context provided by metadata is not lost to conservation science forever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We conducted a trial embedded within the German National Cohort comparing the responses to study invitations sent in recycled envelopes of grey color vs. envelopes of white color. We analyzed paradata for reactions to the invitation letters by potential subjects, the duration between mailing date of the invitation and active responses, and study participation. Results: Grey envelopes only slightly increased the chance of active responses (OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.83, 1.62) to the invitation letter. Potential study subjects with German nationality (OR 3.75, 95% CI 2.07, 7.66) and age groups above 50 years (50–59: OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.19, 2.69; 60–69: OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.48, 3.43) were more likely to actively respond to the invitation letter. The duration between mailing date of the invitation and active response was not associated with envelope color, sex, nationality, or age. Our trial replicates previous observations that the color of the envelope of a study invitation does not influence the likelihood of an active response or study participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, many research projects were forced to adapt their design and conduct interviews online. This paper discusses the benefits and challenges of using online focus groups with participants representing different generations and cultural and social backgrounds. Based on the researchers' experiences and field notes from a three-country comparative project, aiming at analysing the extent to which previous experience of state surveillance impacted attitudes to commercial monitoring and tracking of online behaviour among two generational cohorts, the paper identifies seven aspects where the move from offline to online interviewing interfered with the original research design. The paper suggests that most of these interferences resulted in a need to adjust the methodology to better fit the online setting. We reflect critically upon the issues of technological preconditions and digital skills, recruitment, group size, degrees of previous acquaintance, the role of the interviewer, participants' household status and media environment, and ethical considerations concerning privacy and data management. Based on these methodological insights, we conclude that future online focus group research would benefit from using smaller groups and adjusted moderation, flexibility in interviewing tools and channels, and new, online-specific ethical considerations when planning, executing, and analysing interviews. The paper advocates the complementarity between in-person and online focus groups as two modalities of data collection and argues for the normalization of hybrid methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antibiotic use during early infancy has been linked to childhood obesity in high-income countries. We evaluated whether a single oral dose of azithromycin administered during infant-well visits led to changes in infant growth outcomes at 6 months of age in a setting with a high prevalence of undernutrition in rural Burkina Faso. Methods and findings: Infants were enrolled from September 25, 2019, until October 22, 2022, in a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of a single oral dose of azithromycin (20 mg/kg) compared to placebo when administered during well-child visits for prevention of infant mortality. The trial found no evidence of a difference in the primary endpoint. This paper presents prespecified secondary anthropometric endpoints including weight gain (g/day), height change (mm/day), weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ), weight-for-length Z-score (WLZ), length-for-age Z-score (LAZ), and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). Infants were eligible for the trial if they were between 5 and 12 weeks of age, able to orally feed, and their families were planning to remain in the study area for the duration of the study. Anthropometric measurements were collected at enrollment (5 to 12 weeks of age) and 6 months of age. Among 32,877 infants enrolled in the trial, 27,298 (83%) were followed and had valid anthropometric measurements at 6 months of age. We found no evidence of a difference in weight gain (mean difference 0.03 g/day, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.12 to 0.18), height change (mean difference 0.004 mm/day, 95% CI −0.05 to 0.06), WAZ (mean difference −0.004 SD, 95% CI −0.03 to 0.02), WLZ (mean difference 0.001 SD, 95% CI −0.03 to 0.03), LAZ (mean difference −0.005 SD, 95% CI −0.03 to 0.02), or MUAC (mean difference 0.01 cm, 95% CI −0.01 to 0.04). The primary limitation of the trial was that measurements were only collected at enrollment and 6 months of age, precluding assessment of shorter-term or long-term changes in growth. Conclusions: Single-dose azithromycin does not appear to affect weight and height outcomes when administered during early infancy. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.govNCT03676764 Ali Sié and colleagues present pre-specified anthropometric outcomes from a randomized controlled trial that assessed the impact of a single-dose of oral azithromycin on infant mortality in Burkina Faso. Author summary: Why was this study done?: Antibiotics have been linked to obesity in children in nonrandomized studies in high-income settings. In low-income settings, malnutrition is a strong risk factor for child mortality, and interventions that increase weight gain may be beneficial. Single-dose azithromycin has previously been shown to reduce child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, and it is possible that some of this effect is via weight gain. Why did the researchers do and find?: We conducted a randomized controlled trial in which infants aged 5 to 12 weeks were randomly assigned to a single dose of azithromycin or a matching placebo. The primary outcome of the parent trial was all-cause mortality, and the trial found no evidence of a benefit of azithromycin for prevention of mortality. Infants were followed until 6 months of age and had anthropometric measurements, including height, weight, and mid-upper arm circumference, collected. We found no evidence of a difference in any anthropometric endpoint in infants randomized to azithromycin compared to placebo. What do these findings mean?: Single-dose azithromycin does not appear to affect growth when administered to healthy infants who are 5 to 12 weeks of age. Growth outcomes were only measured at 6 months of age, and thus, any shorter or longer-term effects of azithromycin would not be detected by this study. This study only considered a single dose of azithromycin, as is used for prevention of child mortality and trachoma, and thus, it is possible that higher doses or longer duration of antibiotics could have a different effects on child growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess the effectiveness of Chemical reconstruction of skin scars (CROSS) with 50% TCA peel and Microneedling in acne scars in the treatment of acne scars. Methods This trial was carried out from 15th March to 14th September 2022, at Outpatient Department of Dermatology, Services Hospital, Lahore. Patients of both genders and 18 to 50 years of age, who had grade 2 to 4 acne scars were enrolled. Their acne scars were graded by Goodman's Qualitative Acne Scarring Grading System. Paper lottery method was used to randomly divide them into 2 groups. Group A patients received 50% TCA peel whereas in Group B, patients were treated with microneedling with dermapen. Follow-up was done one month after the last treatment session and the response was recorded. Excellent response was labelled if patient's acne scars reduced by two grades, good response if one grade was reduced and a poor response was no improvement. Efficacy was considered as good or excellent response. Results A total of 84 patients were enrolled. The mean of the ages of patients in group A was 33.21±7.22 years and in group B was 32.12±6.59 years. Majority of the patients 60 (71.43%) were between 18 to 35 years of age. Out of 84 patients, 73 (86.90%) were females and 11 (13.10%) were males with female to male ratio of 6.6:1. Efficacy of Group A (50% TCA peel) was noted in 31 (73.81%) patients while in Group B (microneedling with dermapen) was seen in 39 (92.86%) patients (p-value = 0.019). Conclusion We concluded that microneedling with dermapen was more efficacious in the treatment of post acne facial scars than chemical reconstruction of scars (CROSS) with 50% TCA peel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As large language models (LLMs) like GPT become increasingly prevalent, it is essential that we assess their capabilities beyond language processing. This paper examines the economic rationality of GPT by instructing it to make budgetary decisions in four domains: risk, time, social, and food preferences. We measure economic rationality by assessing the consistency of GPT’s decisions with utility maximization in classic revealed preference theory. We find that GPT’s decisions are largely rational in each domain and demonstrate higher rationality score than those of human subjects in a parallel experiment and in the literature. Moreover, the estimated preference parameters of GPT are slightly different from human subjects and exhibit a lower degree of heterogeneity. We also find that the rationality scores are robust to the degree of randomness and demographic settings such as age and gender but are sensitive to contexts based on the language frames of the choice situations. These results suggest the potential of LLMs to make good decisions and the need to further understand their capabilities, limitations, and underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to introduce a hybrid model between the Additive Ratio Assessment System (ARAS) method and the neutrosophic 2-tuples linguistic model. ARAS is used to make complex decisions by comparing the collected data with optimal values. The neutrosophic 2-tuple linguistic model allows the inclusion of indeterminacy in addition to uncertainty for computation with words. The hybridization of both models allows us to make decision with evaluations based on linguistic scales, which is a natural way of deciding by human beings. This new model is applied to measure the implementation of gender-equitable policies in Latin America. The results of the analysis of public gender equity policies are presented from the perception of university professors from Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico, and Ecuador. The discoveries reveal that in all age groups until adulthood, there has always been gender discrimination in various aspects such as health, education, work, family, and mainly socially. Latin American countries have sexist roots, however they also seek to guarantee the implementation of effective public policies for gender equality in all sectors of society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Analysis of risk factors and prevalence of osteoporosis in an elderly population suggests a study focused on identifying and evaluating factors contributing to osteoporosis among them. (2) Methods: The aim of this paper is to analyse and compare the prevalence levels of osteoporosis in different age groups in adult women, focusing on the identification and assessment of relevant risk factors. Hypothesis of the work: There are assumed to be significant correlations between adult women age groups and osteoporosis prevalence, and these correlations are influenced by a number of risk factors, including older age, BMI, family history of fractures, and BMD bone mineral density levels. (3) Results: There is a tendency to increase the average weight with age up to the age group of 70-79 years. Mean BMI values indicate significant variation in participants weight status, with relatively high values across all age groups. Mean Tscore and Z-score values at femoral neck BMD indicate reduced bone mineral density, possibly associated with osteoporosis or osteopenia, especially in older age groups. (4) Conclusions: There is an increase in average weight with age, and BMI values are relatively high across all age groups, indicating the importance of monitoring and managing body weight to prevent complications associated with osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diet high in sodium contributes to a significant proportion of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) due to cardiovascular diseases. This paper describes the awareness, behaviour and determinants related to dietary salt intake in an adult population of 18–69 years that were assessed as part of the National NCD Monitoring Survey (NNMS) in India. A sub-sample of 3000 adults selected through simple random sampling from 150 nationally representative Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) was included. Data regarding awareness and behaviour related to dietary salt intake were collected. Urinary sodium excretion in spot urine samples was estimated and used to calculate dietary salt intake. The dietary salt intake's sociodemographic, behavioural and metabolic determinants were also analysed. Less than one-third of the adults of both genders in all age groups in rural and urban areas were aware that daily high salt intake could affect health. The estimated mean daily salt intake was 8.0 g (8.9 g/day for men and 7.1 g/day for women). The salt intake was significantly higher in men [Adjusted OR = 17.66 (5.24–59.46)], rural areas [Adjusted OR = 6.14 (1.83–20.60)], overweight and obese respondents [Adjusted OR = 17.62 (3.17–98.07)]. The perception of the harmful effects of high salt intake and practices to limit salt intake was low in the study population. The mean daily salt intake was higher than the WHO recommendation of up to 5 g daily. The mean dietary salt intake is high in the Indian population, which calls for planning and implementing control of dietary salt consumption measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Method: The aim of the study is to establish association between age, sex BMI and flat foot. The parents or the caregivers of the subjects under study were explained the purpose of study and written consent was obtained from the parents or the caregivers. A plastic platform with a plane paper which is immobilized with the help of clips is kept on smooth surface. The child is seated in front of the platform and the foot to be studied is equally impregnated with stamp ink with the help of roller and requested child to put this foot on to the platform but opposite foot out of platform now child is asked to stand up and perform a small flexion of the ipsilateral knee and then go back to initial position removing the foot from the platform. Result: Observation shows that correlation between BMI and plantar arch index PI is significant for both the sides with correlation value 0.31 for right side and 0.49 for left side and p<0.05 for both the side. Conclusion: Foot print of both the foot of every subjects were taken by using Staheli's plantar arch index method and PI values were calculated. The study concluded that incidence of flat foot deformity is higher in the boy than girls and incidence of flat foot decreases with increase in age. From the present study it is also concluded that higher PI are expected in lower age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Face age progression aims to change an individual's face from a provided face image to forecast how that image will look in the future. Face aging is gaining much attention in today's environment, which needs better security and a touchless unique identification mechanism. Researchers are focused on creating face processing algorithms to address the difficulty of producing realistic aged faces for smart system applications over the earlier decades. In the literature, the two basic needs of face age progression, aging accuracy, and identity preservation are not thoroughly addressed. According to the extraordinary gains in image synthesis made by deep generative methods and their significant influence on a wide variety of practical applications such as identifying missing persons using entertainment, childhood images, and so on, face age progression/regression has reawakened attention. The majority of present techniques concentrate on face age progression and is beneficial and productive in learning the transition across age groups utilizing paired data, i.e., face images of the similar individual at various ages. Through the motivation of the important success attained by Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), this paper uses tactics to implement the improved Cycle GAN-based intelligent face age progression model. Initially, the standard datasets for the face progression are gathered, and the face is detected using the Viola-Jones object detection algorithm. Then, the pre-processing of the facial image is performed by median filtering and contrast enhancement techniques. Once the image is pre-processed, the Hyperparameter Tuning-Cycle GAN (HT-Cycle GAN) is adopted for face age progression. As an improvement, the hyperparameters of the Cycle GAN are optimized or tuned by the modified Galactic Swarm Optimization (GSO), known as Best Fitness-based Galactic Swarm Optimization (BF-GSO). From the evaluation of statistical analysis, the similarity score of BF-GSO-HT-CycleGAN is 0.80%, 3.33%, and 2.86% higher than cGAN, CycleGAN, and Dubbed FaceGAN, respectively. Here, the Dubbed FaceGAN is the 2nd greatest network. Furthermore, compared to traditional models utilizing distinct standard datasets, the experimental findings show that the suggested technique attains efficiency, accuracy, and flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a major virus outbreak in the twenty-first century, the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed unprecedented risks to global mental health. Because of the severity of the virus, people were forced to isolate themselves and confine themselves to their homes. This was linked to people's inability to work, seek help from loved ones, and participate in their communities. Stressors that contribute to anxiety and depression include loneliness, fear of infection, suffering and death for oneself and loved ones, bereavement grief, and financial worries. As a result, covid 19 is a source of psychological distress. This paper investigates the impact of these stressors on all age groups in society, including today's youth, the elderly, and even health workers. Because Buddhism has a longstanding experience with medicine and preaches calmness and acceptance of fear, it is not surprising that Buddhist ideas come to the aid of those in need during times of crisis. However, it receives little attention. Thus, this paper focuses on theories such as mindfulness meditations, engaged Buddhism, and cultivating compassion, all of which can aid in increasing positive emotions and thus reducing stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: South and South-East Asian countries report a great liability for the world's road traffic injuries (RTIs) and deaths. A vast number of research studies tested various interventions including specific protective devices to prevent accidents, but no review papers have been conducted to find out the prevalence of RTIs in South-East and South Asian countries. Objective: This review paper was an attempt to find out the prevalence of RTIs and their associated factors in South-East and South Asian countries. Methods: Following the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), we searched the articles in the electronic databases of PubMed/Medline, Scopus, CINAHL, ProQuest, and Web of Science. Articles were selected if they reported the prevalence of RTI, or road traffic accident (RTA) deaths. In addition, a data quality assessment was done. Results: Out of the 10,818 article hits from the literature search, ten articles found the eligibility and inclusion criteria. Most of the studies reported that males are involved in the RTIs more than females. The male mortality rate is more than the female mortality in RTI mortality. Young adult males are the major victims when compared with the different age groups of male victims. Two-wheelers are the major contributors to the accident rate. Religious or national festivals are not free from accident-prone times. Climatic seasons and nighttime have a major influence on the RTIs. RTIs are increasing due to the sudden and huge increase in the number of motor vehicles and the development of cities and towns. Conclusion: Accidents are non-predictable but controllable disasters in society. Overspeeding, bad conditions on road, the vulnerability of the vehicles, and careless driving are the major reported reasons for RTIs. Making and implementing strict laws can help us to control RTAs. The major effect on the reduction of RTI can be assured only with the presence of responsible people. That can be achieved only by creating awareness in society about traffic rules and responsibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Empirically, the official measurement of multidimensional poverty often shows children as the poorest age group. According to Global Multidimensional Poverty Index report, Africa and South Asia bear the highest burden multidimensional child poverty (MCP). Around one-third of children aged 0–4 are multidimensionally poor in India. Policymakers in India must have appropriate information on child poverty to alleviate poverty. The purpose of this paper is to examine MCP trends and track efforts to reduce child poverty at the national level across geographic regions, castes, and religious groups. Methods: We used the Alkire-Foster method to calculate the MCP index (MCPI) among children aged 0–4 using the latest two rounds of National Family Health Survey data (2015–16 and 2019–21). We applied the Shapley decomposition method to analyse the marginal contribution of incidence and intensity that lead to changes in MCPI. Results: In India, the incidence of child poverty reduced by more than 40% between 2015–16 and 2019–21 (46.6–27.4%) and the MCPI reduced by half (24.2–12.6%). The relative decline in MCPI has been largest for urban areas, northern regions, Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Hindus. Children from rural areas, Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Muslim households are the poor performers. When focusing exclusively on the poor child, we found all the population subgroups and geographic locations reduced the censored headcount ratios in all 14 indicators. Across places of residence, castes, religions, and regions the, indicators like electricity, birth registration, drinking water, assisted delivery, sanitation and cooking fuel made significant improvements between 2015–16 to 2019–21. Conclusion: The study indicates that by studying the MCPI over time, one can identify the priorities in policy development to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many adolescents and young adults, gambling can represent an attractive and exciting form of entertainment, a way to take risks and explore new experiences. However, gambling also poses a significant risk for this age group. Research suggests that adolescents and young adults are particularly vulnerable to the negative consequences of gambling, including addiction, financial difficulties, and mental health issues. This paper aims to critically examine data on adolescent and young adult gambling, focusing on the risk factors associated with gambling behavior. A total of 326 subjects (Mage = 19.01; SD =2.72), of whom 65.5% were female, completed a protocol containing a demographic sheet, the Lie/Bet Questionnaire, the Seven Domains Addiction Scale (7DAS), a subscale of the Addictive Behavior Questionnaire and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). Specifically, we explored the impact of sociodemographic, environmental, psychological, and cognitive factors on adolescent and young adult gambling behavior. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most fundamental yet unresolved health policy issues is whether public expenditure on healthcare leads to improved health outcomes. Given that health reflects one of the critical aspects of human capital, having implications for economic growth and other development goals, there has been enormous advocacy towards investing significantly in the health systems across the countries to improve the overall health status. However, the effect of public spending on health outcomes remains inconclusive. The present paper analyses the impact of public health spending on mortality probability, taking into account the role of governance while treating public spending as an endogenous variable. The study uses individual level data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) Round 5 and a few state-level characteristics. For estimation purpose, it uses a two-level mixed effect model to capture the benefit incidence of public spending on Individual mortality probability. The findings reveal that public spending has a significant but differential impact on mortality across the Indian States, whereas the quality of governance is found to be a mediator. Given a level of public spending, States with better government effectiveness and rule of law can translate public health spending more effectively in reducing mortality at the individual level. The study also found heterogeneous mortality status across gender, location of stay, wealth status, and age groups with a differential impact of public spending across gender, wealth, and age groups. The variation in average distance of mortality probability level in each state from the overall mean mortality probability indicates that the states are very different in terms of health challenges that they are facing. The policy options call for state-specific health interventions to reduce the mortality rather than onesize-fits-all health policies. There needs to more unconditional grants/transfers from the Union Government to the States so that states will be able to tailor policy responses to address the unique challenges faced by the respective states. At the same time, states need to adopt outputbased conditions with greater flexibility to deliver services and greater accountability to improve transparency, governance quality, and implementation capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the literature evaluating the performance of local governments by analyzing the effect of local public expenditures on sports facilities on sports participation in Germany. To this end, we use a new data base containing public expenditures at the municipality level and link this information with individual level data. We form locally weighted averages of expenditures based on geographic distances and analyze how effects of sports facility expenditures change with different expenditures levels ("dose‐response relationship"). We find no effect of sports facility expenditures on individual sports participation. These findings are robust across age groups and municipality sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of adolescents living with HIV represents a particular challenge in the global response to HIV. The challenges specific to this age group include difficulties engaging and maintaining them in care, challenges with transition to adult care, and limited therapeutic options for treatment-experienced patients, all of which have been jeopardized by the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper summarizes some of the challenges in managing adolescents living with HIV, as well as some of the most recent and innovative therapeutic approaches in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diet high in sodium contributes to a significant proportion of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) due to cardiovascular diseases. This paper describes the awareness, behaviour and determinants related to dietary salt intake in an adult population of 18–69 years that were assessed as part of the National NCD Monitoring Survey (NNMS) in India. A sub-sample of 3000 adults selected through simple random sampling from 150 nationally representative Primary Sampling Units (PSUs) was included. Data regarding awareness and behaviour related to dietary salt intake were collected. Urinary sodium excretion in spot urine samples was estimated and used to calculate dietary salt intake. The dietary salt intake's sociodemographic, behavioural and metabolic determinants were also analysed. Less than one-third of the adults of both genders in all age groups in rural and urban areas were aware that daily high salt intake could affect health. The estimated mean daily salt intake was 8.0 g (8.9 g/day for men and 7.1 g/day for women). The salt intake was significantly higher in men [Adjusted OR = 17.66 (5.24–59.46)], rural areas [Adjusted OR = 6.14 (1.83–20.60)], overweight and obese respondents [Adjusted OR = 17.62 (3.17–98.07)]. The perception of the harmful effects of high salt intake and practices to limit salt intake was low in the study population. The mean daily salt intake was higher than the WHO recommendation of up to 5 g daily. The mean dietary salt intake is high in the Indian population, which calls for planning and implementing control of dietary salt consumption measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) represents a global emergency, with a high number of cases affecting all age groups every year. The prevention of these fatal events requires an accurate knowledge of etiology and pathogenesis, which can vary. Autopsy is an indispensable tool in cases of SCD for diagnostic purposes, as well as for judicial and preventive purposes for family members. Despite the completion of all routine post-mortem investigations, it is often complicated for the forensic pathologist to define the triggering cause of these events. The study of the proteome is proving to be extremely promising in the field of human cardiovascular disease. This paper aims to offer a literature review on the study of the proteome in post-mortem cadaveric biological samples obtained from SCD cases. The aim of this work is to outline the state of the art of the scientific advances that protein analysis can offer in the diagnosis of SCD and the limits that various studies have traced up to now. In conclusion, the work defines the future perspectives of this field in SCD, suggesting strategies to overcome the reported limits and improve the diagnostics of these events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual subjects' ratings neither are metric nor have homogeneous meanings, consequently digital- labeled collections of subjects' ratings are intrinsically ordinal and categorical. However, in these situations, the literature privileges the use of measures conceived for numerical data. In this paper, we discuss the exploratory theme of employing conditional entropy to measure degrees of uncertainty in responding to self-rating questions and that of displaying the computed entropies along the ordinal axis for visible pattern recognition. We apply this theme to the study of an online dataset, which contains responses to the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. We report three major findings. First, at the fine scale level, the resultant multiple ordinal-display of response-vs-covariate entropy measures reveals that the subjects on both extreme labels (high self-esteem and low self-esteem) show distinct degrees of uncertainty. Secondly, at the global scale level, in responding to positively posed questions, the degree of uncertainty decreases for increasing levels of self-esteem, while, in responding to negative questions, the degree of uncertainty increases. Thirdly, such entropy-based computed patterns are preserved across age groups. We provide a set of tools developed in R that are ready to implement for the analysis of rating data and for exploring pattern-based knowledge in related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The steady increase in China's ageing population and an upswing in migration among the country's population, on the whole, has caused a continuous expansion of the scale of older migrants. The migration of older adults not only directly affects the well-being of individual families but also significantly impacts the population structure and economic development of the places of origin and destination. Despite this, in China, the various relevant aspects concerning this age group and, in particular, its migration choices and the patterns thereof have only rarely been the subject of sound research. The study presented in this paper seeks to fill this gap; the present study makes use of the microdata obtained from the national population censuses of 2000 and 2010 and the 1% population sample surveys conducted nationally in 2005 and 2015. The findings of the present study were the following: ① During 1995–2015, the efficiency of older adults' migration was significantly higher in the eastern region than in the central and western regions. ② Older individuals migrating to urban areas are increasingly choosing, for their relocation, economically developed, urban areas such as the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. ③ Relocation of older adults to urban areas was much more than to rural areas. The latter group has a more diverse choice of destination, and the larger migration flow is primarily from developed provinces to relatively underdeveloped provinces. ④ The results of binary logit regression indicated that the factors that significantly and consistently influence the migration decisions of older adults were found to be the following: age, education level, health status, the primary financial resource, children aged ≤ 6 years being members of the household that would receive the migrants, and the average wage of employees. As for the geographical characteristics of the province to which the older adults migrate, a substantial difference was observed between the preferences of older adults migrating to urban regions and those of older adults relocating to rural areas. The findings of the present study provide further insight into the decision-making of older adults regarding migration. Further, these findings constitute an empirical basis for the local governments concerned to devise and implement policies to better cope with an ageing population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fingerprint (dermatoglyphic) evidence is undoubtedly the most reliable and acceptable evidence till date in the court of law. Due to the immense potential of fingerprint as an effective method of identification an attempt has been made in the present work to analyze their correlation with gender and blood group of an individual. Materials and methods: This are a Prospective, Observational and case-control study conducted in the Department of Anatomy and Medicine, Index Medical College over a period of 2 Years. All healthy individuals 18-65 years of age both Gender. Each subject was asked to wash his / her hands thoroughly with soap and water and dry them using a towel. Then they were asked to press their fingertip on stamp pad and then to A4 paper to transfer the fingerprint impression by rolling the fingers over fingerprint blocks prepared with other information like name, age, sex and blood group. The participants were asked to be careful not to double roll the prints in order to avoid smudging of the print. Results: Of the 800 samples, 487 were males and 313 females, which correspond to 60.87% of male and the rest female. In this study, the maximum number of subjects were in the age group of 20-22 years which were 42% (n =336) of total followed by age group 23-25 years having 31.62% (n = 253) in this group and 26.3% were 17-19 years. In our study, the most of subjects had „O“ Blood Group 36.62% (n =293) and least were AB Blood Group 13.2% (n = 106). The most of subjects had Rh Positive 85.75% (n =686) and least were Negative 14.2% (n = 114). Conclusion: The existing study observed that there is correlation between the morphology of fingerprint pattern and the type of blood group. The human finger print distributions of various types also revealed few peculiarities in relation to the different blood groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The Estonian National Mental Health Study (EMHS) was conducted in 2021–2022 to provide population‐wide data on mental health in the context of COVID‐19 pandemic. The main objective of this paper is to describe the rationale, design, and methods of the EMHS and to evaluate the survey response. Methods: Regionally representative stratified random sample of 20,000 persons aged 15 years and older was drawn from the Estonian Population Register for the study. Persons aged 18 years and older at the time of the sampling were enrolled into three survey waves where they were invited to complete an online or postal questionnaire about mental well‐being and disorders, and behavioral, cognitive, and other risk factors. Persons younger than 18 years of age were invited to fill an anonymous online questionnaire starting from wave 2. To complement and validate survey data, data on socio‐demographic, health‐related, and environmental variables were collected from six national administrative databases and registries. Additionally, a subsample was enrolled into a validation study using ecological momentary assessment. Results: In total, 5636 adults participated in the survey wave 1, 3751 in wave 2, and 4744 in wave 3. Adjusted response rates were 30.6%, 21.1%, and 27.6%, respectively. Women and older age groups were more likely to respond. Throughout the three survey waves, a considerable share of adult respondents screened positive for depression (27.6%, 25.1%, and 25.6% in waves 1, 2, and 3, respectively). Women and young adults aged 18 to 29 years had the highest prevalence of depression symptoms. Conclusions: The registry‐linked longitudinal EMHS dataset comprises a rich and trustworthy data source to allow in‐depth analysis of mental health outcomes and their correlates among the Estonian population. The study serves as an evidence base for planning mental health policies and prevention measures for possible future crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electroencephalogram (EEG) signal is a key parameter used to identify the different sleep stages present in an overnight sleep recording. Sleep staging is crucial in the diagnosis of several sleep disorders; however, the manual annotation of the EEG signal is a costly and time-consuming process. Automatic sleep staging algorithms offer a practical and cost-effective alternative to manual sleep staging. However, due to the limited availability of EEG sleep datasets, the reliability of existing sleep staging algorithms is questionable. Furthermore, most reported experimental results have been obtained using adult EEG signals; the effectiveness of these algorithms using pediatric EEGs is unknown. In this paper, we conduct an intensive study of two state-of-the-art single-channel EEG-based sleep staging algorithms, namely DeepSleepNet and AttnSleep, using a recently released large-scale sleep dataset collected from 3984 patients, most of whom are children. The paper studies how the performance of these sleep staging algorithms varies when applied on different EEG channels and across different age groups. Furthermore, all results were analyzed within individual sleep stages to understand how each stage is affected by the choice of EEG channel and the participants' age. The study concluded that the selection of the channel is crucial for the accuracy of the single-channel EEG-based automatic sleep staging methods. For instance, channels O1-M2 and O2-M1 performed consistently worse than other channels for both algorithms and through all age groups. The study also revealed the challenges in the automatic sleep staging of newborns and infants (1–52 weeks). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, many research projects were forced to adapt their design and conduct interviews online. This paper discusses the benefits and challenges of using online focus groups with participants representing different generations and cultural and social backgrounds. Based on the researchers' experiences and field notes from a three-country comparative project, aiming at analysing the extent to which previous experience of state surveillance impacted attitudes to commercial monitoring and tracking of online behaviour among two generational cohorts, the paper identifies seven aspects where the move from offline to online interviewing interfered with the original research design. The paper suggests that most of these interferences resulted in a need to adjust the methodology to better fit the online setting. We reflect critically upon the issues of technological preconditions and digital skills, recruitment, group size, degrees of previous acquaintance, the role of the interviewer, participants' household status and media environment, and ethical considerations concerning privacy and data management. Based on these methodological insights, we conclude that future online focus group research would benefit from using smaller groups and adjusted moderation, flexibility in interviewing tools and channels, and new, online-specific ethical considerations when planning, executing, and analysing interviews. The paper advocates the complementarity between inperson and online focus groups as two modalities of data collection and argues for the normalization of hybrid methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh is passing through the dividend phase of demographic transition, with 45 million (over a quarter of the total population) in the age group of 15-29 years and 52.8 million (about a third) in the 15-36 age group. Young scientists belong to the upper segments of the later age group (some may be somewhat older than 36), who will in the fullness of time, take up leadership positions in their respective fields. Whatever be the field of human endeavour, the capability of the protagonists, is certainly a pivotal key to success. Indeed, human capability depends on education, skill training and health services. The better the availability of these services, the better is expected to be the ability acquired by the people concerned. One of these key services, health, is included in the theme of this conference. This paper has proposed that a universal health coverage (UHC) system be developed in Bangladesh so that people from all walks of life can access at least primary health services. The UHC can be developed centering around the 14,000 or so Community Clinics in place all around rural Bangladesh. Bangladesh is pursuing the goal of sustainable development within the UN adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development framework. This agenda is anchored on three pillars-economic, social and environmental. Sustainable development can be succinctly defined as socially acceptable, environmentally sound economic growth. Also, a basic tenet characterising sustainable development is that nobody can be left behind, i.e., everybody has to be included. The theme of this conference consist of the environmental pillar of sustainable development. In fact, the environment is the ultimate resource base of all development. Climate change, a major sub-set of environmental issues, is fast deteriorating and becoming an existential threat to humanity. This paper has discussed what has been happening in relation to climate change and what is being done to combat the menace globally and in Bangladesh. The efforts of Bangladesh in policy, programming, funding, and action in the context of responding to the increasingly adverse impacts on the country caused by the worsening climate change have been reviewed. Also, since this problem is global and cannot be adequately combatted by any one country, much less by a resource-poor country like Bangladesh, what role the international community is playing in this regard has been examined. The final section relates the lessons from the above discussions and reviews the future roles that young scientists need to play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite malaria, malnutrition and anaemia being major public-health challenges in Cameroon, very little has been reported on the interaction between these interconnected health determinants. This study therefore sought to investigate the relationship between malaria, anaemia, nutritional and socio-economic status amongst under—ten children living in six localities within two health districts in the North Region of Cameroon. Methods: Accordingly, a cross- sectional survey was conducted during the peak malaria season in November 2014, in Pitoa and Mayo-Oulo Health Districts. Three hundred and sixty eight children aged 6months—10 years were enrolled. Structured questionnaires were used to assess socio-economic status. Anthropometric indices were taken using standard methods and nutritional status assessed by calculating Height for Age (HA), Weight for Age (WA) and Weight for Height (WH) z-scores to determine stunting, underweight and wasting respectively. Finger-prick blood samples were used to prepare thin and thick blood smears for microscopy. Whole blood was collected to determine the PCV and blood spots on filter paper were used to extract plasmodium DNA for speciation by PCR. Results: Overall prevalence rates of malaria, malnutrition and anaemia were 32.9%, 54.1% and 20.6% respectively. Stunting, underweight and wasting were detected in 56.9%, 63.5% and 34.8% of the children respectively. There was a significant association between malaria and malnutrition [OR = 1.89, (95% CI: 1.12–3.19); (p = 0.017)]. Malnutrition was also strongly associated with malaria status [OR = 2.07, (95% CI: 1.22–3.53); (p = 0.007)]. The prevalence rates of mild, moderate and severe anaemia were 8.1%, 9.2% and 3.3% respectively. Both malaria status and anaemia correlated with development index [OR = 0.75, (95% CI: 0.58–0.99); (p = 0.042)] and [OR = 1.45, (95% CI: 1.05–2.00); (p = 0.023)] respectively. Conclusion: Our findings show a synergistic relationship between malaria and malnutrition. Effective collaboration between malaria control and nutrition intervention programmes is essential for proper case management and improved socio-economic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: ADHD is recognized as one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders. The worldwide prevalence of ADHD is estimated at 5.3%; however, estimates vary as a function of a number of factors, including diagnostic methods, age, sex and geographical location. A review of studies is needed to clarify the epidemiology of ADHD in Canada. (2) Methods: A search strategy was created in PubMed and adapted for MEDLINE and PsycINFO. Papers were included if they examined diagnosed ADHD prevalence and/or incidence rates in any region of Canada, age group and gender. A snowball technique was used to identify additional papers from reference lists, and experts in the field were consulted. (3) Results: Ten papers included in this review reported on prevalence, and one reported on incidence. One study provided an overall prevalence estimate across provinces for adults of 2.9%, and one study provided an overall estimate across five provinces for children and youth of 8.6%. Across age groups (1 to 24 years), incidence estimates ranged from 0.4% to 1.2%, depending on province. Estimates varied by age, gender, province, region and time. (4) Conclusions: The overall Canadian ADHD prevalence estimate is similar to worldwide estimates for adults. Most studies reported on prevalence rather than incidence. Differences in estimates across provinces may reflect the varying number of practitioners available to diagnose and prescribe medication for ADHD across provinces. To achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the epidemiology of ADHD in Canada, a study is needed that includes all provinces and territories, and that considers estimates in relation to age, gender, ethnicity, geographical region, socioeconomic status and access to mental healthcare coverage. Incidence rates need further examination to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]