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Depression is a major public health problem worldwide and is closely related with systemic inflammatory responses. Additionly, physical activity (PA) is thought to be associated with lower levels of depression and inflammatory markers. This study aimed to elucidate the complex interactions between PA, depression, and inflammatory markers. Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), various logistic regression were applied to analyze the pairwise correlations among the three. Restrictive cubic splines were constructed to explore the nonlinear relationship between PA and depression. Mediation models were used to identify the mediating role of inflammatory markers. The findings revealed a positive link between depression and inflammatory marker, whereas PA was inversely correlated with both inflammatory marker and depression. Particularly, we noticed the greatest reduction in the risk of depression when the level of PA was between 1200 and 1722 MET-min/week. Besides, we demonstrated that inflammatory markers mediate the potential effects of physical inactivity on depression, ranging from 1.72 % to 6.25 %. In conclusion, PA appear to protect against depression, in which inflammatory markers may play a mediating role. Moreover, we determined the optimal dosage of PA to minimize the likelihood of depression, thereby offering valuable guidance for managing depression. • Physical activity is negatively correlated with both depression and Inflammatory markers • The risk of depression is lowest when the level of physical activity is in the range of 1200 and 1722 MET-min/week • Inflammatory markers mediate the relationship between physical inactivity and depression [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This afterword frames the articles in this special issue on crisis brokers by returning to and discussing the rise of interest in both brokers (and intermediaries) and crisis during the past decade in cultural studies and cognate disciplines. More specifically, it argues that the broker is best approached as a methodological starting point for considering how crisis is negotiated, mediated, and shaped in practice across space and time between different actors. Crisis broker as method thus highlights methodological positioning as an entry-point for revealing key dynamics and new modes of conceptualization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenges encountered by refugees in resource-low settings has led to increased calls for new approaches to understanding the role of digital literacies in enhancing resilience by building on the experiences of refugees in the Global South. Moreover, there have been repeated calls from within academic circles and the humanitarian sector for more inclusive approaches which de-centre outsider assumptions about refugees’ lived experience. This paper addresses these gaps in the current landscape of migration studies with an account of refugee-led participatory research with a focus on how language as a source of capital is used to enhance resilience across refugee networks when mediating health literacies. Drawing on concepts from critical multilingualism which deconstruct and decentre otherwise privileged language practices, the study illustrates how refugee family members outside Syria mediate complex health literacies as part of their everyday digital literacies for non-refugee members inside Syria, thereby enhancing the resilience of transnational family members across the network. The findings reveal how refugee-led research is best facilitated when refugees’ own language practices are a priority in research design. Working in this way illustrates how research teams negotiate power relations in their research by foregrounding research dynamics and structural hierarchies within interdisciplinary research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates how certain conceptual frameworks functioned as mediation to reconfigure the sex/gender knowledge formations in late Qing China by looking into three instances of translation: First, it explores certain historical traces of the English word “sex” and the Chinese Character “xing” 性, before the equivalence in translation was established, to examine the knowledge discourse’s mediating function. Second, it discusses an instance prior to the Chinese translation of “sex” being generalized and fixed to be “xing,” where the early modern thinker Tan Sitong in Ren Xue used the word “yin” 淫 to bring out the content of modern notion of “sex.” Third, it traces the context of Ma Junwu’s translation of John Stuart Mill to observe the remnants of the concealed interconnection between this “liberal-feminist theorist,” as viewed from the feminist categorization today, and socialism. Through these remains, this paper demonstrates how “mediation” brings about certain configurations of knowledge while obscuring certain facts and relations. It also borrows Lu Xun’s concept of “thing-in-between” (zhongjianwu; 中間物) to explain how these knowledge formations are oftentimes mediated by the scheme of modern-tradition binary constituted by Western modernity. This mediated knowledge itself then turns around to mediate the relationship between the modern and the traditional as it gets localized in its particular context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preventing adolescents from engaging in Health-Risk Behaviours (HRBs) requires a comprehensive understanding of the factors linked to HRBs. Factors like dysfunctional parenting practices and emotion regulation difficulties may significantly contribute to the development and persistence of HRBs. However, this association, particularly the mediating effects of emotion-regulation difficulties, has not been extensively investigated among Indian adolescents, as such research has predominantly centred around Western cultures. The current study explored emotion-regulation difficulties as a mediator in the association between perceived parenting practices and HRBs. The sample comprises 723 adolescents (Mage = 16.05; Males = 440) selected from various schools in the Punjab state of India. Structural equation modelling using item-parcels and the path analysis tested the stated hypotheses. As hypothesized, difficulties in emotion regulation were found to be a partial mediator of the parenting-HRB relationship. By offering empirical evidence of this mediational mechanism, the study enhances our understanding of how perceived parenting influences adolescent behaviour. Emotion dysregulation may be the underlying factor behind the development and maintenance of HRBs. These insights can guide researchers in designing targeted interventions to address emotion regulation difficulties and, in turn, help reduce HRBs among adolescents. Highlights: The study explored the inter-construct association between parenting, emotion regulation and health-risk behaviours (HRBs) Adolescents who experience positive parenting practices and active parental involvement are less likely to engage in HRBs. Adolescents' perception of maladaptive parenting practices is positively associated with their likelihood of engaging in HRBs Difficulties in emotion regulation emerged as a partial mediator of the parenting-HRB relationship. Emotion regulation interventions and positive parenting training may help mitigate adolescents' indulgence in HRBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Based on the Combined Cognitive Biases Hypothesis, the current study via two parallel studies aims to explore the potential mediating role of attention biases and attention control regarding the link between trait mindfulness and psychological stress in adolescents. Methods: For Study 1, we collected self‐reported data from 2123 Chinese adolescents (mean age = 15.6 years, SD = 2.37; 52.8% female) in four schools. The participants completed measures of trait mindfulness, perceived stress, and attention bias. Mediation analysis was employed to investigate the potential mediating effect of attention bias. In Study 2, 123 participants (mean age = 17.7 years, SD = 2.68; 41.46% female) completed the attention network task after inducing attention bias. Then, trait mindfulness and perceived stress were measured. Mediation analysis was employed to investigate the potential mediating effect of attention control (alerting, orienting, and conflict monitoring) under attention bias. Results: Study 1 demonstrated a significant mediating effect of negative attention bias ([−0.13, −0.07], p <.05) but not positive attention bias in the relationship between trait mindfulness and psychological stress. Study 2 revealed that conflict monitoring in negative attention bias ([−0.41, −0.16], p <.05), rather than alerting and orienting in negative attention bias, showed a significant mediating effect on the association between trait mindfulness and psychological stress. Conclusions: Findings from the two studies suggest that conflict monitoring during negative attention bias may be the underlying mechanism through which trait mindfulness helps mitigate psychological stress in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

End-customers are expected to play an increasingly important role in the future of smart grids. However, customer adoption of smart grid technologies has been hindered by a lack of trust in the energy sector. This study investigates the relationships between customer trust in companies in the energy sector, the perceived benefits of smart grid technologies and customer intention to use smart grid technologies. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of Finnish households, and using structural equation modelling, examined the effects of competence-based trust, integrity-based trust, perceived financial benefits and perceived environmental benefits. Our results show that trust, perceived benefits, and usage intention are positively associated with each other. Neither competence-based nor integrity-based trust had a direct effect on usage intentions, indicating that the effects of trust on usage intentions are fully mediated by perceived benefits. Therefore, increasing customer trust in can indirectly improve the adoption of smart grid technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Students' peer relatedness is vital to their academic achievement and engagement. However, little is known about the mechanisms that can explain such a link in health professions education, especially in interprofessional education (IPE), where interprofessional socialization is promoted. To address the research gap in understanding the social dynamics embedded within IPE and their impact on crucial motivational outcomes, this study examines how peer relatedness (belonging) mediates the link between motivation (both intrinsic and extrinsic) and engagement in IPE. Methods: Data from 841 students enrolled in IPE from Medicine, Nursing, Social Work, Chinese Medicine, Pharmacy, Speech and Hearing Sciences, Clinical Psychology, and Food and Nutritional Science from a university in Hong Kong were used in this study. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were collected at baseline, while peer relatedness need satisfaction and engagement and disaffection in IPE were assessed after four weeks. We used a fully latent structural equation model to examine whether peer relatedness mediated the link between motivation and engagement in IPE. Results: Our results indicate that intrinsic motivation at baseline significantly increases engagement and reduces disaffection four weeks later, while extrinsic motivation shows the opposite effect. Crucially, the adaptive role of motivation to engagement was significantly mediated by relatedness from IPE teams. Specifically, the effect of students' motivation on their engagement/disaffection in IPE can be partially explained by their relatedness within IPE teams. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of peer relatedness in IPE, highlighting its role in harnessing student motivation to foster student engagement. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the psychosocial mechanisms in IPE and highlight the value of collaborative learning environments in fulfilling students' need for relatedness, thereby fostering adaptive IPE learning outcomes. The implications and limitations of the study are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The religious freedom provisions within the South African Constitution strive to protect the rights of every citizen, irrespective of their religious beliefs, while fostering a diverse and inclusive society. However, one inevitable outcome of diversity is the potential for tension and conflict among various religious communities. This paper explores the potential for covenantal pluralism in South Africa, specifically focusing on multi-faith schools. It underscores the importance of religious literacy as a critical educational objective within the realm of religious education in public schools, as outlined in the Policy on Religion and Education in South Africa. Additionally, the paper suggests transformative and African mediation as effective conflict resolution strategies for managing conflicts in schools. These approaches focus on redefining the relationship between opposing parties, often transitioning from negative and destructive interactions to positive and constructive ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) reduces anxiety among undergraduate students; however, there is limited evidence demonstrating mechanistic underpinnings. Theoretical models implicate cognitive self-regulation as a mechanism. This study explored whether an adapted MBSR embedded in a college course reduced anxiety and if self-regulation mediated any intervention effects. Participants: 144 undergraduate students participated in the study; 34 completed a MBSR course and 110 served as a matched control group. Methods: Mindfulness, self-regulation, and anxiety were measured at pre-MBSR, post-MBSR, and 1-month follow-up. Results: Repeated-measure ANOVAs indicated significant effects of MBSR for self-regulation and anxiety. Longitudinal mediation models indicated significant mediation effects of self-regulation on anxiety at post-intervention and 1-month follow-up. Conclusions: MBSR can be implemented within a college course to indirectly affect anxiety mechanistically via self-regulation. Given increasing rates of anxiety in college students and reduced capacity for counseling centers to meet need, MBSR holds promise for future clinical study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Memory difficulties after brain injury are a frequent and concerning outcome, affecting a wide range of daily activities, employment, and social reintegration. Despite the importance of functional memory capacities throughout life, most studies examined the short-term effects of memory interventions in brain-damaged patients who underwent a rehabilitation program. In the present study, we investigated the long-term outcomes and intensity of memory interventions in acquired (traumatic brain injury [TBI] and non-TBI) brain-damaged patients who participated in an intensive cognitive rehabilitation program and either suffered or did not suffer from memory impairments. Method We measured pre-post-treatment memory performance of patiients (N  = 24) suffering from memory deficits in four common and validated memory tasks (e.g. ROCFT). We compared them to other acquired brain injury patients treated at the same rehabilitation facility who did not suffer from memory impairments (N  = 16). Results Patients with memory deficits showed long-term improvements in three out of four tasks, while patients without memory deficits showed memory enhancements in only one task. In addition, rehabilitation intensity and type of brain damage predicted the extent of the memory change over time. Discussion Long-term improvements in objective memory measures can be observed in patients suffering from brain injury. These improvements can be enhanced by intensifying the treatment program. Findings also suggest that these memory improvements are more pronounced in non-TBI than TBI patients. We discuss the implications of these results in designing optimal memory rehabilitation interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the use of clay modeling as an instrument for clinical analysis of the relation to one's own body and to the object. While modeling is a widely-used medium in therapeutic work, we present here the use of the modeled self-portrait as a projective method in a research situation involving sensorial mediation using touch. The aim is to understand how the subject invests and engages a relation with this object, based on the way s/he invests and represents her/his body and sensations. The modeling situation was proposed individually to 19 participants at the first of six meetings. The choice of the modeled self-portrait in this research project is inspired by a psychoanalytical epistemology that enables us to understand the unconscious psychic dimensions of body image and the relation to the object, as well as the concepts of mediation, the projective situation, and transference. In the absence of a pre-existing reference to a systematized methodology for analyzing the self-portrait with modeling clay, we referred to psychoanalytic work on projective tests to construct a qualitative analysis grid based on the material collected. The modeled self-portrait enabled us to take into consideration, from an economic, dynamic, and topical point of view, on the one hand, the content that emerged in the modeling and in the verbalizations that accompanied it, and, on the other hand, the characteristics of the modeling process itself. The modeling situation gave rise to regressive and projective movements, leading the participants to express key elements of their personal history, their sensory situation, and the areas of the body invested or disinvested, as well as their psychic behaviors in relation to the object in the present of this research encounter. We identified four ways in which participants related to modeling, depending on their subjectivity and their position in the research process. The form given to the modeling, its structure, and the parts represented or not provided us with indications of certain features of the participants' body image and the way in which they were able to express it in the space-time of this encounter. We hypothesize that through its connections with the subject's body image, the three-dimensional self-portrait expresses the way in which participants invest their bodies, and sometimes body zones linked to the senses, such as touch, through the modeling activity itself, but also other senses through the elements represented or not, verbalized or not, about the created-modeled object. We present some considerations on the complex connections between the relationship to modeling, to the object of sensory mediation through touch, and to autobiographical speech in the interview situation, considering the participants' verbal and non-verbal productions during the process of this research. Finally, we present the limits of the collection and analysis of results in the context of this research and the present article. The use of the modeled self-portrait has brought out elements that enable us to better understand the psychological underpinnings of the different relations to the mediating object that the participants expressed in this research. Insofar as self-portrait calls upon unconscious elements of both body image and relation to the object, it encounters resistance and defensive modalities in the subject's own psychic functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inflammatory cytokines and migraines have been associated in previous research, but the underlying mechanisms of action are still elusive. The biological functions of metabolites are crucial in the onset of migraine. Our goals were to clarify the cause‐and‐effect connection between inflammatory cytokines and migraines and explore the potential mediating function of metabolites. Methods: Utilizing summary‐level data from genome‐wide association studies (GWAS), we conducted two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to evaluate the possible causal connection between inflammatory cytokines and migraines. A two‐step MR analysis was employed to further investigate the potential mediating pathways of metabolites. Results: MR analysis identified a total of 9 inflammatory cytokines that were genetically associated with migraines, and we subsequently identified 21 mediated relationships, with 20 metabolites (13 metabolites, 7 ratios) acting as potential mediators between 8 inflammatory cytokines and migraine. The 9 inflammatory cytokines were beta‐nerve growth factor levels (β‐NGF), T‐cell surface glycoprotein CD5 levels (CD5), T‐cell surface glycoprotein CD6 isoform levels (CD6), C‐X‐C motif chemokine 11 levels (CXCL11), interleukin‐4 levels (IL‐4), oncostatin‐M levels (OSM), signalling lymphocytic activation molecule levels (SLAM), C‐C motif chemokine 25 levels (CCL25) and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 levels (MCP‐1). Conclusion: Our research findings provide evidence for both a causal connection between inflammatory cytokines and migraines, as well as a metabolite‐mediated pathway. These biomarkers facilitate the detection, diagnosis and treatment of migraines while offering fresh perspectives on their underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The colonial relationship between Indigenous people and people of European origin has been characterized by conflicts, economic exclusions, and epistemological discriminations as well as the mutual sharing of knowledge, practices, and technologies. In many cases, the industrial development of space technologies such as telescopes and rocket test sites has continued the exploitative nature of colonialism. This article, however, offers a different story and concept of Indigenous decolonization that is not antagonistic but complementary to the space industry and Western liberalism more generally. The case is Space Enterprises, a company and Earth station owned by the Center for Appropriate Technologies in Alice Springs, Northern Territories, Australia and conceived by its Aboriginal owners, workers, and board of directors as representing a beneficial integration of their Indigenous self-determination and the space industry. This essay offers synthetic decolonization as an example of this integration with Western liberalism. Understanding the flows between the Indigenous-owned Earth station and satellites, as well as the connections between Indigenous and Western liberal planetary imaginaries, requires a theory of mediation. Towards that goal, planetary media is offered as a way of conceptualizing the flows of information between local Indigenous and planetary spaces and imaginaries. This essay argues that another decolonization is possible, one based on mediation between Indigenous and Western liberal systems of thought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In linear least squares regression there exists a simple decomposition of the effect of an exposure on an outcome into two parts in the presence of an intermediate variable. This decomposition is described and then analogous decompositions for other models are examined, namely for logistic regression and proportional hazards models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Do nonglycaemic effects such as weight loss account for HbA1c lowering with efpeglenatide?: Insights from the AMPLITUDE‐O trial" published in Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism explores the impact of the GLP‐1 RA efpeglenatide on HbA1c levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The study found that efpeglenatide significantly reduced HbA1c levels by 1.46% within 3 months, along with other positive effects on weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other health markers. However, the analysis revealed that less than 12% of efpeglenatide's effect on HbA1c could be explained by its impact on weight loss and other nonglycaemic factors. The study suggests that the glycaemic effect of efpeglenatide is primarily due to its incretin-related effects, with weight loss playing a modest role. [Extracted from the article]

Every year, tens of thousands of people go missing in Europe and across the globe, leaving the families of these individuals in the anguish of the unknown. Yet only some missing gain media attention, with others remaining the 'missing missing', and this contributes to a definition of who is, and who is not, worthy of being searched for. This article focuses on the Polish television programme Ktokolwiek widział, ktokolwiek wie (Has anybody seen, does anybody know), which for the last three decades has been helping to establish a more egalitarian politics of the visibility of, and the search for, the missing in Poland, going against the grain of the mass media's tendency to 'symbolically annihilate' those with less power in society. I explore how the programme supports the search for the marginalized missing, that is, those who have led precarious lives on the socio-spatial margins of Polish society, people who, to utilize Gatti's term, were 'socially disappeared' before they went physically missing. I show how the programme utilizes its power of mediation to articulate disappearances of the marginalized missing and mobilizes institutions and the public to help in finding them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The model-implied simulation-based power estimation (MSPE) approach is a new general method for power estimation (Irmer et al., 2024). MSPE was developed especially for power estimation of non-linear structural equation models (SEM), but it also can be applied to linear SEM and manifest models using the R package powerNLSEM. After first providing some information about MSPE and the new adaptive algorithm that automatically selects sample sizes for the best prediction of power using simulation, a tutorial on how to conduct the MSPE for quadratic and interaction SEM (QISEM) using the powerNLSEM package is provided. Power estimation is demonstrated for four methods, latent moderated structural equations (LMS), the unconstrained product indicator (UPI), a simple factor score regression (FSR), and a scale regression (SR) approach to QISEM. In two simulation studies, we highlight the performance of the MSPE for all four methods applied to two QISEM with varying complexity and reliability. Further, we justify the settings of the newly developed adaptive search algorithm via performance evaluations using simulation. Overall, the MSPE using the adaptive approach performs well in terms of bias and Type I error rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on theories on vocabulary knowledge, grammar knowledge, and reading comprehension subcomponents, ten attributes/subskills were defined for 50 items from relevant subtests of TEM4 (Band Four of Test for English Majors in China). Cognitive diagnosis was conducted on the TEM4 data of the randomly sampled 2285 examinees (roughly at the B2 level) through the saturated generalized deterministic inputs, noisy "and" gate (G-DINA) model. The person parameters obtained from cognitive diagnosis served as the basis for simple multiple regression and path analyses for detecting relationship patterns. The study discovered that the relationship pattern at both construct and attribute/subskill levels can be better described as a mediation pattern in which vocabulary knowledge and its attributes are more suitable to serve as the starting point for reading comprehension. The study also discussed the patterns of the impact of vocabulary and grammar attributes on reading subskills as well as the internal subskill relationships within the construct of reading comprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dyadic study investigated how attachment (avoidance and anxious styles) mediates the relationship between perceived partner responsiveness and marital satisfaction with a sample of 152 couples from Northeast India. Data were collected through door-to-door surveys, and analysis was conducted using the Actor and Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM). Results indicate that husbands' avoidance attachment played a mediating role between the couples' perceived partner responsiveness and husbands' marital satisfaction, while anxious attachment showed no mediating relationship. These findings suggest that interventions aimed at reducing avoidant attachment behaviors could enhance marital satisfaction, particularly in cultural contexts similar to Northeast India. These insights, discussed within the framework of the Attachment Security Enhancement Model (ASEM), highlight the importance of understanding cultural nuances in relationship dynamics. The study emphasizes the importance of considering diverse perspectives beyond traditional West vs East frameworks when examining relationship dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this study is to adapt the Affective Style Questionnaire (ASQ) into Turkish. It also aims to examine the mediating role of affective styles between attachment styles and depression. The study was conducted on a total of three different samples (N1 = 261; N2 = 190; N3 = 263). The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the construct validity of the scale and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) was used to test the convergent validity. As a result of the CFA conducted in all three samples, the model was found to have adequate fit values. In the convergent validity, ASQ were found to be significantly correlated with ERQ. The findings indicate that adjusting mediated between secure attachment and depression while concealing mediated between avoidant attachment and depression, and adjusting and concealing mediated between anxious-ambivalent attachment and depression. The findings were also discussed in light of the related literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bidirectional relationship between cognitive function and depressive symptoms has been extensively reported. However, the potential mechanisms are still not clear. We aim to longitudinally investigate whether physical activity mediates the bidirectional relationships between cognitive function and specific dimensions of depressive symptoms. Data from 6,787 individuals aged ≥50 of 2014/15 (T1), 2016/17 (T2), and 2018/19 (T3) waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Cognitive function was assessed by domains of memory, orientation in time, and executive function. Physical activity was measured with the intensity and frequency of participation. Specific dimensions of depressive symptoms were assessed by the 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, distinguishing between cognitive-affective and somatic symptoms. Cross-lagged panel models were used to investigate the mediating role of physical activity in the bidirectional relationships between cognitive function and two dimensions of depressive symptoms. Poorer cognitive function was indirectly associated with worse cognitive-affective symptoms (indirect effect = −0.002, 95% CI : −0.004, −0.001) through lower physical activity levels. Poorer cognitive function was also indirectly associated with worse somatic symptoms (indirect effect = −0.003, 95% CI : −0.006, −0.002) through lower physical activity levels, and the reverse mediation was observed as well (indirect effect = −0.002, 95% CI : −0.004, −0.001). There is no distinction between potential within-person and between-person effects. Collaborative interventions of physical activity are beneficial in protecting cognitive function and mental health in older adults. • Explored mediator role of physical activity in the bidirectional relationships of cognitive function and depressive symptoms. • Divided depressive symptoms into specific dimensions to explore the possible mechanisms. • Fitted a longitudinal cross-lagged panel model to assess more robust mediating effects. • Physical activity are beneficial in protecting cognitive function and mental health in older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite increasing interest in plurilingualism, the implementation of plurilingual and pluricultural pedagogies to foster classroom inclusivity remains underexplored. This study focuses on three seminar classes to examine the mediating activities used by instructors to establish context for classroom discussion and interaction. In addition, this article also explores the perceived affordances of sociocultural norms and practices for participation by plurilingual graduate students. Data were gathered through classroom observations and interviews with instructors and plurilingual students speaking English as an additional language. Drawing on mediation (Council of Europe [2020]. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment-Companion Volume. Council of Europe Publishing; Piccardo [2022]. ‘The Mediated Nature of Plurilingualism’. In The Routledge Handbook of Plurilingual Language Education, edited by E. Piccardo, A. Germain- Rutherford, and G. Lawrence, 65–81. Routledge) and the Theory of Affordances (Gibson [1986]. The Ecological Approach to Visual Perceptions. Erlbaum; Glăveanu [2012]. ‘What Can be Done with an egg? Creativity, Material Objects, and the Theory of Affordances’. The Journal of Creative Behavior 46 (3): 192–208), it was found that across all three seminars, instructors demonstrated conceptual mediation to mediate knowledge, concepts, and theories related to each course. At the same time, each instructor focused on particular aspects of mediation, including textual, relational, or intercultural mediation. The plurilingual students in each seminar class perceived sociocultural practices and normative ways of taking turns, presenting information, and using conventional phrases to signal conversational turns. These findings highlight the importance of addressing and mediating normative practices for participation to avoid unintentionally communicating to plurilingual students that they need to adapt and change their plurilingual and pluricultural participation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the examples of taxation, military service and the composition of provincial institutions, this contribution examines the impact of Ottoman administrative reforms on the descendants of the Prophet Muḥammad and their representatives in Ottoman Syria during the second half of the nineteenth century, making use of Ottoman-imperial archival sources to trace strategies they pursued in their attempts to navigate changes and maintain former status and privileges. While Ottoman policies towards greater centralization and bureaucratization posed considerable challenges to the sociopolitical position of the descendants of the Prophet, sources suggest that they did not always reject changes outright but entered into negotiations with the Ottoman authorities to obtain exceptions, hold on to privileges, and secure their participation in the newly emerging constellations of power. Their case thus sheds light on changing administrative networks and opportunity structures in Ottoman Syria, highlighting the importance of processes of mediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been documented that regular physical activity is considered one of the most effective strategies for preventing diabetes; however, it is not the sole contributing factor. Therefore, we decided to evaluate the meditation effect of liver function and anthropometric indices on the relationship between incidence of diabetes and physical activity (PA) in the Azar cohort population. Materials and methods: Subjects who were diabetic in the baseline phase from 15,006 participants in study of azar cohort population were excluded and to follow up, a total of 13,253 people was included in the analysis. Demographic characteristics, physical activity, 10 anthropometric indices (AI) and seven liver indices (LI) were measured. Evaluated and displayed using Pearson correlation heatmap and canonical correlation of liver and anthropometric indices. The Generalized Structural Equation Modeling (GSEM) with the Maximum Likelihood method employed to estimate the model. Results: During the follow-up years, a total of 685 participants developed diabetes. The measurements of the AI were significantly higher in subjects with diabetes (P <.001). Patients with diabetes were older, had a higher proportion of women, and had lower values of PA (P <.05). Body Roundness Index (BRI) and Waist height ratio (WHtR) exhibited the largest AUCs for predicting diabetes onset risk (both AUC = 0.6989) among these anthropometric measures. The increase in AI (RR [95%CI] = 1.25 [1.22,1.29], P <.001) and liver enzyme (LE) (RR [95%CI] = 1.14 [1.08.1.19], P <.001) increase the risk of diabetes by 25% and 14%, respectively. Despite the mediation effects of AI and Liver Enzymes for an increase of one MET of PA, the risk of developing diabetes decreases by 5% (RR [95% CI] =.95 [.92,.99], P =.013). Around VAF = 53% of the association between PA and diabetes onset (Total effect: RR [95% CI] =.90 [.87,.94], P <.001) was mediated by AI and LE. Conclusions: A low level of PA was found to be significantly correlated with high levels of AI and LI, all of which are associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes. These analyses provide evidence that when the relationship between PA and diabetes is mediated by AI and LI this association becomes stronger, with AI playing a more significant role than LI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that dynamic changes in lipid species can affect allergic diseases; however, the causal relationship and mediating role of immune cells remain unclear. Methods: We conducted a bidirectional two-sample mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data on 179 lipid species (n = 7,174) and three types of allergic diseases including allergic rhinitis (AR) (n = 370,158), allergic asthma (n = 219,753), and allergic conjunctivitis (n = 377,277). The principal model used was the inverse variance-weighted approach, and a series of sensitivity analyses were conducted to ensure the robustness of the results. We used a two-step MR approach to assess whether the causal effect was mediated by immune cells (n = 3,757). Results: Sterol ester and sphingomyelin played pathogenic roles in allergic asthma, AR, and allergic conjunctivitis; however, the effective subtypes differed. Among them, CD45RA− CD4+ mature T cells and CCR2 on CD14+ CD16+ monocytes affected the promoting impact of sterol ester’s metabolism on allergic asthma and AR with different mediating proportions, while the role of sphingomyelin may not involve the immune cells. Moreover, we observed that HLA-DR on CD33− HLA DR+ myeloid cells, CD11b on CD66b++ myeloid cells, and IgD+ CD38− B cells played the most mediating effect of phosphatidylethanolamine (O−18:2_20:4) in allergic asthma, phosphatidylinositol (16:0_18:1) in AR, and phosphatidylethanolamine (18:0_18:2) in allergic conjunctivitis. Conclusion: This MR study provides evidence for specific lipid species associated with the risk of allergic diseases, especially sterol esters, and identifies the immune cells that mediate this causal relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectiveMethodResultsConclusionTo investigate the role of decentering as a mediator of the effect of mindfulness/mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on emotional distress, we conducted cross-sectional and longitudinal designs.In Study 1, a total of 998 participants with high emotional distress were included. Mindfulness, decentering, anxiety, and depression were measured at baseline. In Study 2, 688 participants with high emotional distress were randomized to a Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) group (N = 344) and a waitlist control (WL) group (N = 344). The same variables were assessed at pre-intervention, week 3, week 5, and post-intervention.In the cross-sectional design, simple mediation analyses pointed to decentering as a significant mediator of the relationship between mindfulness and symptoms of anxiety and depression. In the longitudinal designs, repeated measures ANOVAs showed that decentering, anxiety, and depression significantly improved in the MIED group compared to WL group. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models found that decentering and emotional distress reciprocally influenced each other. Longitudinal mediation analyses showed that decentering during the intervention significantly mediated the effect of the MIED program on alleviating emotional distress.Decentering may potentially act as a pivotal mediator for alleviating emotional distress in MBIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

US President's Emergency Plan for HIV/AIDS has been credited with saving 25 million lives in sub-Sahara Africa and, as such, constitutes a preeminent US foreign policy achievement of the twenty-first century. However, the implementation of effective HIV/AIDS pharmacological interventions remains a challenge in rural Kenyan communities. Of particular importance are patient retention and care engagement and their interaction with age disparities that are sensitive to different socioeconomic contexts, as well as time-in-treatment. For the first time, we perform an intermediation and triple interaction intent-to-treat secondary analysis on a social network-based randomized controlled trial. We hypothesize that the temporal interactions of critical demographic features with a treatment/control indicator variable may significantly explain patient retention and that these results are intermediated by social network phenomena. We find that not only does extended time-in-treatment significantly improve primary outcomes, but the threefold interaction along with age and treatment itself is sufficiently flexible to fit the data remarkably well without unnecessary elaboration, an effect that is mediated via internalized stigma. This strongly suggests that patient retention varies by age group. Rather than deploying one-size-fits-all solutions, foreign and public policymakers should invest in research that considers how interventions might be optimized for different ages. Trial registration Clinical Trial Number. NCT02474992 (note: the main trial report was published here https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255945.) Date of submission: June 6, 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectiveParticipantsMethodsResultsConclusionsInsomnia, anxiety, and depression are common and co-morbid amongst college students. The mechanisms by which trait factors like intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety sensitivity connect to state anxiety and depression is unclear, but insomnia may mediate that relationship.College students (N = 439) were recruited from national and local sources.Participants completed the Sleep Condition Indicator (SCI), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scales (IUS).All models predicted a significant amount of variability in state anxiety and depression (R2 between 0.24 and 0.32). Mediation analyses revealed that the relationship between anxiogenic and depressogenic traits and state anxiety and depression is significantly mediated by insomnia.Our findings support the role of insomnia in the expression of anxiety and depression in at-risk college students. Clinical sleep intervention, either reactive or prophylactic, may help reduce mental health burden on campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to examine the associations between various dimensions of social support and sleep quality in a hospital psychiatric outpatient population using canonical correlation analysis, while also investigating the potential mediating roles of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Methods: Employing a cross-sectional design, survey data were collected from 10,071 individuals visiting Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital between October 2020 and October 2023. After excluding invalid cases, a total of 10,063 participants were included for analysis. The survey encompassed gathering basic demographic information as well as administering the Social Support Rating Scale, Self-rating Depression Scale, Self-rating Anxiety Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Scale. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 27.0 statistical software with canonical correlation analysis employed to examine the relationships. Additionally, the mediating effects of anxiety and depression symptoms were examined using the SPSS PROCESS macro. Results: Canonical correlation analysis reveals a significant positive correlation between social support dimensions and various aspects of sleep quality. The first pair of canonical variables (r = 0.586, p < 0.001) accounts for an impressive 97% of the cumulative contribution. It is found that this pair of canonical variables explains 68.9% of the variance in social support and 49.0% in sleep quality. Mediation analysis revealed that anxiety and depressive symptoms significantly mediated the relationship between social support and sleep quality, accounting for 88% of the total effect. Specifically, anxiety accounted for 47% mediation while depression accounted for 41%. Conclusion: The study findings revealed a significant positive correlation between social support and sleep quality dimensions, indicating a robust association between increased social support and enhanced individual sleep quality. Furthermore, the results indicated that anxiety and depression partially mediated the relationship between social support and sleep quality, offering novel insights into the intricate connection between mental health and sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas 16p11.2 BP4-5 copy-number variants (CNVs) represent one of the most pleiotropic etiologies of genomic syndromes in both clinical and population cohorts, the mechanisms leading to such pleiotropy remain understudied. Identifying 73 deletion and 89 duplication carrier individuals among unrelated White British UK Biobank participants, we performed a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) between the region's copy number and 117 complex traits and diseases, mimicking four dosage models. Forty-six phenotypes (39%) were affected by 16p11.2 BP4-5 CNVs, with the deletion-only, mirror, U-shape, and duplication-only models being the best fit for 30, 10, 4, and 2 phenotypes, respectively, aligning with the stronger deleteriousness of the deletion. Upon individually adjusting CNV effects for either body mass index (BMI), height, or educational attainment (EA), we found that sixteen testable deletion-driven associations—primarily with cardiovascular and metabolic traits—were BMI dependent, with EA playing a more subtle role and no association depending on height. Bidirectional Mendelian randomization supported that 13 out of these 16 associations were secondary consequences of the CNV's impact on BMI. For the 23 traits that remained significantly associated upon individual adjustment for mediators, matched-control analyses found that 10 phenotypes, including musculoskeletal traits, liver enzymes, fluid intelligence, platelet count, and pneumonia and acute kidney injury risk, remained associated under strict Bonferroni correction, with 10 additional nominally significant associations. These results paint a complex picture of 16p11.2 BP4-5's pleiotropic pattern that involves direct effects on multiple physiological systems and indirect co-morbidities consequential to the CNV's impact on BMI and EA, acting through trait-specific dosage mechanisms. [Display omitted] In the UK Biobank, 16p11.2 BP4-5 copy-number variants (CNVs) impact over 45 phenotypes across various physiological systems beyond neuropsychiatric traits. Associations are governed by distinct dosage mechanisms. Some associations are secondary to the CNV's impact on adiposity and education level, while others are driven by independent mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of TESOL, teacher guides are widely used resources providing instructional support and guidance to English language teachers. Drawing upon Vygotskian sociocultural theory, this research explored how novice language teachers perceive the mediational roles of these artifacts in shaping their teaching practices and the affordances and constraints they attribute to them. Through examination of semi-structured interview data, this qualitative study uncovered that teacher guides function as potent scaffolding tools, providing teachers with procedural, instructional, and emotional support. However, despite these scaffolds, the teachers expressed their apprehensions regarding their excessive dependence on guides and their limited accommodation of diverse classroom dynamics and student needs. The teachers indicated their practice of appropriation, where they adapted teacher guide content to suit the sociocultural milieu of their classrooms and the diverse cognitive and affective needs of their students. Additionally, the teachers mentioned a gradual transition toward self-regulated teaching, where they rely more on personal expertise and creativity and less on teacher guides. This study contributes to our understanding of the complex dynamics and dual agency between teachers and teacher guides, emphasizing the need for more inclusive and reflective pedagogical resources to support teachers’ growth and autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broadly, individuals' cognitive abilities influence their academic skills, but the significance and strength of specific cognitive abilities varies across academic domains and may vary across age. Simultaneous analyses of data from many tests and cross-battery analyses can address inconsistent findings from prior studies by creating comprehensively defined constructs, which allow for greater generalizability of findings. The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-battery direct effects and developmental differences in youths' cognitive abilities on their basic reading abilities, as well as the relations between their reading and writing achievement. Our sample included 3927 youth aged 6 to 18. Six intelligence tests (66 subtests) and three achievement tests (10 subtests) were analyzed. Youths' general intelligence (g, large direct and indirect effects), verbal comprehension–knowledge (large direct effect), working memory (large direct effect), and learning efficiency (moderate direct effect) explained their basic reading skills. The influence of g and fluid reasoning were difficult to separate statistically. Most of the cognitive–basic reading relations were stable across age, except the influence of verbal comprehension–knowledge (Gc), which appeared to slightly increase with age. Youths' basic reading had large influences on their written expression and spelling skills, and their spelling skills had a large influence on their written expression skills. The directionality of the effects most strongly supported the direct effects from the youths' basic reading to their spelling skills, and not vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the prevalence of smartphone addiction has significantly increased. This situation has raised concerns about its potential impact on health aspects, such as sleep quality and mental health, particularly among vulnerable populations like pregnant women. This study aimed to identify the factors that determine sleep quality in pregnant women and examine the relationship between smartphone addiction, depression, and sleep quality. This descriptive correlational study included 257 pregnant women in their second and third trimesters who were registered at six family health centers between September 2022 and March 2023. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Form, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Regression and mediation analyses were performed for the data. Of the participants, 44.4 percent had poor sleep quality. Depression and third trimester were significant determinants of sleep quality. The bootstrapping results revealed that smartphone addiction led to an increase in the level of depression (β = 0.145; p <.001). Depression worsened sleep quality (β = 0.262; p <.001). The smartphone addiction did not significantly affect sleep quality (β = 0.020; p =.279). Depression mediates the relationship between sleep quality and smartphone addiction (β = 0.038; 95 percent CI [0.018: 0.062]). The study highlights that while smartphone addiction does not directly impact sleep quality in pregnant women, it is associated with increased depression levels, which subsequently worsen sleep quality. It is recommended that healthcare providers monitor smartphone usage and mental health in pregnant women to mitigate the risk of sleep disturbances and improve overall well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Negative affect is central to eating disorder maintenance models; identifying mechanisms underlying this link may inform specific treatment targets. The current study evaluated which emotions (i.e., distress, fear, and moral emotions) were most strongly linked to feeling fat and tested feeling fat as a longitudinal mediator of the relationship between these emotions and restricting or binge eating (https://osf.io/3d5cq/). Method: Community adults (N = 714, M[SD] age = 41.5[13.7], 84.6% female, 85.9% white) provided data at baseline, 3‐month, and 6‐month follow‐up. Relative weights analysis examined which emotion categories exhibited the strongest longitudinal relationships with feeling fat. Cross‐lagged panel models tested feeling fat as a mediator of the relationship between emotions and eating disorder behaviors. Results: Distress and moral emotions were the strongest emotional predictors of feeling fat. Feeling fat predicted binge eating (p's < 0.001), but not restricting (p's ≥ 0.832), in random effects cross‐lagged panel models. Feeling fat partially mediated the longitudinal relationship between distress and binge eating (p = 0.044); however, this effect became nonsignificant after adjusting for BMI (p = 0.354). Feeling fat did not mediate relationships between moral emotions and binge eating or between either distress or moral emotions and restricting (p's ≥ 0.638). Discussion: Feeling fat was associated with binge eating, not restricting, highlighting the importance of specificity in maintenance models. Because the mediating effect of feeling fat was accounted for by body size, factors associated with body size, such as internalized weight stigma, may be more relevant mediators of the relationship between negative emotions and eating disorder behaviors. Future research on feeling fat should adjust for body size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Women at risk of carrying a genetic mutation report higher levels of distress compared to the general population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mediating role of psychophysical stress in the relationship of anxiety and depression with quality of life and well-being in women undergoing genetic counseling for BRCA1/2 mutations. The results indicate that psychophysical stress, generated by emotional distress, significantly influences the perceived mental well-being and overall psychophysical health. This paper emphasizes the need for integrated care, addressing psychological distress alongside physical health and recognizing the multifaceted impact of hereditary breast cancer screening on patients' overall quality of life and well-being. Background: Women undergoing genetic counseling for hereditary breast cancer often experience a high emotional burden. Distress and stress in the initial phases of genetic counseling can be significant predictors of long-term psychological health, influencing quality of life and well-being. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the mediating role of psychophysical stress in the relationship of anxiety and depression with quality of life and well-being in women undergoing genetic counseling for BRCA1/2 mutations. Methods: A sample of 193 women from two genetic counseling clinics was assessed using validated questionnaires measuring the psychological variables under study. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were also considered. Results: The results of path analyses indicated a mediating role of psychophysical stress on the relationship between emotional distress and mental quality of life and well-being: higher levels of anxiety and depression were associated with increased psychophysical stress, which, in turn, was linked to a reduced perceived mental quality of life and well-being. Depression was the only significant psychological predictor of physical quality of life. Conclusions: These findings indicate that addressing both anxiety and depression in genetic counseling is crucial for enhancing mental and overall well-being. Interventions should focus on stress management to improve the quality of life, emphasizing depression treatment to enhance physical health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) is common in older adults, especially those with renal dysfunction. We aimed to investigate the complex relationships among renal function, nutritional status, and CI in older people free from late chronic kidney disease (CKD) and severe CI. Methods: A study of older people (≥60 years old) with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of >30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores of >10 (n = 237) was conducted at Beijing Tongren Hospital. Their eGFR was determined using the CKD‐EPI‐cr‐Cysc equation. Cognitive function was evaluated with the MoCA. We tested the relationship between eGFR and MoCA scores using Spearman correlation analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis. We then conducted a mediation analysis to figure out the mediating roles of nutritional indicators (Mini Nutritional Assessment‐Short Form (MNA‐SF) scores, albumin (ALB), and haemoglobin (HGB)) between the eGFR and MoCA scores. Results: The incidence of CI was 48.5% (115/237) in older people. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the better the kidney function, the better the cognitive function (R = 0.297, P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that eGFR decrease per 15 mL/min/1.73 m2 (OR: 1.415, 95% confidence interval: 1.055–1.896, P = 0.020) was related to CI after adjusting for age and sex. However, the eGFR was not associated with cognitive decline after adjusting for nutritional indicators, behavioural risk factors, other biomarkers, and chronic conditions, suggesting that eGFR is not independently associated with CI. Mediation analysis revealed that the MNA‐SF scores (a*b = 0.006 (0.0002–0.012)) and HGB (a*b = 0.008 (0.001–0.017)) were mediating factors between the eGFR and MoCA scores. Conclusions: A decline in renal function can directly lead to CI and can also exacerbate cognitive deficits through intermediary factors such as MNA‐SF scores and HGB. Therefore, correcting anaemia and improving nutritional status are significantly important for enhancing cognitive function in older patients, especially those with renal dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore mediated effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy-"Taking it Further" (MBCT-TiF) on mental well-being through changes in mindfulness, self-compassion, and decentering. Method: A secondary analysis of an RCT using simple mediation, with 164 graduates of MBCT and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), was implemented whereby MBCT-TiF (vs ongoing mindfulness practice; OMP) was the independent variable; changes in mindfulness, self-compassion, and decentering during the intervention were the mediators; and mental well-being at post-intervention, whilst controlling for baseline, was the dependent variable. Secondary outcomes included psychological quality of life, depression, and anxiety. Results: Compared to OMP, MBCT-TiF experienced significant improvements in mental well-being through changes in all three mediators (mindfulness: ab = 0.11 [0.03, 0.25]; decentering: ab = 0.16 [0.05, 0.33]; self-compassion: ab = 0.07 [0.01, 0.18]). A similar pattern was demonstrated for depression, but only mindfulness and decentering mediated effects on psychological quality of life and anxiety. Conclusion: The findings provide preliminary support for all three mediators in driving change in mental well-being in a sample of MBCT/MBSR graduates. Future work must be theory-driven and powered to test all mediators in parallel and alongside other potential mediators (e.g., equanimity) to further understand independent contributions and interacting effects. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05154266. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating literature suggests that the risk of perpetrating bullying is greater among those who have been bullied. The association between the transition from victim to bully and revenge aggression suggests the critical role of forgiveness. However, evidence on the mediating role of forgiveness on the victimisation–bullying association is still sparse. The aim of this study was to investigate the mediating effect of person's dispositional forgiveness (DF) on the relationship between cyber-victimisation (CV) and cyber-bullying (CB) and to explore the moderating effect of gender on this relationship. Four hundred eighty-one upper secondary students (n = 481, 47.8% females, mean age = 17.2, SD = 1.5) completed the Florence Cyber-Bullying – Cyber-Victimisation Scales and the Heartland Forgiveness Scale. Statistical analysis reveals significant direct and indirect effects between CV, DF, and CB latent variables. CV has a negative influence on DF and positive influence on CB behaviour. Furthermore, there was an indirect influence of CV on CB behaviour following the path through DF only in females. The results suggest that DF seems to decrease CB behaviours by buffering the adverse outcomes of being CV, particularly among female victims. The findings underline the relevance of forgiveness within preventative interventions against bullying and cyberbullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Mediation analyses allow for exploration of causal mechanisms that explain how a predictor is related to an outcome. Tests of mediation are fundamental to addressing some of the most consequential questions in rehabilitation science. In recent decades, the development of easy-to-use analytical tools has made conducting statistical tests of mediation more accessible to researchers. Unfortunately, there are persistent problems in the conceptual underpinning of many tests of mediation. Even in cases where the statistical analyses are correctly run, problems with the underlying rationale for the mediational analysis will render the results inconsequential, in the best case, or misleading, in the worst case. Method: In this commentary, I summarize the uses of mediation analysis and through a series of six main types of errors provide practical, plain language guidance ("Dos and Don'ts") for conducting a conceptually robust mediation analysis. Results: The "Dos and Don'ts" laid out in this commentary highlight that there are persistent issues with lack of understanding of mediation, confusion about the differences between moderation, mediation, and covariates, lack of strong theoretical justification for mediation, and lack of attention to methodological issues (e.g., measurement) in many mediation analyses. Conclusions: Promoting the use of mediation analysis in rehabilitation research will advance theory and effective practice in our field. Researchers undertaking mediation analysis are encouraged to prioritize developing a strong theoretical framework that justifies use of mediation analysis, ensuring study methodology supports and enables tests of mediation, as well emphasizing a strong statistical approach to conducting the test of mediation. Impact and Implications: Development of new and easy-to-use analytical tools has made conducting statistical tests of mediation more accessible to researchers. The ease with which statistical tests of mediation can now be completed makes it easier for those without a clear understanding of mediation analyses to make errors; most common errors in tests of mediation are not related to the mathematical aspects of running the statistical models, but rather of developing coherent and compelling theoretical models that call for tests of mediation and attending to nonstatistical aspects of the study method, such as measurement of model constructs and sample size/power to detect the mediated effect. Increasing the rigorous application of mediation analyses in rehabilitation research has tremendous potential to provide new insights about mechanisms underlying processes and treatments that are central to researchers and clinicians in the field of rehabilitation psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The well-being of college students is critical to their academic engagement and achievement. This study therefore investigated a mechanism - presence of meaning in life – that might account for the associations between gratitude and caring for bliss and an indicator of well-being, flourishing, using a longitudinal design. Participants were 402 students from the United States who completed questionnaires at three time points over the course of approximately 12 weeks. Gratitude and caring for bliss at time 1 predicted the presence of meaning in life at time 2, which, in turn, predicted flourishing at time 3 controlling for the presence of meaning in life at time 1 and flourishing at time 2. In addition, the presence of meaning in life at time 2 mediated the associations between gratitude and caring for bliss at time 1 and flourishing at time 3. These findings can help refine positive psychology programs to promote students' well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discussion on the dynamic assessment (DA) - a combination of assessment and instruction - and regulatory scales from implicit to explicit corrective feedback (CF) is relatively new in the CALL context. Applying the notions of Sociocultural Theory, Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and Mediation, the present study examines how a DA-based regulatory scale from implicit to explicit CF could be designed to promote language learning in the text chat environment. This was done in collaboration with teachers. Four English-as-a-second-language (ESL) teachers and eight ESL students participated in the study. Using the methodology of design-based research (DBR), the study was conducted mainly in three stages: exploratory stage, first intervention, and second intervention. This study drew on various data. Naturally occurring interaction data such as teachers' oral conversation transcripts and text chat transcripts were analysed using conversation analysis, while the teachers' interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Thus, employing DBR, the present study introduces a three-step regulatory scale that could promote learning in the text chat environment. The findings suggest that the three-step regulatory scale could be used by teachers to identify the learner's potential and assist them in partial or complete self-regulation. The study will introduce a DA-based regulatory scale to promote language learning in the text chat environment and contribute to the knowledge of DA, ZPD and mediation in the CALL context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A panel of seven lipids increased c-statistic by an increment of 0.077, the greatest added value for prediction of incident CVD ever achieved by prospective lipidomics studies to the best of our knowledge. • Considerable mediations were observed through SM 41:1b, presumably SM(d18:1/23:0), in the associations between established cardiovascular risk factors and CHD risk, diabetes in particular. • CHD risk associated with increased levels of PC 36:0a, SM 41:1b, LPC 18:0 and LPC 20:3, and decreased levels of CE 18:2 were aggravated by long-term exposure to ambient air pollution. Previous lipidomics studies have identified various lipid predictors for cardiovascular risk, however, with limited predictive increment, sometimes using too many predictor variables at the expense of practical efficiency. To search for lipid predictors of future coronary heart disease (CHD) with stronger predictive power and efficiency to guide primary intervention. We conducted a prospective nested case-control study involving 1,621 incident CHD cases and 1:1 matched controls. Lipid profiling of 161 lipid species for baseline fasting plasma was performed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. In search of CHD predictors, seven lipids were selected by elastic-net regression during over 90% of 1000 cross-validation repetitions, and the derived composite lipid score showed an adjusted odds ratio of 3.75 (95% confidence interval: 3.15, 4.46) per standard deviation increase. Addition of the lipid score into traditional risk model increased c-statistic to 0.736 by an increment of 0.077 (0.063, 0.092). From the seven lipids, we found mediation of CHD risk from baseline diabetes through sphingomyelin (SM) 41:1b with a considerable mediation proportion of 36.97% (P < 0.05). We further found that the positive associations of phosphatidylcholine (PC) 36:0a, SM 41:1b, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) 18:0 and LPC 20:3 were more pronounced among participants with higher exposure to fine particulate matter or its certain components, also to ozone for LPC 18:0 and LPC 20:3, while the negative association of cholesteryl ester (CE) 18:2 was attenuated with higher black carbon exposure (P < 0.05). We identified seven lipid species with greatest predictive increment so-far achieved for incident CHD, and also found novel biomarkers for CHD risk stratification among individuals with diabetes or heavy air pollution exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To explore the co‐occurrence of urinary incontinence and frailty by testing the roles of depression and activity engagement guided by the mechanisms of common cause and interaction pathways. Design: A secondary analysis of a 1‐year three‐wave panel data collected from older nursing home residents in China. Methods: Changes in depression and activity engagement were regressed on urinary incontinence and frailty incidence underpinned by the common cause mechanism of chronic conditions co‐occurrence, and these changes were also taken as mediators linking from frailty to urinary incontinence incidence supported by the interaction pathways' mechanism. Results: A total of 348 older adults were included in this study, and 55.7% were women. The co‐occurrence of urinary incontinence and frailty was found in 16.7% of the participants at baseline. Older adults with sole frailty at baseline had almost twice the rate of incident urinary incontinence (32.7%) compared with those without (16.7%) over a 1‐year period. The subsample analyses showed that changes in depression and activity engagement failed to significantly predict the incidence of urinary incontinence and frailty. The mediating roles of these changes linking frailty to urinary incontinence incidence were also not statistically significant. Conclusion: The co‐occurrence of urinary incontinence and frailty is prevalent in older nursing home residents. Older adults with frailty at baseline are more likely to develop urinary incontinence a year later. The common cause and interaction pathways mechanisms for the co‐occurrence of urinary incontinence and frailty were not verified with changes in depression and activity engagement. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: The phenomenon of urinary incontinence and frailty co‐occurrence should be given extreme emphasis. Although statistically significant findings on the roles of depression and activity engagement were not inferred, this study provides multiple possibilities for future studies to test and depict a clear picture of this co‐occurrence. Impact: What problem did the study address? This study was designed to test the roles of depression and activity engagement in predicting the incidence of urinary incontinence and frailty, and the mediating roles in linking frailty to urinary incontinence incidence.What were the main findings? Despite the methodological pitfalls in literature have been addressed, neither depression nor activity engagement would significantly predict the incidence of urinary incontinence and frailty in older adults. Their mediating roles in linking frailty to urinary incontinence incidence were also not significant.Where and on whom will the research have an impact? Our findings add important pieces of evidence to promote researchers' understanding and provide an important basis for untangling the puzzle of urinary incontinence and frailty co‐occurrence. Reporting Method: The report of this study followed the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement guidelines. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perceived Partner Responsiveness (PPR) is vital in establishing a sense of well-being within marital relationships. However, the existing corpus of research primarily relies on Western samples, thus limiting its generalizability. Therefore, the current study, focusing on 152 couples from Northeast India, explores the role of PPR in explaining the relationship between marital and life satisfaction through the lens of interpersonal flourishing and psychological needs fulfilment. Simultaneously, employing the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model extended to Mediation (APIMeM), we analyse the mediating role of PPR, uncovering significant actor effects. Our analysis considers covariates such as marital duration, income, number of children, family structure, and positive affect. The mediation results are explained under the framework that PPR is essential for fulfilling psychological needs and allowing for individual thriving. Consequently, the study's findings underscore the importance of prioritising PPR in relationship interventions. Tailored strategies should guide couples in aligning their life and marital satisfaction goals to bolster individual well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although studies have highlighted the role played by couple and parental relationships for children's psychosocial adjustment, especially in challenging situations, research on these two relationship domains has largely developed separately and mostly focussed on negative couple processes. However, Family Systems Theory highlights how these subsystems are interconnected, and studies inspired by this theoretical framework provide evidence of how the quality of the interparental relationship predicts the parent–child relationship. This study focussed on the association between two relational resources (dyadic coping and parent–child relationship quality) and children's emotional difficulties during the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic in Italy. Five hundred ninety‐one Italian parents filled in an online self‐report questionnaire. A path analysis model was estimated to test the mediating role of parent–child relationship quality in the association between partner positive dyadic coping and children's emotional difficulties. The findings showed both a direct effect and an indirect effect of partner positive dyadic coping on children's emotional difficulties, because parent–child relationship quality partially mediated this association. Enhancing parents' ability to cope together with stress and the quality of the parent–child relationship might contribute to decrease children's vulnerability to emotional difficulties in challenging times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sequential mediation of socioeconomic adversity through prenatal maternal diet patterns to higher inflammation to reduced child cognition and language: linkage to study aims. [Display omitted] • A pre-birth longitudinal cohort study with extensive molecular and early life data. • Socioeconomic adversity operates through maternal diet. • This elevates prenatal inflammation and reduces offspring cognition/language. Increasing rates of child neurodevelopmental vulnerability are a significant public health challenge. The adverse effect of socioeconomic adversity on offspring cognition may be mediated through elevated prenatal maternal systemic inflammation, but the role of modifiable antecedents such as maternal nutrition has not yet been clarified. This study aimed to examine (1) whether prenatal factors, with an emphasis on maternal nutrition, were associated with prenatal maternal systemic inflammation at 28 weeks' gestation, including the metabolomic marker glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA); (2) the extent to which the association between prenatal maternal nutrition and child cognition and language at age two years was mediated by elevated maternal inflammation in pregnancy; (3) the extent to which the associations between prenatal socioeconomic adversity and child neurodevelopment were mediated through prenatal maternal nutrition and GlycA levels. We used a prospective population-derived pre-birth longitudinal cohort study, the Barwon Infant Study (Barwon region of Victoria, Australia), where 1074 mother–child pairs were recruited by 28 weeks' gestation using an unselected sampling frame. Exposures included prenatal factors such as maternal diet measured by a validated food frequency questionnaire at 28 weeks' gestation and dietary patterns determined by principal component analysis. The main outcome measures were maternal inflammatory biomarkers (GlycA and hsCRP levels) at 28 weeks' gestation, and offspring Bayley-III cognition and language scores at age two years. Results showed that the 'modern wholefoods' and 'processed' maternal dietary patterns were independently associated with reduced and elevated maternal inflammation respectively (GlycA or hsCRP p < 0.001), and also with higher and reduced offspring Bayley-III scores respectively (cognition p ≤ 0.004, language p ≤ 0.009). Associations between dietary patterns and offspring cognition and language were partially mediated by higher maternal GlycA (indirect effect: cognition p ≤ 0.036, language p ≤ 0.05), but were less evident for hsCRP. The maternal dietary patterns mediated 22 % of the association between socioeconomic adversity (lower maternal education and/or lower household income vs otherwise) and poorer offspring cognition (indirect effect p = 0.001). Variation in prenatal GlycA levels that were independent of these dietary measures appeared less important. In conclusion, modifiable prenatal maternal dietary patterns were associated with adverse child neurocognitive outcomes through their effect on maternal inflammation (GlycA). Maternal diet may partially explain the association between socioeconomic adversity and child neurocognitive vulnerability. Maternal diet-by-inflammation pathways are an attractive target for future intervention studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hyperglycemia upon admission is associated with poor prognosis of many cardiovascular diseases. However, the relationship of stress hyperglycemia ratio (SHR), admission blood glucose (ABG), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) with pulmonary hypertension has not been reported. This study aimed to explore the association of hyperglycemia indices with disease severity and long-term adverse outcomes in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). Methods: This multi-center cohort study included 625 consecutive patients diagnosed with or treated for IPAH between January 2015 and June 2023. SHR was calculated using the followings: ABG (mmol/L)/(1.59 × HbA1c [%] − 2.59). The primary endpoint was defined as clinical worsening events. Multivariable Cox regression and restricted cubic spline analyses were employed to evaluate the association of SHR, ABG, and HbA1c with endpoint events. The mediating effect of pulmonary hemodynamics was evaluated to investigate the potential mechanism between hyperglycemia and clinical outcomes. Results: During a mean follow-up period of 3.8 years, 219 (35.0%) patients experienced all-cause death or clinical worsening events. Hyperglycemia indices correlated with well-validated variables that reflected the severity of IPAH, such as the World Health Organization functional class, 6-min walk distance, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels. Multivariable Cox regression analyses indicated that SHR (hazard ratio [HR] 1.328, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.185, 1.489 per 0.1-unit increment, P < 0.001) and ABG (HR 1.317, 95% CI: 1.134, 1.529 per 1.0-unit increment, P < 0.001) were independent predictors of primary endpoint events. Mediation analysis indicated that pulmonary vascular resistance mediated 5.65% and 14.62% of the associations between SHR and ABG and clinical worsening events, respectively. The addition of SHR significantly improved reclassification, discrimination ability, and model fit beyond the clinical risk prediction model. Conclusions: SHR is positively associated with clinical worsening in patients with IPAH. The association appeared to be partially mediated through the pathway of pulmonary vascular remodeling, indicating that SHR may serve as a valuable indicator for providing additional risk information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present analysis aimed to assess the mediating role of psychosocial and behavioural factors in socio-economic inequalities in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among children and adolescents. Methods: Cross-sectional data was drawn from the randomly selected SEROCoV-KIDS cohort study in Geneva, Switzerland. Associations of socio-economic conditions (parents' highest education, household financial situation) with HRQoL, psychosocial (parent–child relationship, school difficulties, friends, extracurricular activities) and behavioural factors (screen time, physical activity, green spaces time, sleep duration), along with associations of psychosocial and behavioural factors with HRQoL, were evaluated with generalized estimating equations. Counterfactual mediation analyses were conducted to test pathways linking socio-economic conditions to HRQoL. Results: Of 965 children and 816 adolescents, those with disadvantaged financial circumstances were more likely to have a poor HRQoL (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 3.80; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.96–7.36 and aOR: 3.66; 95%CI: 2.06–6.52, respectively). Psychosocial characteristics mediated 25% (95%CI: 5–70%) and 40% (95%CI: 18–63%) of financial disparities in HRQoL among children and adolescents, respectively. Health behaviours were weakly patterned by socio-economic conditions and did not contribute to financial differences in HRQoL. Conclusions: These findings provide empirical evidence for mechanisms explaining socio-economic disparities in child HRQoL and could inform interventions aimed to tackle health inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]