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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]

This paper empirically studies the implications of attractive government jobs for labour market. Exploiting an age ceiling policy that sets the age limit for eligibility for public employment at age 30, the study finds that the likelihood of private sector employment is about five percentage points higher for ineligible than eligible at the cutoff age of 30, mainly driven by females, particularly after doubling the public service salaries. The increase in employment after expiring the eligibility for government jobs is explained by increasing labour force participation rather than declining unemployment. During the eligibility period, candidates repeatedly try for government jobs and delay the pursuit of other opportunities, incurring substantial monetary expenses, time costs, and opportunity costs of time. At the same time, there is some evidence that public sector exam preparation gives rise to brain gain. While several papers studied this phenomenon theoretically, this study contributes by providing empirical evidence. The data for this study was drawn from population censuses and labour force surveys for the period 1991–2017 and a primary survey conducted online for this study in Bangladesh, and labour force surveys of India for 2011–2012, 2017–2018, and 2019–2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of the propagation and outspread of infectious diseases are eminently intricate, mainly due to the heterogeneity of the host individuals. In this paper, an age‐stratified SEIR (susceptible‐exposed‐infected‐recovered) epidemiological model incorporating saturated treatment function and heterogeneous contact rates is developed to study infectious disease transmission dynamics among various age groups. The expression for the basic reproduction number R0$$ {R}_0 $$ and conditions for the global stability of the system have been derived by a recently developed graph‐theoretic (GT) approach. Digraph reduction creates a GT version of the Gauss elimination method for computing the R0$$ {R}_0 $$. The global dynamics results have been formed by constructing the Lyapunov function using a GT approach. The endemic equilibrium exists uniquely if R0>1$$ {R}_0>1 $$, whereas the disease‐free equilibrium is observed to be globally stable if R0≤1$$ {R}_0\le 1 $$. The numerical simulations are demonstrated by extracting the daily reported COVID‐19 cases for the second wave in Italy. The age‐dependent contact matrix for the Republic of Italy (data sourced from the POLYMOD study) is computed via paper–diary methodology (PDM) grounded on a population‐prospective survey in European countries. Our numerical findings imply that (i) for the age group (20–49) years and (50–69) years, the number of infected persons is quite double as compared with the exposed cases; (ii) approximately 50% of positive cases lies in (20–69) years age group; (iii) for the (00–19) years age group, only half of the exposed individuals got infected; and (iv) a consistent graph is detected for the age group of (70–99) years in both cases; it shows that almost all the exposed got infected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the generation of social intimacy is critical to enabling acts of environmental care. By interrogating the intimate socialities of a group of young people who grew up in a village community committed to carbon reduction, I untangle the influence of everyday intimacies on everyday (un)sustainabilities, particularly in relation to the popular but uncritical positioning of young people as 'sustainability saviours'. I problematise assumptions that young people's social intimacies are a straightforward enabler of lifestyle change aligned with sustainability by highlighting the fluidity of intimacies and associated senses of trust throughout young adulthood. I argue further that capitalising on this fluidity might in fact amplify bottom‐up environmental care if young people can move readily between networked spaces of trust and support. Drawing from scholarship on friendship, family and community intimacies and the substantial literature on households as crucibles for more sustainable living, I suggest there is considerable reconciliation work demanded at a personal level in order to live comfortably within the everyday intimacies of social life at the same time as committing to individual environmental action. These arguments advance debates around the optimal social drivers of more sustainable lifestyles, at the same time as sounding a cautionary note in relation to the too easy emplacement of responsibility for driving change at the feet of young people. This paper examines the intimate socialities of a group of young people who grew up in an English village community committed to carbon reduction, in order to untangle the influence of intimacies on everyday (un)sustainabilities, particularly in relation to the positioning of young people as drivers of more sustainable living. I argue there is much reconciliation work demanded at a personal level in order to live comfortably within the everyday intimacies of social life at the same time as committing to reductions in individual environmental footprints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues for generation to be incorporated into the analysis of social reproduction to open new ways of thinking about the significance of children's unpaid work in and for their families. This paper situates its argument in relation to social reproduction theory and the conceptualization of generation in childhood studies and development studies. It draws on a longitudinal study of girls growing up in contemporary Benin and Togo conducted by Plan Benin and Plan Togo. This paper shows how the work of social reproduction is distributed across the household with children, especially girls, playing a large part in these activities. Trading and farming are the main economic activities of women, and girls gradually extend their knowledge of how to farm and trade as they get older. This paper concludes that placing generation into the centre of social reproduction theory will not only make visible the work that children do in subsistence economies but is also important for answering the perennial question of social reproduction theory in capitalist economies: who pays for that 'strange commodity', 'living labour' to be reproduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• At steady-state excitation, the transient electric field distribution in typical multi layer oil-paper insulation at different aging stages was obtained. • The equivalent model of polarization conductivity was proposed, which characterized the nonlinear phenomena at different polarization voltages. • Based on the charge escape trap model, the mechanism of the nonlinear phenomenon of response current in the process of dielectric polarization was revealed. The oil-immersed transformer plays a pivotal role in the power network. Its insulation stability is essential. At present, the application of time-domain dielectric response technology in insulation detection of oil-immersed equipment is relatively mature. However, there is a contradiction between increasing the test excitation amplitude to improve the test accuracy and the nonlinear response characteristics of the test dielectric at high-voltage excitation. The assessment theories all depend on the laboratory test results, and inaccurate test results will affect the assessment results. Therefore, this paper prepared several groups of insulation-scaled aging models in the laboratory and studied the effects of temperature and test excitation amplitude on the polarization and depolarization characteristics of the models. During the polarization process, the electric intensity variation was calculated. Meanwhile, at the time-varying electric field, the influence mechanism of electric intensity on the response current caused by the charge escaping from the trap during the polarization process was obtained. This paper quantified the relationship between the aging state and the height of the interfacial polarization barrier. The study of nonlinear dielectric response in the time domain will help to improve the accuracy of test results when diagnosing the insulation performance of oil-immersed transformers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this study is to reevaluate the correlation among pharmaceutical consumption, per capita income, and life expectancy across different age groups (at birth, middle age, and advanced age) within the OECD countries between 1998 and 2018. Design/methodology/approach: We employ a two-step methodology, utilizing two independent approaches. Firstly, we con-duct the Dumitrescu-Hurlin pairwise panel causality test, followed by Machine Learning (ML) experiments employing the Causal Direction from Dependency (D2C) Prediction algorithm and a DeepNet process, thought to deliver robust inferences with respect to the nature, sign, direction, and significance of the causal relationships revealed in the econometric procedure. Findings: Our findings reveal a two-way positive bidirectional causal relationship between GDP and total pharmaceutical sales per capita. This contradicts the conventional notion that health expenditures decrease with economic development due to general health improvements. Furthermore, we observe that GDP per capita positively correlates with life expectancy at birth, 40, and 60, consistently generating positive and statistically significant predictive values. Nonetheless, the value generated by the input life expectancy at 60 on the target income per capita is negative (−61.89%), shedding light on the asymmetric and nonlinear nature of this nexus. Finally, pharmaceutical sales per capita improve life expectancy at birth, 40, and 60, with higher magnitudes compared to those generated by the income input. Practical implications: These results offer valuable insights into the intricate dynamics between economic development, pharmaceutical consumption, and life expectancy, providing important implications for health policy formulation. Originality/value: Very few studies shed light on the nature and the direction of the causal relationships that operate among these indicators. Exiting from the standard procedures of cross-country regressions and panel estimations, the present manuscript strives to promote the relevance of using causality tests and Machine Learning (ML) methods on this topic. Therefore, this paper seeks to contribute to the literature in three important ways. First, this is the first study analyzing the long-run interactions among pharmaceutical consumption, per capita income, and life expectancy for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) area. Second, this research contrasts with previous ones as it employs a complete causality testing framework able to depict causality flows among multiple variables (Dumitrescu-Hurlin causality tests). Third, this study displays a last competitive edge as the panel data procedures are complemented with an advanced data testing method derived from AI. Indeed, using an ML experiment (i.e. Causal Direction from Dependency, D2C and algorithm) it is believed to deliver robust inferences regarding the nature and the direction of the causality. All in all, the present paper is believed to represent a fruitful methodological research orientation. Coupled with accurate data, this seeks to complement the literature with novel evidence and inclusive knowledge on this topic. Finally, to bring accurate results, data cover the most recent and available period for 22 OECD countries: from 1998 to 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines Egypt's labor market transition dynamics post-Arab Spring based on the two most recent rounds of the Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey conducted in 2012 and 2018. In addition to providing disaggregated level analysis by examining labor market transitions by gender, education, and age groups, our paper provides a cross-country perspective by comparing Egypt's labor market transitions with Jordan's. Regression analyses focusing on transitions to and from the dominant absorbing labor market states in Egypt – public sector employment for both genders, non-participation for women, and the informal sector for men – show that having a post-secondary education is associated with a lower probability of remaining out of the labor force (OLF) for women who were already OLF at baseline, while being married at baseline is found to be a significant predictor for women to stay out of the labor force if they were already so. As for men, the better educated are found to be more likely to secure formal employment, be it in the public or in the private sector, and also more likely to keep their public formal jobs once they secure them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent mental health is mixed and does not disentangle natural age-related changes. We compared depressive symptoms among 16-year-olds surveyed, at a fourth wave, before or during the pandemic, while accounting for expected trajectories of within-person change based on 3 prior waves. In this longitudinal cohort of 3,171 adolescents in Tokyo, Japan, adolescents were grouped based on their age 16 survey timing: pre-pandemic (February 2019 to February 2020) and during-pandemic (March 2020 to September 2021). Depressive symptoms were self-reported using the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire. Mixed-effect models were fitted to assess group differences while controlling for previous trends. Variations by sex, household income, and pandemic phase (early, late first-year, and second-year) were examined. Of 2,034 eligible adolescents, 960 (455 girls) were assessed before and 1,074 (515 girls) during the pandemic. Overall, depressive symptoms increased by 0.80 points (95% CI 0.28-1.31, 0.15 SD of the population average). This increase varied by sex and pandemic phase. For boys the increase emerged in the late first-year phase and enlarged in the second-year phase (mean difference from pre-pandemic: 1.69, 0.14-3.24), whereas for girls it decreased in the early school-closure phase (mean difference: –1.98, –3.54 to –0.41) and returned to the pre-pandemic level thereafter, with no additional increases during the pandemic. Into the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, depressive symptoms of 16-year-olds worsened above the expected age-related change only in boys. Continuous monitoring and preventive approaches for adolescents at the population level are warranted. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimation of age-at-death from human skeletal remains is fundamental in forensic anthropology as part of the construction of the biological profile of the individual under study. At the same time, skeletal age-at-death estimation in adults is problematic due to the disparity between chronological and biological age, the important inter-individual variability at the rate of skeletal aging, and inherent biases in the available methodologies (e.g., age mimicry). A recent paper proposed a method for skeletal age-at-death estimation based on multiple anatomical traits and machine learning. A software was also created, DRNNAGE, for the easy implementation of this method. The authors of that study supported that their methods have very high repeatability and reproducibility, and the mean absolute error of the age estimation was ~6 years across the entire adult age span, which is particularly high and promising. This paper tests the proposed methodology on a modern documented Greek sample of 219 adult individuals from the Athens Collection, with age-at-death from 19 to 99 years old. The sample was split into males and females as well as into individuals under and over 50 years old. We also divided the sample in 10-year intervals. First, intra- and inter-observer error was estimated in order to assess repeatability and reproducibility of the variables employed for age-at-death estimation. Then, the validity (correct classification performance) of DRNNAGE for each anatomical region individually, as well as all combined, was evaluated on each demographic separately and on the pooled sample. According to the results, some of the variables showed very low repeatability and reproducibility, thus their use should be cautious. The DRNNAGE software showed overall highly accurate age-at-death estimates for individuals older than 50 years, but poor on younger adults, with only exception the cranial sutures, which performed surprisingly well for all age groups. Overall, these results support the importance of cross-validation and the use of population-specific methods in forensic anthropology. [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]

Background and aim: Fecal incontinence (FI) is defined as the unintended loss of solid or liquid stool. FI adversely affects the patient's quality of life. However, due to stigma, lack of awareness, and underdiagnosis, there is a notable gap in the knowledge regarding its prevalence. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature reporting on FI prevalence and estimate the number of people afflicted by FI. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, using the Embase, MEDLINE, CINHAL, and PubMed databases to identify relevant publications in the English language. Two reviewers independently screened the articles and extracted data. The reference sections and content of the review papers were also evaluated. Thirty-two articles were selected and included. A meta-analysis of proportions was performed using RStudio software. A sub-analysis was conducted to account for the variation between sample population age groups to minimize heterogeneity. The pooled prevalence was extrapolated to the Canadian population and a sample of ten densely populated countries to estimate the number of people affected by FI. Results: The Mean pooled FI prevalence in men and women was 7% (95% CI: 6-9%) and 10% (95% CI: 8-12%), respectively. The sub-analysis mean pooled prevalence of FI inmen andwomenwas 8% (95% CI: 6-10%) and 10% (95% CI: 8-12%), respectively. The authors estimate that between 1 and 1.5 million Canadians and 320 to 500 million people in the ten most populous countries suffer from FI. Conclusion: Fecal incontinence is a prevalent underdiagnosed condition requiring appropriate and timely treatment to improve a patient's quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies children’s (aged 8–12) news-related practices and subsequent acts of lived citizenship in formal and informal social contexts. While children in this age group are increasingly exposed to various types of news that shape their understanding of the world, little is understood about their interactions with news. We employ the concept of “news-related practices’ to analyze how news is integrated into or excluded from their daily routines. Based on longitudinal participant observations of children (N = 256) at four afterschool care locations and five primary schools in the Netherlands in combination with semi-structured interviews with teachers (N = 9), we find that children employ a wide range of playful news-related practices that allow for light-hearted explorations of news and create opportunities for acts of lived citizenship. Play allows children to explore societal issues with peers and form moral opinions. However, conceptualizations of news as serious’ hindered primary school teachers” recognition of playful news-related practices. Following these findings, we argue that the acknowledgement of such practices as an effective tool for civic education, may support children in their development of news practices and foster their first steps into becoming informed citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objectives Methods Results Conclusions The regional population mortality patterns in China exhibit substantial geographical distribution characteristics. This paper aims to explore the impact and mechanisms of geographical environmental factors on regional population mortality patterns.This study first utilized the data from China's Seventh Population Census to obtain mortality patterns for the 31 provincial‐level administrative regions. Subsequently, a functional regression method was employed to explore the geographical environmental driving factors of regional mortality patterns.The study provides a detailed explanation of the mechanisms and marginal contributions of key geographical environmental factors at different age groups.(1) The impact of geographical environmental factors on mortality patterns shows distinct phased characteristics. Mortality patterns before the age of 40 years are hardly influenced by geographical environmental factors, with a noticeable impact beginning at ages 40–69 years and reaching the maximum influence after the age of 70 years. (2) In mortality patterns at ages 40–69 years, average altitude have the most substantial impact, followed by extreme low‐temperature days and PM2.5 concentration. In mortality patterns at ages 70–94 years, high‐temperature days have the greatest influence, followed by the impact of SO2 concentration. (3) In comparisons based on gender, socioeconomic factors, and geographical environmental factors, gender and urban–rural differences have the most significant impact on regional population mortality patterns, followed by the influence of other socioeconomic factors, with geographical environmental factors having a relatively smaller impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U-Pb geochronology by isotope dilution– thermal ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS) has the potential to be the most precise and accurate of the deep time chronometers, especially when applied to high-U minerals such as zircon. Continued analytical improvements have made this technique capable of regularly achieving better than 0.1% precision and accuracy of dates from commonly occurring high-U minerals across a wide range of geological ages and settings. To help maximize the long-term utility of published results, we present and discuss some recommendations for reporting ID-TIMS U-Pb geochronological data and associated metadata in accordance with accepted principles of data management. Further, given that the accuracy of reported ages typically depends on the interpretation applied to a set of individual dates, we discuss strategies for data interpretation. We anticipate that this paper will serve as an instructive guide for geologists who are publishing ID-TIMS U-Pb data, for laboratories generating the data, the wider geoscience community who use such data, and also editors of journals who wish to be informed about community standards. Combined, our recommendations should increase the utility, veracity, versatility, and “half-life” of ID-TIMS U-Pb geochronological data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates birthdate patterns in a context of well-established civil registers and intensive migration inflows. Leveraging extensive Spanish microdata on residential variation flows and the Spanish Municipality Register, this research reveals new facets of the distributions of immigrants’ birthdates across days of the month that differ significantly from those of non-migrants. The registered days of the month for birthdates are categorized into six distinct types based on the assumption that the anomalous distributions of birthdates will display rounding or simplifying patterns (digit preferences). The investigation reveals important anomalies in the distribution of birthdates that are much more pronounced for immigrants. A notable concentration of recorded birthdates is confirmed within all the designated types, contrasted by an under-recording of births on the remaining days of the month. These anomalies depend primarily on migrants’ country of origin and age group. The paper ends by proposing some recommendations for mitigating the anomalies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Color Trails Test ("CTT") is among the most popular neuropsychological assessment tests of executive function, targeting sustained visual attention (Trails A), and divided attention (Trails B). During the pen-and-paper (P&P) test, the participant traces 25 consecutive numbered targets marked on a page, and the completion time is recorded. In many cases, multiple assessments are performed on the same individual, either under varying experimental conditions or at several timepoints. However, repeated testing often results in learning and fatigue effects, which confound test outcomes. To mitigate these effects, we set the grounds for developing shorter versions of the CTT (<25 targets), using virtual reality (VR) based CTT (VR-CTT). Our aim was to discover the minimal set of targets that is sufficient for maintaining concurrent validity with the CTT including differentiation between age groups, and the difference between Trails A and B. To this aim, healthy participants in three age groups (total N = 165; young, middle-aged, or older adults) performed both the P&P CTT, and one type of VR-CTT (immersive head-mounted-device VR, large-scale 3D VR, or tablet). A subset of 13 targets was highly correlated with overall task completion times in all age groups and platforms (r > 0.8). We tested construct validity and found that the shortened-CTT preserved differences between Trails A and B (p < 0.001), showed concurrent validity relative to the P&P scores (r > 0.5; p < 0.05), and differentiated between age groups (p < 0.05). These findings open the possibility for shortened "CTT-versions", to be used in repeated-measures experiments or longitudinal studies, with potential implications for shortening neurocognitive assessment protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Beyond obesity, excess levels of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) significantly contribute to the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS), although thresholds for increased risk vary based on population, regions of interest, and units of measure employed. We sought to determine whether a common threshold exists that is indicative of heightened MetS risk across all populations, accounting for sex, age, BMI, and race/ethnicity. A systematic literature review was conducted in September 2023, presenting threshold values for elevated MetS risk. Standardization equations harmonized the results from DXA, CT, and MRI systems to facilitate a comparison of threshold variations across studies. A total of 52 papers were identified. No single threshold could accurately indicate elevated risk for both males and females across varying BMI, race/ethnicity, and age groups. Thresholds fluctuated from 70 to 165.9 cm2, with reported values consistently lower in females. Generally, premenopausal females and younger adults manifested elevated risks at lower VAT compared to their older counterparts. Notably, Asian populations exhibited elevated risks at lower VAT areas (70–136 cm2) compared to Caucasian populations (85.6–165.9 cm2). All considered studies reported associations of VAT without accommodating covariates. No single VAT area threshold for elevated MetS risk was discernible post‐harmonization by technology, units of measure, and region of interest. This review summarizes available evidence for MetS risk assessment in clinical practice. Further exploration of demographic‐specific interactions between VAT area and other risk factors is imperative to comprehensively delineate overarching MetS risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives Methods Results Conclusion 2‐Hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) was added into the European baseline series (EBS) in 2019. There is limited data regarding the frequency, relevance, and sources of exposure to HEMA.To investigate the frequency and clinical relevance of positive reactions to HEMA in the EBS in Israel, and explore sources of exposure.Retrospective cohort study that included all patients who underwent patch testing with the EBS in a tertiary center in Israel between 2020 and 2023. Positive reactions to HEMA were stratified by sex, six age groups, and year of study. Sources of exposure to HEMA as well as occupational data were recorded.A total of 1671 consecutive patients underwent HEMA patch testing, with 135 (8.1%) showing positive reactions to HEMA (130 females, 5 males). The prevalence in women (11.0%) was significantly higher compared to men (1.0%) (p < 0.001). Stratification by age and sex revealed the highest frequency of HEMA sensitivity of 16.7% among women younger than 30 years of age, with odds ratio of 2.3 (95%CI: 1.6–3.3, p < 0.001) compared to older women. There was an increase in frequency among women between the years 2022 and 2023 when compared to 2020–2021 (OR 1.7, 95%CI: 1.5–2.1, p < 0.01) attributable to COVID‐19 pandemic and social restrictions. Among men the frequency fluctuations over the study period and age categories were nonsignificant. 111 (84%) were judged to be of clinical relevance and nail cosmetics was responsible for 95% of them. Of 111 patients with relevant reaction (110 females, 1 males), 20 (18%) had occupational contact dermatitis (18 nails stylists, 2 dentists). Other culprit products included sanitary pads (n = 4), medical adhesives (n = 3), and paints (n = 2).We report the highest frequency of HEMA sensitivity to date of 8.1%, that was most common among young women and in vast majority of cases was attributable to nail cosmetics. Our findings reflect the popularity of nail cosmetics in Israel as well as the global trend of increasing sensitivity to (meth)acrylates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various forms of eating disorder focused family therapy (FT‐ED) have been developed and evaluated for adolescents. FT‐ED for adolescent anorexia nervosa (AN) focuses on empowering parents/carers with the knowledge and skills required to facilitate recovery for their child. The recent trend and increased awareness of the period between adolescence and adulthood during ages 18–25, known as ‘emerging adulthood’, has brought into question whether the traditional treatment approach for adults with AN, that is, individual therapies, is the most appropriate approach for this age group. This paper briefly outlines the current forms FT‐ED for emerging adults with AN and examines the evidence for each. We then present considerations for tailoring FT‐ED for emerging adults with AN across three broad domains: structure and set‐up, process, and content. Finally, we present suggestions on how to troubleshoot common pitfalls that may be encountered, such as reluctance to include parents in treatment. Future research should examine which forms of FT‐ED are best for which emerging adults and families and under what contexts. There is also a need to explore the incorporation of technology into sessions with families who live apart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Randomised, cluster-based study designs in schools are commonly used to evaluate children's physical activity interventions. Sample size estimation relies on accurate estimation of the intra-cluster correlation coefficient (ICC), but published estimates, especially using accelerometry-measured physical activity, are few and vary depending on physical activity outcome and participant age. Less commonly-used cluster-based designs, such as stepped wedge designs, also need to account for correlations over time, e.g. cluster autocorrelation (CAC) and individual autocorrelation (IAC), but no estimates are currently available. This paper estimates the school-level ICC, CAC and IAC for England children's accelerometer-measured physical activity outcomes by age group and gender, to inform the design of future school-based cluster trials. Methods: Data were pooled from seven large English datasets of accelerometer-measured physical activity data between 2002–18 (> 13,500 pupils, 540 primary and secondary schools). Linear mixed effect models estimated ICCs for weekday and whole week for minutes spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and being sedentary for different age groups, stratified by gender. The CAC (1,252 schools) and IAC (34,923 pupils) were estimated by length of follow-up from pooled longitudinal data. Results: School-level ICCs for weekday MVPA were higher in primary schools (from 0.07 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.10) to 0.08 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.11)) compared to secondary (from 0.04 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.07) to (95% CI: 0.04, 0.10)). Girls' ICCs were similar for primary and secondary schools, but boys' were lower in secondary. For all ages, combined the CAC was 0.60 (95% CI: 0.44–0.72), and the IAC was 0.46 (95% CI: 0.42–0.49), irrespective of follow-up time. Estimates were higher for MVPA vs sedentary time, and for weekdays vs the whole week. Conclusions: Adequately powered studies are important to evidence effective physical activity strategies. Our estimates of the ICC, CAC and IAC may be used to plan future school-based physical activity evaluations and were fairly consistent across a range of ages and settings, suggesting that results may be applied to other high income countries with similar school physical activity provision. It is important to use estimates appropriate to the study design, and that match the intended study population as closely as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we summarize the current knowledge on refractive surgery performed in the myopic pediatric population. We describe the main concerns about refractive surgery in myopic children and the indications for refractive surgery in this age group. We present a range of surgical procedures that are being used for the management of unilateral/bilateral myopia in children: corneal refractive surgery (PRK, LASEK, LASIK, FS-LASIK and SMILE) and intraocular refractive surgery (phakic intraocular lens implantation, refractive lens exchange or clear lens extraction), with both their advantages and drawbacks. We also describe the various complications and measures to prevent them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent Medical Decision Making (aMDM) is frequently discussed but presents a significant challenge in practice, especially in cases of adolescents with life threatening or life limiting illnesses. In this paper, we present a case that explores the importance of aMDM, the difficulties for providers when engaging adolescents in these discussions, and how certain skills may be incorporated into pediatric practice. Literature suggests that patients of this age group, while being legally without capacity, have meaningful insights into their care. However, unless physicians feel comfortable and competent engaging adolescents in a manner that honors their developmentally appropriate understanding of their illness, these insights can be lost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Japan, comprehensive cancer statistics are collected through cancer registries. However, data on urological cancers are rarely summarized or published in research papers. Methods: This retrospective study was performed using publicly available statistical data on urological cancers (prostate cancer [PCa], bladder cancer [BCa], and cancers of kidney and urinary tract [except urinary bladder]) in Japan, including a summary of the Ministry's mortality statistics, cancer incidence statistics from the Regional Cancer Registries through 2015, and the National Cancer Registry statistics from 2016. We examined the incidence and mortality rates of urological cancers stratified by age groups. Results: The number of new cases of PCa, BCa, and cancers of kidney and urinary tract (except urinary bladder) in 2019 was 94,748, 23,383, and 30,458, respectively, and the number of deaths in 2022 was 13,439, 9,598, and 9,795, respectively. The incidence and mortality rates of urological cancers have consistently increased. Since 2000, there has been a noteworthy increase in the mortality rate of urological cancers among individuals aged > 85 years. The incidence and mortality rates of BCa and cancers of kidney and urinary tract (except urinary bladder) were significantly higher in males than in females. Conclusions: Urological cancers in very elderly patients (> 85 years) will become increasingly important in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the development of the existential sign var 'there' in Turkish Sign Language from a synchronic point of view. The sign has been previously described as being restricted to clause-final predicate position and typically used for two main linguistic functions: (i) existential and (ii) possessive. However, abundant corpus evidence indicates that var can also be used for other linguistic functions in post-verbal position, which have not been reported in the literature before. Following Construction Grammar, this study presents a theoretical framework to investigate how the construction [verb + var] arose and what its semantic motivation is, paying particular attention to the notion of possession. It is argued that this construction has three different functions: (i) habitual, (ii) evidential, and (iii) assumptive. According to this account, var originated as an existential marker and subsequently developed into a marker of possession, before evolving to encompass its other linguistic functions in three stages. Using Labov's Apparent Time Hypothesis (Labov, William. 1963. The social motivation of a sound change. Word 19(3). 273–309), closer examination also revealed that a progressive difference exists between age groups. Younger TİD signers use the construction [verb + var] more frequently, and as the age of the TİD signer decreases, the usage of this construction in the assumptive function increases considerably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncovering the world's ethnic inequalities is hampered by a lack of ethnicity-annotated datasets. Name-ethnicity classifiers (NECs) can help, as they are able to infer people's ethnicities from their names. However, since the latest generation of NECs rely on machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), they may suffer from the same racist and sexist biases found in many AIs. Therefore, this paper offers an algorithmic fairness audit of three NECs. It finds that the UK-Census-trained EthnicityEstimator displays large accuracy biases with regards to ethnicity, but relatively less among gender and age groups. In contrast, the Twitter-trained NamePrism and the Wikipedia-trained Ethnicolr are more balanced among ethnicity, but less among gender and age. We relate these biases to global power structures manifested in naming conventions and NECs' input distribution of names. To improve on the uncovered biases, we program a novel NEC, N2E, using fairness-aware AI techniques. We make N2E freely available at www.name-to-ethnicity.com. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on calcium phytate in the treatment of corrosion caused by iron gall inks. Iron gall inks, developed later than carbon ink, became steadily more common and widespread during the middle ages. The carbon inks in use up until that time had the invaluable quality of not being reactive, due to the stability of carbon. They were not subject to chemical alteration and did not contain any substances that would damage the support. It seems that the instability of carbon ink may have encouraged the practice of adding small quantities of ferrous sulphate.

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]

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Individuals with ADHD often encounter heightened emotional and behavioral challenges. This study aims to conduct a meta-analysis of the efficacy of digital interventions in improving symptoms of ADHD. This study searched 6 databases for English articles from database construction until December 4, 2023. Randomized controlled trials employing digital interventions for ADHD were gathered. Following the Cochrane Collaboration criteria, Review Manager 5.3 software was utilized to evaluate the risk of bias present in the included papers. Mean differences for post-intervention and follow-up data were standardized using Stata 18.0 software. Subgroup analysis was employed to investigate the sources of heterogeneity. The study adhered to the PRISMA guidelines and was registered on the PROSPERO platform (CRD42024504134). This review included a total of 25 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The combined study population comprised 1780 cases. In the digital intervention groups, there was a significant decrease in overall ADHD symptoms (SMD = −0.33; 95 % CI = [−0.51, −0.16]) compared to the control groups. Furthermore, there was a significant reduction in inattention symptoms (SMD = −0.31; 95 % CI = [−0.46, −0.15]) and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms (SMD = −0.15; 95 % CI = [−0.29, −0.02]) within the digital intervention groups. The digital interventions proved beneficial for individuals with ADHD by alleviating symptoms of ADHD, inattention, and hyperactivity/impulsivity. • Integrating results from multiple studies to explore the impact of digital interventions on ADHD. • Subgroup analyses were used to explore the effects of digital interventions on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in different age groups, different intervention durations, and different control groups. • The results of the meta-analysis provide guidance for future research on digital interventions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and help researchers to better design digital interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Understanding the effects of rotation in stellar evolution is key to modelling early-type stars, half of which have equatorial velocities over 100 km s−1. The nearby star Altair is an example of such fast-rotating stars, and furthermore, it has the privilege of being modelled by a detailed 2D concordance model that reproduces most of its observables. Aims. The aim of this paper is to include new asteroseismic frequencies to improve our knowledge of Altair, especially its age. Methods. We processed images of Altair obtained during July 2022 by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite using the halo photometry technique to obtain its light curve over this observation period. Results. By analysing the light curve, we derived a set of 22 new frequencies in the oscillation spectrum of Altair and confirmed 12 previously known frequencies. Compared with model predictions, we could associate ten frequencies with ten axisymmetric modes. This identification is based on the modelled visibility of the modes. Moreover, nine of the modelled frequencies can be adjusted to simultaneously match their corresponding observed frequencies, once the core hydrogen mass fraction of the concordance model is set to Xcore/Xini ≃ 0.972, with Xini = 0.739. Using the combined results of a 1D MESA model computing the pre-main sequence and a 2D time-dependent ESTER model computing the main sequence, we find that this core hydrogen abundance sets the age of Altair to 88 ± 10 Myr, which is slightly younger than previous estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from the Swedish National Diabetes Register, this study examines the gender disparity among patients with type 1 diabetes who have experienced a specific cardiovascular complication, while exploring the association between their weight variability, age group, and gender. Fourteen cardiovascular complications have been considered. This analysis is conducted using three-way correspondence analysis (CA), which allows for the partitioning and decomposition of Pearson's three-way chi-squared statistic. The dataset comprises information organized in a data cube, detailing how weight variability among these patients correlates with a cardiovascular complication, age group, and gender. The three-way CA method presented in this paper allows one to assess the statistical significance of the association between these variables and to visualize this association, highlighting the gender gap among these patients. From this analysis, we find that the association between weight variability, age group, and gender varies among different types of cardiovascular complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Loneliness is a serious public health concern. Although previous interventions have had some success in mitigating loneliness, the field is in search of novel, more effective, and more scalable solutions. Here, we focus on "relational agents", a form of software agents that are increasingly powered by artificial intelligence and large language models (LLMs). We report on a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the impact of relational agents on loneliness across age groups. Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched 11 databases including Ovid MEDLINE and Embase from inception to Sep 16, 2022. We included randomised controlled trials and non-randomised studies of interventions published in English across all age groups. These loneliness interventions, typically attempt to improve social skills, social support, social interaction, and maladaptive cognitions. Peer-reviewed journal articles, books, book chapters, Master's and PhD theses, or conference papers were eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias via the RoB 2 and ROBINS-I tools. We calculated pooled estimates of Hedge's g in a random-effects meta-analysis and conducted sensitivity and sub-group analyses. We evaluated publication bias via funnel plots, Egger's test, and a trim-and-fill algorithm. Findings: Our search identified 3,935 records of which 14 met eligibility criteria and were included in our meta-analysis. Included studies comprised 286 participants with individual study sample sizes ranging from 4 to 42 participants (x̄ = 20.43, s = 11.58, x̃ = 20). We used a Bonferroni correction with αBonferroni = 0.05 / 4 = 0.0125 and applied Knapp-Hartung adjustments. Relational agents reduced loneliness significantly at an adjusted αBonferroni (g = -0.552; 95% Knapp-Hartung CI, -0.877 to -0.226; P = 0.003), which corresponds to a moderate reduction in loneliness. Conclusion: Our results are currently the most comprehensive of their kind and provide promising evidence for the efficacy of relational agents. Relational agents are a promising technology that can alleviate loneliness in a scalable way and that can be a meaningful complement to other approaches. The advent of LLMs should boost their efficacy, and further research is needed to explore the optimal design and use of relational agents. Future research could also address shortcomings of current results, such as small sample sizes and high risk of bias. Particularly young audiences have been overlooked in past research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars in critical masculinities studies argue that we need men involved and engaged in gender equity movements for gender justice to be realised. Yet we need to know more about how different groups of men are understanding gender equity and what the barriers might be. Amidst significant media interest in elite private boys' schooling and its possible (re)production of sexist cultures, this paper explores how 13 men who attended such schools in Australia between the 1970s and the 2000s understand gender justice, revealing a diversity of positions and practices across the different generational groups. We argue the men's engagements with gender justice are shaped by a broad 'curriculum of privilege' including school and non-school based experiences that mediates their lives. Further research with both elite boys' schools and their alumni is needed to better understand generational change in their engagements with gender justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Active aging emphasizes optimizing health and participation for a better quality of life as people age. This paper explores the significant impact of hearing loss and balance disorders on the elderly. Age-related hearing loss is thought to contribute to communication breakdown and cognitive dysfunctions. The "hearing and balance in healthy aging" project focuses on early detection, mitigation, and advocacy. Objectives include exploring epidemiological traits, evaluating overall well-being impact, proving positive intervention effects, and advocating societal care for the elderly with hearing loss and balance disorders, aiming to reduce their broader impact on cognition, independence, and sociability. Methods: This study is observational, prospective study. Subjects over 55 years old with a follow-up every year or every 2 years were divided into three groups, according to their hearing and balance: within the normal range (group A), detected and not treated (group B), and detected and treated (group C). At each visit, they underwent a series of tests or questionnaires, evaluating different areas: hearing, balance, cognition, depression, dependence, tinnitus, loneliness, health. Results: A total of 710 patients were included in the study. The distribution of patients was as follows: group A – 210 patients, group B – 302 patients, and group C – 198 patients. Significant differences were found between the three groups related to age, sex, educational level, bilingualism, and work activity. In group C, there was a higher percentage of males, older than in groups A and B, and the percentage of individuals with a university education was lower (28%), as was the rate of bilingualism (23%). In terms of hearing, significant differences were found in the three groups in the mean PTA, speech discrimination in quiet, and the HINT test, with worse results for group C. Only patients in group C presented a perception of hearing impairment, and the handicap caused by hearing impairment worsened from group A to C. Concerning balance, both tests performed (TuGT and DHI) revealed increased difficulty in maintaining autonomous walking from group A to C, which, again, exhibited the worst results, with statistically significant differences across the group. Analysis about cognition revealed significant differences in DSST questionnaires and in TMT scores, where group C had the worst scores. In HUI3 questionnaire scores, the differences between each and every group were statistically significant, with group C showing moderate disability. Conclusion: This extensive analysis, encompassing a considerable number of subjects, reveals significant findings that have important implications for the early prevention of hearing loss and its consequent consequences. At the same time, these data represent an initial exploration, which raises the need for in-depth examinations of additional factors and longer follow-up to continue contributing insights and knowledge for a healthy aging. Plain Language Summary: This study investigates the substantial impact of hearing loss and balance disorders in older people in the context of active aging, with the aim of improving health, participation, and overall well-being. The "hearing and balance in healthy aging" project, a prospective, observational study, includes 710 participants over 55 years of age, classified into groups according to their hearing and balance status. Significant differences between groups reveal disparities in age, gender, education, and occupation. The group with detected and treated cases has the most adverse outcomes in hearing, balance, cognition, and quality of life. These findings underscore the importance of early detection and intervention and present a global view of the consequences of hearing loss and balance disorders on cognitive function, autonomy, and general health in the aging population. However, additional factors should be further explored and follow-up should be expanded as this project has the potential to further contribute to the promotion of healthy 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]

This paper shares the results of a meta-analysis on the parental-relational component of parental-involvement and its association with the academic and behavioral outcomes of urban students. This meta-analysis includes 76 quantitative studies. The results indicated that statistically significant effects emerged across students of different backgrounds, including differences by age groups, race, gender, and nationality. The results were also substantial in the highest quality studies. The significance of these results is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin aging is a complex physiological process, in which cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) interreact, which leads to a change in the mechanical properties of skin, which in turn affects the cell secretion and ECM deposition. The natural skin microrelief that exists from birth has rarely been taken into account when evaluating skin aging, apart from the common knowledge that microreliefs might serve as the starting point or initialize micro-wrinkles. In fact, microrelief itself also changes with aging. Does the microrelief have other, better uses? In this paper, owing to the fast-developing 3D printing technology, skin wrinkles with microrelief of different age groups were successfully manufactured using the Digital light processing (DLP) technology. The mechanical properties of skin samples with and without microrelief were tested. It was found that microrelief has a big impact on the elastic modulus of skin samples. In order to explore the role of microrelief in skin aging, the wrinkle formation was numerically analyzed. The microrelief models of different age groups were created using the modified Voronoi algorithm for the first time, which offers fast and flexible mesh formation. We found that skin microrelief plays an important role in regulating the modulus of the epidermis, which is the dominant factor in wrinkle formation. The wrinkle length and depth were also analyzed numerically for the first time, owing to the additional dimension offered by microrelief. The results showed that wrinkles are mainly caused by the modulus change of the epidermis in the aging process, and compared with the dermis, the hypodermis is irrelevant to wrinkling. Hereby, we developed a hypothesis that microrelief makes the skin adaptive to the mechanical property changes from aging by adjusting its shape and size. The native-like skin samples with microrelief might shed a light on the mechanism of wrinkling and also help with understanding the complex physiological processes associated with human skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a three-year profile of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases in Eastern Visayas, the Philippines, from 23 Mar 2020-31 Mar 2023 -- with descriptive data on temporal trends, geographical variations, demographic factors, clinical characteristics, transmission patterns, and outcomes for vaccinated and unvaccinated cases. We analyzed data from the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, Department of Health--Eastern Visayas Center for Health and Development to identify associations between COVID-19 severity and mortality and demographic and clinical factors. Moreover, we examined significant differences across gender cohorts and between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. During the three-year period, Eastern Visayas recorded 64,740 confirmed cases, with 98.93% recovery and 1.07% mortality. Most cases (61.72%) occurred in 2021 -- with Tacloban, Ormoc, and Leyte having the highest attack rates per 100,000 population. Infections were asymptomatic (70.40%) or mild (21.83%), and 82.7% of deaths were linked to severe infections. Females accounted for 52.6% of the patients, with a lower mortality rate (44.5%) than males (55.5%). The 20-29 age group had the highest count (22.57%), whereas the 70-79 age group recorded the highest number of deaths (25.94%). The vast majority (93.6%) had no comorbidities. Comorbidities reported among deaths included kidney disease (11.3%), heart disease (7.6%), and hypertension (3.9%). Notably, no significant differences in recoveries and deaths were found between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups (p-value = 0.304). Logistic regression analysis showed that gender, age group, place of residence, comorbidity, and vaccination status were significantly associated with disease severity and mortality. Eastern Visayas demonstrated a relatively low COVID-19 caseload (1.59%) within the cumulative Philippine count. This is the most extensive COVID-19 case profile in the Philippines to date, hence providing essential data for pandemic preparedness, enhanced response strategies, and regional health crisis resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the factors influencing the severity of driver injuries in single-vehicle speeding-related crashes, by comparing different driver age groups. This study employed a random threshold random parameter hierarchical ordered probit model and analysed crash data from Thailand between 2012 and 2017. The findings showed that young drivers face a heightened fatality risk when speeding in passenger cars or pickup trucks, hinting at the role of inexperience and risk-taking behaviours. Old drivers exhibit an increased fatality risk when speeding, especially in rainy conditions, on flush median roads, and during evening peak hours, attributed to reduced reaction times and vulnerability to adverse weather. Both young and elderly drivers face escalated fatality risks when speeding on road segments lacking guardrails during adverse weather, with older drivers being particularly vulnerable in rainy conditions. All age groups show an elevated fatality risk when speeding on barrier median roads, underscoring the significant role of speeding, which increases crash impact and limits margins of error and manoeuvrability, thereby highlighting the need for safety measures focusing on driver behaviour. These findings underscore the critical imperative for interventions addressing not only driver conduct but also road infrastructure, collectively striving to curtail the severity of speeding-related crashes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of an indoor radon concentrations measured at the 15 locations in the area of Tuzla Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Measurements were performed by using the AlphaE device in a continuous period of four to seven days at investigated locations. The results of measurements have shown that the mean values of radon activity concentrations were in the range from 18.38 ± 12.72 to 145.31 ± 52.74 Bq m−3. One of the aims of this study was to assess the health hazard from indoor radon inhalation and therefore the annual effective dose and effective dose equivalent for different age groups were evaluated. The excess lifetime cancer risk was also estimated. [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]

Accelerated longitudinal designs allow researchers to efficiently collect longitudinal data covering a time span much longer than the study duration. One important assumption of these designs is that each cohort (a group defined by their age of entry into the study) shares the same longitudinal trajectory. Although previous research has examined the impact of violating this assumption when each cohort is defined by a single age of entry, it is possible that each cohort is instead defined by a range of ages, such as groups that experience a particular historical event. In this paper we examined how including cohort membership in linear and quadratic multilevel models performed in detecting and controlling for cohort effects in this scenario. Using a Monte Carlo simulation study, we assessed the performance of this approach under conditions related to the number of cohorts, the overlap between cohorts, the strength of the cohort effect, the number of affected parameters, and the sample size. Our results indicate that models including a proxy variable for cohort membership based on age at study entry performed comparably to using true cohort membership in detecting cohort effects accurately and returning unbiased parameter estimates. This indicates that researchers can control for cohort effects even when true cohort membership is unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the analysis and design of a prototype system aimed at making coding engaging for individuals of all ages, from primary school students to seasoned learners familiar with the basics of programming. The primary objective is to enhance the accessibility and appeal of coding education across different age groups. The study begins by providing an overview of the Bunny Code project, outlining its scope and objectives. It describes the methodology employed, including the system architecture design, use case diagram, use case narratives, activity diagram, sequence diagram, and the prototype design. The comprehensive analysis and design process are detailed to provide insights into the development of an interactive coding learning platform. In addition to the technical aspects, this paper discusses the results of an online survey conducted to gather perspectives from the target user demographic. By incorporating user feedback into the design process, the study aims to ensure that the prototype system meets the needs and expectations of its intended audience. Ultimately, this research contributes to the field of educational technology by proposing innovative approaches to make coding accessible and engaging for learners of varying age groups. The findings and methodologies outlined in this paper serve as a foundation for the development of interactive and inclusive coding education tools, such as the Bunny Code platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extensive body of demographic literature has described Jews as 'long-lifers'. From the mid-nineteenth century onwards, this pattern affected all age groups and was particularly well expressed among Jewish males but was also present among Jewish females. It held good independently of the Jews' socio-economic position. This became known as 'Jewish pattern of mortality'. This paper has two aims. The first aim is to show the impact of COVID-19 on Jewish mortality. This is a study of a global pandemic in the Jewish population which is, to the best of our knowledge, unique in its scope and quality. The second aim is to settle the finding of relatively high mortality from COVID-19 in certain Jewish communities ('Jewish penalty' in relation to COVID-19) with the notion of 'Jewish pattern of mortality'. The author proceeds to show that the status of Jews as a low mortality group under a Western epidemiological regime, when mortality and morbidity are dominated by non-communicable diseases, does not stand in contradiction to a higher vulnerability among Jews to coronavirus. Thus, the paper further develops understanding of mortality of Jews and serves as a contribution to ethnic and religious demography and epidemiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The workforce in almost all organizations is made up of several generations of employees who have different experiences and values. Generational diversity can bring heterogeneity to the workplace, but also lead to conflicts and a number of workplace complications. All this happens when employees belonging to different generations have to work together. That is why quality management of different generations is important. The fact is that stereotypes and beliefs are present and they lead to side effects not only on evaluators and decision makers of organizations, but also on employees. Based on the research done for the needs of this paper, we created models for the abilities of employees classified according to the age group they belong to and their tendency to learn and develop in organizations. From the created models, it can be determined that older employees are perceived as relatively inflexible and employees who resist changes and are less prepared for training. In contrast, their younger colleagues are perceived contrary to what is observed as a characteristic of older employees. This paper highlights the importance of investing in continuous learning and development for employees as modern models for managing different generations of employees. The research done in this paper aims to prove the connection between management models with different generations of employees in organizations in the Republic of North Macedonia and the level of productivity. [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]

Social media is a great source of communication. People use various social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, for sharing their ideas, opinions, and feelings. Users of different age groups, cultures, education backgrounds manipulate these powerful mediums of communication. Even though it gives all the benefits of knowledge sharing among the users, it has a dark side too. Despite setting restrictions from the corresponding sites, many users use abusive language to blemish the status and image of someone. So it is highly the need of the hour for the government or the particular social media platform to sift out those unwanted hate texts before diffusing them. Finding the hate text is one of the emerging research topics in Natural Language Processing where the model predicts the given text as hate text or not. This automated hate text detection becomes tedious when we consider the Indian languages due to a lack of data. Moreover, Indian people are multilingual and use code-mixed patterns to express their thoughts. The unavailability of the annotated Tamil-English dataset and the lack of a standard model make this task more challenging. In our paper, to handle such code-mixed data, a dataset is created with 10000 Tamil-English code-mixed texts collected from Twitter. These are annotated as hate text/non-hate text. In this paper, we use a synonym-based Bi-LSTM model for classifying hate non-hate text in tweets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]