Social dynamics and affect: Investigating within-person associations in daily life using experience sampling and mobile sensing

Social interactions are crucial to affective well-being. Still, people vary interindividually and intraindividually in their social needs. Social need regulation theories state that mismatches between momentary social desire and actual social contact result in lowered affect, yet empirical knowledge about this dynamic regulation is limited. In a gender- and age-heterogenous sample, German-speaking participants (N = 306, 51% women, Mage = 39.41, range 18-80 years) answered up to 20 momentary questionnaires about social interactions and affect while mobile sensing tracked their conversations, calls, and app usage over 2 days. Combining preregistered and exploratory analyses, we investigated how momentary affect relates to social dynamics, focusing on two states of mismatch between social desire and social contact: social deprivation (i.e., being alone but desiring contact) and social oversatiation (i.e., being in contact but desiring to be alone). We used specification curve analyses to scrutinize the operationalization of these constructs. Social oversatiation was associated with decreased positive affect and increased negative affect. Social deprivation, however, was unrelated to affect. Exploratory multilevel models showed that a higher desire to be alone was consistently associated with decreased affective well-being, whereas a higher desire for social contact was related to increased affective well-being. Mobile sensing data revealed differential association patterns between affect and face-to-face versus digital communication. We discuss implications for social need regulation, related studies on voluntary solitude, and advantages of combining experience sampling and mobile sensing assessments. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Executive summary of the Hellenic Atherosclerosis Society guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of dyslipidemias - 2023

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the main cause of death worldwide, and thus its prevention, early diagnosis and treatment is of paramount importance. Dyslipidemia represents a major ASCVD risk factor that should be adequately managed at different clinical settings. 2023 guidelines of the Hellenic Atherosclerosis Society focus on the assessment of ASCVD risk, laboratory evaluation of dyslipidemias, new and emerging lipid-lowering drugs, as well as diagnosis and treatment of lipid disorders in women, the elderly and in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia, acute coronary syndromes, heart failure, stroke, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Statin intolerance is also discussed.

Self-control is associated with health-relevant disparities in buccal DNA-methylation measures of biological aging in older adults

Self-control is a personality dimension that is associated with better physical health and a longer lifespan. Here, we examined (1) whether self-control is associated with buccal and saliva DNA-methylation (DNAm) measures of biological aging quantified in children, adolescents, and adults, and (2) whether biological aging measured in buccal DNAm is associated with self-reported health. Following preregistered analyses, we computed two DNAm measures of advanced biological age (principal-component PhenoAge and GrimAge Acceleration) and a DNAm measure of pace of aging (DunedinPACE) in buccal samples from the German Socioeconomic Panel Study (SOEP-G[ene], n = 1058, age range 0-72, Mage = 42.65) and saliva samples from the Texas Twin Project (TTP, n = 1327, age range 8-20, Mage = 13.50). We found that lower self-control was associated with advanced biological age in older adults (PhenoAge Acceleration β = - .34, [- .51, - .17], p < .001; GrimAge Acceleration β = - .34, [- .49, - .19], p < .001), but not young adults, adolescents or children. These associations remained statistically robust even after correcting for possible confounders such as socioeconomic contexts, BMI, or genetic correlates of low self-control. Moreover, a faster pace of aging and advanced biological age measured in buccal DNAm were associated with self-reported disease (PhenoAge Acceleration: β = .13 [.06, .19], p < .001; GrimAge Acceleration: β = .19 [.12, .26], p < .001; DunedinPACE: β = .09 [.02, .17], p = .01). However, effect sizes were weaker than observations in blood, suggesting that customization of DNAm aging measures to buccal and saliva tissues may be necessary. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that self-control is associated with health via pathways that accelerate biological aging in older adults.

Codevelopment of life goals and the Big Five personality traits across adulthood and old age

Since the new millennium, research in the field of personality development has focused on the stability and change of basic personality traits. Motivational aspects of personality and their longitudinal association with basic traits have received comparably little attention. In this preregistered study, we applied bivariate latent growth curve model to investigated the codevelopment of nine life goals and the Big Five traits. We tested age, perceived control, gender, educational background, and regional socialization as potential moderators of codevelopment. Data came from the German Socio-Economic Panel study (N = 55,040, age range: 18-103 years) and span a study period of 13 years. During this period, the Big Five traits and life goals were assessed four times. Our findings suggest that development in broader life goal domains (e.g., self-fulfillment) is more strongly connected to personality development across the life span, whereas changes in specific goals (e.g., having children) are more closely tied to trait changes during young and middle adulthood. The strongest codevelopment was found between Openness and agentic goals with a focus on personal growth followed by codevelopment between Agreeableness and communal goals. Developmental stage and educational background moderated the codevelopment of Conscientiousness and economic achievement as well as family-related goals. Contrary to the previous research, we found that Neuroticism codeveloped with communal life goals (i.e., having a happy relationship/marriage). Our findings reinforce theoretical frameworks that highlight the role of changing opportunities, constraints, and developmental tasks across adulthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Parents' life satisfaction prior to and following preterm birth

The current study tested whether the reported lower wellbeing of parents after preterm birth, relative to term birth, is a continuation of a pre-existing difference before pregnancy. Parents from Germany (the German Socio-Economic Panel Study, N = 10,649) and the United Kingdom (British Household Panel Study and Understanding Society, N = 11,012) reported their new-born's birthweight and gestational age, subsequently categorised as very preterm or very low birthweight (VP/VLBW, < 32 weeks or < 1500 g), moderately/late preterm or low birthweight (MLP/LBW, ≥ 32 weeks and < 37 weeks/≥ 1500 g and < 2500 g), or term-born (≥ 37 weeks and ≥ 2500 g). Mixed models were used to analyse life satisfaction, an aspect of wellbeing, at four assessments-two years and six months before birth and six months and two years afterwards. Two years before birth, satisfaction of prospective term-born, MLP/LBW, or VP/VLBW mothers did not significantly differ. However, mothers of VP/VLBWs had lower satisfaction relative to mothers of term-borns at both assessments post-birth. Among fathers, satisfaction levels were similarly equivalent two years before birth. Subsequently, fathers of VP/VLBWs temporarily differed in satisfaction six months post-birth relative to fathers of term-borns. Results indicate that parents' lower life satisfaction after VP/VLBW birth is not a continuation of pre-existing life satisfaction differences.

Cohort profile: Genetic data in the German Socio-Economic Panel Innovation Sample (SOEP-G)

The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) serves a global research community by providing representative annual longitudinal data of respondents living in private households in Germany. The dataset offers a valuable life course panorama, encompassing living conditions, socioeconomic status, familial connections, personality traits, values, preferences, health, and well-being. To amplify research opportunities further, we have extended the SOEP Innovation Sample (SOEP-IS) by collecting genetic data from 2,598 participants, yielding the first genotyped dataset for Germany based on a representative population sample (SOEP-G). The sample includes 107 full-sibling pairs, 501 parent-offspring pairs, and 152 triads, which overlap with the parent-offspring pairs. Leveraging the results from well-powered genome-wide association studies, we created a repository comprising 66 polygenic indices (PGIs) in the SOEP-G sample. We show that the PGIs for height, BMI, and educational attainment capture 22∼24%, 12∼13%, and 9% of the variance in the respective phenotypes. Using the PGIs for height and BMI, we demonstrate that the considerable increase in average height and the decrease in average BMI in more recent birth cohorts cannot be attributed to genetic shifts within the German population or to age effects alone. These findings suggest an important role of improved environmental conditions in driving these changes. Furthermore, we show that higher values in the PGIs for educational attainment and the highest math class are associated with better self-rated health, illustrating complex relationships between genetics, cognition, behavior, socio-economic status, and health. In summary, the SOEP-G data and the PGI repository we created provide a valuable resource for studying individual differences, inequalities, life-course development, health, and interactions between genetic predispositions and the environment.

Self-control is associated with health-relevant disparities in buccal DNA-methylation measures of biological aging in older adults

Self-control is a personality dimension that is associated with better physical health and a longer lifespan. Here we examined (1) whether self-control is associated with buccal and saliva DNA-methylation (DNAm) measures of biological aging quantified in children, adolescents, and adults, and (2) whether biological aging measured in buccal DNAm is associated with self-reported health. Following preregistered analyses, we computed two DNAm measures of advanced biological age (PhenoAge and GrimAge Acceleration) and a DNAm measure of pace of aging (DunedinPACE) in buccal samples from the German Socioeconomic Panel Study (SOEP-G[ene], n = 1058, age range 0-72, Mage = 42.65) and saliva samples from the Texas Twin Project (TTP, n = 1327, age range 8-20, Mage = 13.50). We found that lower self-control was associated with advanced biological age in older adults (β =-.34), but not young adults, adolescents or children. This association was not accounted for by statistical correction for socioeconomic contexts, BMI, or genetic correlates of low self-control. Moreover, a faster pace of aging and advanced biological age measured in buccal DNAm were associated with worse self-reported health (β =.13 to β = .19). But, effect sizes were weaker than observations in blood, thus customization of DNAm aging measures to buccal and saliva tissues may be necessary. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that self-control is associated with health via pathways that accelerate biological aging in older adults.

Age and gender differences in narcissism: A comprehensive study across eight measures and over 250,000 participants

Age and gender differences in narcissism have been studied often. However, considering the rich history of narcissism research accompanied by its diverging conceptualizations, little is known about age and gender differences across various narcissism measures. The present study investigated age and gender differences and their interactions across eight widely used narcissism instruments (i.e., Narcissistic Personality Inventory, Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale, Dirty Dozen, Psychological Entitlement Scale, Narcissistic Personality Disorder Symptoms from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Version IV, Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry Questionnaire-Short Form, Single-Item Narcissism Scale, and brief version of the Pathological Narcissism Inventory). The findings of Study 1 (N = 5,736) revealed heterogeneity in how strongly the measures are correlated. Some instruments loaded clearly on one of the three factors proposed by previous research (i.e., Neuroticism, Extraversion, Antagonism), while others cross-loaded across factors and in distinct ways. Cross-sectional analyses using each measure and meta-analytic results across all measures (Study 2) with a total sample of 270,029 participants suggest consistent linear age effects (random effects meta-analytic effect of r = -.104), with narcissism being highest in young adulthood. Consistent gender differences also emerged (random effects meta-analytic effect was -.079), such that men scored higher in narcissism than women. Quadratic age effects and Age × Gender effects were generally very small and inconsistent. We conclude that despite the various conceptualizations of narcissism, age and gender differences are generalizable across the eight measures used in the present study. However, their size varied based on the instrument used. We discuss the sources of this heterogeneity and the potential mechanisms for age and gender differences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Conceptual Associations Generate Sensory Predictions

A crucial ability of the human brain is to learn and exploit probabilistic associations between stimuli to facilitate perception and behavior by predicting future events. Although studies have shown how perceptual relationships are used to predict sensory inputs, relational knowledge is often between concepts rather than percepts (e.g., we learned to associate cats with dogs, rather than specific images of cats and dogs). Here, we asked if and how sensory responses to visual input may be modulated by predictions derived from conceptual associations. To this end we exposed participants of both sexes to arbitrary word-word pairs (e.g., car-dog) repeatedly, creating an expectation of the second word, conditional on the occurrence of the first. In a subsequent session, we exposed participants to novel word-picture pairs, while measuring fMRI BOLD responses. All word-picture pairs were equally likely, but half of the pairs conformed to the previously formed conceptual (word-word) associations, whereas the other half violated this association. Results showed suppressed sensory responses throughout the ventral visual stream, including early visual cortex, to pictures that corresponded to the previously expected words compared with unexpected words. This suggests that the learned conceptual associations were used to generate sensory predictions that modulated processing of the picture stimuli. Moreover, these modulations were tuning specific, selectively suppressing neural populations tuned toward the expected input. Combined, our results suggest that recently acquired conceptual priors are generalized across domains and used by the sensory brain to generate category-specific predictions, facilitating processing of expected visual input.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Perceptual predictions play a crucial role in facilitating perception and the integration of sensory information. However, little is known about whether and how the brain uses more abstract, conceptual priors to form sensory predictions. In our preregistered study, we show that priors derived from recently acquired arbitrary conceptual associations result in category-specific predictions that modulate perceptual processing throughout the ventral visual hierarchy, including early visual cortex. These results suggest that the predictive brain uses prior knowledge across various domains to modulate perception, thereby extending our understanding of the extensive role predictions play in perception.

Nanoscale pores introduced into paper via mesoporous silica coatings using sol-gel chemistry

Mesopores, with diameters between 2 and 50 nm, not only increase the specific surface area, but also generate hierarchically porous materials with specific properties such as capillary fluid transport, ion specific pore accessibility, or size exclusion. Paper is a strongly hierarchical, porous material with specific properties, such as capillary force-driven fluid transport. However, paper fibers change their morphology during the initial step of wood disintegration. This results in changes of the porous fiber structure. In particular paper fibers loose their mesopores during the final drying step in the fabrication process. Here, we investigate silica mesopore formation in paper by sol-gel chemistry and evaporation induced self-assembly to specifically introduce and rationally design mesopore formation and distribution in cotton linter and eucalyptus sulfate paper sheets. We demonstrate the importance of synchronizing the solvent evaporation rate and capillary fluid velocity to ensure mesopore formation as well as the influence of the fiber type and sol-gel solution composition. The combination of argon and krypton sorption, SAXS, TEM and CLSM provides systematic analysis of the porous structure and the silica distribution along the cellulose paper fiber length and cross-section. These results provide a deeper understanding of mesopore formation in paper and how the latter is influenced by paper fluidic properties.

Associations of socioeconomic disparities with buccal DNA-methylation measures of biological aging

BACKGROUND

Individuals who are socioeconomically disadvantaged are at increased risk for aging-related diseases and perform less well on tests of cognitive function. The weathering hypothesis proposes that these disparities in physical and cognitive health arise from an acceleration of biological processes of aging. Theories of how life adversity is biologically embedded identify epigenetic alterations, including DNA methylation (DNAm), as a mechanistic interface between the environment and health. Consistent with the weathering hypothesis and theories of biological embedding, recently developed DNAm algorithms have revealed profiles reflective of more advanced aging and lower cognitive function among socioeconomically-at-risk groups. These DNAm algorithms were developed using blood-DNA, but social and behavioral science research commonly collect saliva or cheek-swab DNA. This discrepancy is a potential barrier to research to elucidate mechanisms through which socioeconomic disadvantage affects aging and cognition. We therefore tested if social gradients observed in blood DNAm measures could be reproduced using buccal-cell DNA obtained from cheek swabs.

RESULTS

We analyzed three DNAm measures of biological aging and one DNAm measure of cognitive performance, all of which showed socioeconomic gradients in previous studies: the PhenoAge and GrimAge DNAm clocks, DunedinPACE, and Epigenetic-g. We first computed blood-buccal cross-tissue correlations in n = 21 adults (GEO111165). Cross-tissue correlations were low-to-moderate (r = .25 to r = .48). We next conducted analyses of socioeconomic gradients using buccal DNAm data from SOEP-G (n = 1128, 57% female; age mean = 42 yrs, SD = 21.56, range 0-72). Associations of socioeconomic status with DNAm measures of aging were in the expected direction, but were smaller as compared to reports from blood DNAm datasets (r = - .08 to r = - .13).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with DNAm indicators of worse physical health. However, relatively low cross-tissue correlations and attenuated effect sizes for socioeconomic gradients in buccal DNAm compared with reports from analysis of blood DNAm suggest that in order to take full advantage of buccal DNA samples, DNAm algorithms customized to buccal DNAm are needed.

An adversarial collaboration protocol for testing contrasting predictions of global neuronal workspace and integrated information theory

The relationship between conscious experience and brain activity has intrigued scientists and philosophers for centuries. In the last decades, several theories have suggested different accounts for these relationships. These theories have developed in parallel, with little to no cross-talk among them. To advance research on consciousness, we established an adversarial collaboration between proponents of two of the major theories in the field, Global Neuronal Workspace and Integrated Information Theory. Together, we devised and preregistered two experiments that test contrasting predictions of these theories concerning the location and timing of correlates of visual consciousness, which have been endorsed by the theories' proponents. Predicted outcomes should either support, refute, or challenge these theories. Six theory-impartial laboratories will follow the study protocol specified here, using three complementary methods: Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Magneto-Electroencephalography (M-EEG), and intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG). The study protocol will include built-in replications, both between labs and within datasets. Through this ambitious undertaking, we hope to provide decisive evidence in favor or against the two theories and clarify the footprints of conscious visual perception in the human brain, while also providing an innovative model of large-scale, collaborative, and open science practice.

Perspectives on resilience: Trait resilience, correlates of resilience in daily life, and longer-term change in affective distress

Resilience describes successful adaptation in the face of adversity, commonly inferred from trajectories of well-being following major life events. Alternatively, resilience was conceptualised as a psychological trait, facilitating adaptation through stable individual characteristics. Both perspectives may relate to individual differences in how stress is regulated in daily life. In the present study, we combined these perspectives on resilience. Our sample consisted of N = 132 middle-aged adults, who experienced major life events in between two waves of a longitudinal study. We implemented latent change regression models to predict change in affective distress. As predictors, we investigated trait resilience and correlates of resilience in daily life (stressor occurrence, stress reactivity, positive reappraisal, mindful attention, and acceptance), measured using experience sampling (T = 70 occasions). Unexpectedly, trait resilience was not associated with change in distress. In contrast, resilience correlates in daily life, most notably lower stress reactivity, were associated with more favourable change. Higher trait resilience related to higher average mindfulness, higher reappraisal, and lower negative affect. Overall, while trait resilience translated into everyday correlates of resilience, it was not predictive of changes in affective distress. Instead, precursors of changes in well-being may be found in correlates of resilience in daily life.

High incidence of acute and subacute ischaemic foci on brain MRI in patients with a diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism and confirmed patent foramen ovale

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common and potentially life-threatening diagnosis when a certain amount of thrombotic mass obstructs blood flow through the pulmonary circulation. The finding of acute and subacute ischaemic foci on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain in a group of patients with this diagnosis in whom we demonstrate the presence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) by transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is surprisingly high.

METHODS

A total of 129 patients with a diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (confirmed by computed tomography with contrast agent, CTA) who consented to further examination were examined by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with contrast agent, underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the brain according to a specific protocol, and underwent a comprehensive baseline laboratory examination.

RESULTS

In our group of 129 patients, we found the presence of PFO in 36.4% (n=47) of them. A total of 5.4% (n=7) patients had asymptomatic acute and subacute ischaemic changes on brain MRI; 6 of them had concomitant PFO. The statistically significant correlation between troponin levels and the presence of pathological findings on MRI and the trend of a similar correlation for NT-proBNP values is also very interesting finding.

CONCLUSIONS

The association between the presence of PFO and the occurrence of symptomatic or asymptomatic findings on brain MRI is a well-known fact (the issue of paradoxical embolism) but the high frequency of acute and subacute lesions on brain MRI in the group of patients with a diagnosis of acute PE is surprising.

Updating Contextual Sensory Expectations for Adaptive Behavior

The brain has the extraordinary capacity to construct predictive models of the environment by internalizing statistical regularities in the sensory inputs. The resulting sensory expectations shape how we perceive and react to the world; at the neural level, this relates to decreased neural responses to expected than unexpected stimuli ("expectation suppression"). Crucially, expectations may need revision as context changes. However, existing research has often neglected this issue. Further, it is unclear whether contextual revisions apply selectively to expectations relevant to the task at hand, hence serving adaptive behavior. The present fMRI study examined how contextual visual expectations spread throughout the cortical hierarchy as we update our beliefs. We created a volatile environment: two alternating contexts contained different sequences of object images, thereby producing context-dependent expectations that needed revision when the context changed. Human participants of both sexes attended a training session before scanning to learn the contextual sequences. The fMRI experiment then tested for the emergence of contextual expectation suppression in two separate tasks, respectively, with task-relevant and task-irrelevant expectations. Effects of contextual expectation emerged progressively across the cortical hierarchy as participants attuned themselves to the context: expectation suppression appeared first in the insula, inferior frontal gyrus, and posterior parietal cortex, followed by the ventral visual stream, up to early visual cortex. This applied selectively to task-relevant expectations. Together, the present results suggest that an insular and frontoparietal executive control network may guide the flexible deployment of contextual sensory expectations for adaptive behavior in our complex and dynamic world.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The world is structured by statistical regularities, which we use to predict the future. This is often accompanied by suppressed neural responses to expected compared with unexpected events ("expectation suppression"). Crucially, the world is also highly volatile and context-dependent: expected events may become unexpected when the context changes, thus raising the crucial need for belief updating. However, this issue has generally been neglected. By setting up a volatile environment, we show that expectation suppression emerges first in executive control regions, followed by relevant sensory areas, only when observers use their expectations to optimize behavior. This provides surprising yet clear evidence on how the brain controls the updating of sensory expectations for adaptive behavior in our ever-changing world.

The transition to grandparenthood: No consistent evidence for change in the Big Five personality traits and life satisfaction

Intergenerational relations have received close attention in the context of population aging and increased childcare provision by grandparents. However, few studies have investigated the psychological consequences of becoming a grandparent. In a preregistered test of grandparenthood as a developmental task in middle and older adulthood, we used representative panel data from the Netherlands ( N = 563) and the United States ( N = 2210) to analyze first-time grandparents’ personality and life satisfaction development. We tested gender, employment, and grandchild care as moderators. To address confounding, we employed propensity score matching using two procedures: matching grandparents with parents and nonparents to achieve balance in different sets of carefully selected covariates. Multilevel models demonstrated mean-level stability of the Big Five personality traits and life satisfaction over the transition to grandparenthood, and no consistent moderation effects—contrary to the social investment principle. The few small effects of grandparenthood on personality development did not replicate across samples. We found no evidence of larger inter-individual differences in change in grandparents compared to the controls or of lower rank-order stability. Our findings add to recent critical re-examinations of the social investment principle and are discussed in light of characteristics that might moderate grandparents’ personality development.

Dampened sensory representations for expected input across the ventral visual stream

Expectations, derived from previous experience, can help in making perception faster, more reliable and informative. A key neural signature of perceptual expectations is expectation suppression, an attenuated neural response to expected compared with unexpected stimuli. While expectation suppression has been reported using a variety of paradigms and recording methods, it remains unclear what neural modulation underlies this response attenuation. Sharpening models propose that neural populations tuned away from an expected stimulus are particularly suppressed by expectations, thereby resulting in an attenuated, but sharper population response. In contrast, dampening models suggest that neural populations tuned toward the expected stimulus are most suppressed, thus resulting in a dampened, less redundant population response. Empirical support is divided, with some studies favoring sharpening, while others support dampening. A key limitation of previous neuroimaging studies is the ability to draw inferences about neural-level modulations based on population (e.g. voxel) level signals. Indeed, recent simulations of repetition suppression showed that opposite neural modulations can lead to comparable population-level modulations. Forward models provide one solution to this inference limitation. Here, we used forward models to implement sharpening and dampening models, mapping neural modulations to voxel-level data. We show that a feature-specific gain modulation, suppressing neurons tuned toward the expected stimulus, best explains the empirical fMRI data. Thus, our results support the dampening account of expectation suppression, suggesting that expectations reduce redundancy in sensory cortex, and thereby promote updating of internal models on the basis of surprising information.

Mental health-related communication in a virtual community: text mining analysis of a digital exchange platform during the Covid-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Virtual communities played an important role in mental health and well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic by providing access to others and thereby preventing loneliness. The pandemic has accelerated the urge for digital solutions for people with pre-existing mental health problems. So far, it remains unclear how the people concerned communicate with each other and benefit from peer-to-peer support on a moderated digital platform.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the project was to identify and describe the communication patterns and verbal expression of users on the inCLOUsiv platform during the first lockdown in 2020.

METHODS

Discussions in forums and live chats on inCLOUsiv were analysed using text mining, which included frequency, correlation, n-gram and sentiment analyses.

RESULTS

The communication behaviour of users on inCLOUsiv was benevolent and supportive; and 72% of the identified sentiments were positive. Users addressed the topics of 'corona', 'anxiety' and 'crisis' and shared coping strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

The benevolent interaction between users on inCLOUsiv is in line with other virtual communities for Covid-19 and the potential for peer-to-peer support. Users can benefit from each other's experiences and support each other. Virtual communities can be used as an adjuvant to existing therapy, particularly in times of reduced access to local health services.

Clinical Presentation of Toddlers With New Intracranial Space-Occupying Lesions: A Case Series

OBJECTIVE

Intracranial space occupying lesions (ICSOLs) like tumors and abscesses can be life-threatening conditions. It can be especially difficult to diagnose these conditions in toddlers. We aimed to describe symptoms and signs present in a sample of toddlers with ICSOLs.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective chart review of 15 toddlers with intracranial tumors, abscesses, or infected cysts. We collected data on the presence of various signs and symptoms on presentation to the emergency department.

RESULTS

Eight toddlers (53%) presented with vomiting. A change in behavior was the second most common symptom (6, 40%). Seven children (47%) had motor weakness, and 5 (33%) had ataxia. Eleven of the 12 children with tumors (92%) had documented abnormal neurologic signs on initial physical examination.

CONCLUSIONS

Vomiting, a change in behavior, and an abnormal neurologic examination were common signs and symptoms in our sample of toddlers with ICSOLs. An accurate history and appropriate neurologic examination can help physicians make this challenging diagnosis in this age group.

Spatial and Temporal Context Jointly Modulate the Sensory Response within the Ventral Visual Stream

Both spatial and temporal context play an important role in visual perception and behavior. Humans can extract statistical regularities from both forms of context to help process the present and to construct expectations about the future. Numerous studies have found reduced neural responses to expected stimuli compared with unexpected stimuli, for both spatial and temporal regularities. However, it is largely unclear whether and how these forms of context interact. In the current fMRI study, 33 human volunteers were exposed to pairs of object stimuli that could be expected or surprising in terms of their spatial and temporal context. We found reliable independent contributions of both spatial and temporal context in modulating the neural response. Specifically, neural responses to stimuli in expected compared with unexpected contexts were suppressed throughout the ventral visual stream. These results suggest that both spatial and temporal context may aid sensory processing in a similar fashion, providing evidence on how different types of context jointly modulate perceptual processing.

A prospective, multicenter, epidemiological study of the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in hypertensive patients in Greece, the WIN-HAZARD study

Background/Introduction

Arterial hypertension (AH) is a major, common, modifiable, risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death globally, according to World Health Organization. In addition to elevated blood pressure (BP), many hypertensive patients have other risk factors that increase the overall cardiovascular risk. The calculation of the total cardiovascular (CV) risk is necessary for selecting the proper treatment strategy and guide timely treatment decisions and interventions.

Purpose

This prospective, multicenter, epidemiological, non-interventional, nationwide study aimed to evaluate the type and number of total CVD risk factors in hypertensive patients in Greece, according to the 2013 guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), applicable at the time of the study conduct.

Methods

Overall, 3 Cardiology Hospital sites and 167 private Cardiologists, Internists, Endocrinologists and General Practitioners nationwide participated in the study, enrolling consecutive adult patients with hypertension under treatment. Total CV risk was assessed by 2013 ESH/ESC criteria, and the European Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) algorithm. It involved a single visit, with no screening period for the patients. The study has been conducted in compliance with ICH/GCP standards, from March 2017 to April 2019.

Results

In total 1309 patients with AH under treatment were enrolled (59% male, mean age 60.6 years, mean BMI 28.2). The median time from AH diagnosis was 3.7 years. The most common CV risk factors were dyslipidaemia (76.4%), male gender (59%), advanced age (58.1%) and abdominal obesity (46.1%). The incidence of the remaining total CV risk factors per category was asymptomatic target organ damage (20.8%), diabetes (11.3%) and established CV or renal disease (5.8%). The majority of the study patients (71.6%) had concomitantly ≥3 total CV risk factors (table 1 and table 2).

The mean (±SD) systolic arterial pressure was 143.5±14.7 mmHg and the mean (±SD) diastolic 85.5±8.6 mmHg. More than half of the patients (51.8%) received one antihypertensive drug, with angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) being the most commonly reported drug class (23.9%), followed by calcium channel blockers (15.8%).

Conclusion

This real-world study with its broad geographical coverage and phycisians' specialty range, contributed significant epidemiological data pertaining to prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in adult hypertensive patients and their current treatment status in Greece. The value of this observational study lies in supporting the proper deployment of current guidelines, as well as, the implementation of future preventive healthcare programmes.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): WIN MEDICA S.A. Table 1Table 2

The development of life goals over the adult lifespan

OBJECTIVES

Life goals are important organizing units for individual agency in development. On a societal level, they align with age-normative developmental tasks; on the individual level, they guide people's attempts at shaping their own development. This study investigates the development of life goals across the adult lifespan with a focus on differences regarding gender, parental status, education, and region.

METHOD

Using longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel study (SOEP, N=52,052; age range: 18-84 years), we estimated the developmental trajectories of importance ratings for nine life goals across the adult lifespan using multiple-group latent growth curve modelling.

RESULTS

Having a happy relationship or marriage, having children, and being there for others are the life goals rated as most important across almost the entire adult lifespan. Having a happy relationship or marriage differed strongly by gender. Up to middle adulthood it was more important for women but more important for men in late adulthood. Parental status amplified gender differences in the work and family domain. Low education was associated with a higher perceived importance of being there for others. The largest regional differences (East vs. West) were found for home ownership.

DISCUSSION

Although the importance of some life goal trajectories reflects typical age-grading in developmental tasks, other life goals (e.g., having children) remain important even after goal attainment or after developmental deadlines have passed.

Ultrashort pulse written fiber Bragg gratings as narrowband filters in multicore fibers

We present the inscription of narrow-linewidth fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) into different types of multicore fibers (MCFs) using ultrashort laser pulses and the phase mask technique, which can act as notch filters. Such filters are required, e.g., to suppress light emitted by hydroxyl in the Earth's upper atmosphere, which disturbs ground-based observation of extraterrestrial objects in the near infrared. However, the inscription into a commercially available seven-core fiber showed a quite large core-to-core deviation of the resonance wavelength of up to 0.45 nm. Two options are presented to overcome this: first, we present the photo-treatment of the FBGs to tune the resonance wavelength, which allows for sufficient resonance shifts. Second, adapted MCFs containing 12 cores, arranged on a circle, are fabricated. For this, two different fabrication procedures were investigated, namely, the mechanical drilling of the preform for a rod-in-tube version as well as a stack-and-draw approach. Both adapted MCFs yielded significant improvements with core-to-core wavelength variations of the FBGs of only about 0.18 nm and 0.11 nm, respectively, sufficient to fulfill the requirements for astronomical filter applications as discussed above.

Atmospheric Carbon and Transport - America (ACT-America) Data Sets: Description, Management, and Delivery

The ACT-America project is a NASA Earth Venture Suborbital-2 mission designed to study the transport and fluxes of greenhouse gases. The open and freely available ACT-America data sets provide airborne in situ measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide, methane, trace gases, aerosols, clouds, and meteorological properties, airborne remote sensing measurements of aerosol backscatter, atmospheric boundary layer height and columnar content of atmospheric carbon dioxide, tower-based measurements, and modeled atmospheric mole fractions and regional carbon fluxes of greenhouse gases over the Central and Eastern United States. We conducted 121 research flights during five campaigns in four seasons during 2016-2019 over three regions of the US (Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and South) using two NASA research aircraft (B-200 and C-130). We performed three flight patterns (fair weather, frontal crossings, and OCO-2 underflights) and collected more than 1,140 h of airborne measurements via level-leg flights in the atmospheric boundary layer, lower, and upper free troposphere and vertical profiles spanning these altitudes. We also merged various airborne in situ measurements onto a common standard sampling interval, which brings coherence to the data, creates geolocated data products, and makes it much easier for the users to perform holistic analysis of the ACT-America data products. Here, we report on detailed information of data sets collected, the workflow for data sets including storage and processing of the quality controlled and quality assured harmonized observations, and their archival and formatting for users. Finally, we provide some important information on the dissemination of data products including metadata and highlights of applications of ACT-America data sets.

Interventional prevention of paradoxical embolism as the gold standard: End of discussion?

Paradoxical embolism is one of the predominant causes of cryptogenic stroke and interventional secondary prevention, i.e., closure of the patent foramen ovale (PFO), is a much discussed issue. This review aims to provide a complex perspective on this topic, aggregates and comments on the available data and current guidelines. Several large trials were performed, some of which proved the superiority of PFO closure over pharmacotherapy while others have not. Studies detecting significant superiority of intervention worked with disproportionately high representation of large shunts compared to the general population. Other controversies also remain, such as the lack of comparison of the effect of modern anticoagulant/antiplatelet treatment to PFO closure or the risk of developing unwanted side effects after intervention, and these are discussed in detail. PFO closure is a suitable method for secondary prevention of paradoxical embolism and, therefore, cryptogenic stroke. However, this is only true for carefully selected patient populations and such selection is of the utmost importance in deciding on interventional or conservative treatment.

Generation Y: Do millennials need a partner to be happy?

INTRODUCTION

Empirical evidence on Ronald Inglehart's theory of value change shows that subsequent generations show a decline in values of physical and economic security (materialism) in favor of an increase in values of self-expression and autonomy (postmaterialism).

METHODS

We investigate in a pre-registered study whether Inglehart's theory also applies to partnership, such that millennials think less that they need a partner to be happy. We used data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) study on 4540 17-year-olds from 16 birth cohorts.

RESULTS

Results show that adolescents' estimated importance of a romantic partner for personal happiness decreases on average with each subsequent birth cohort. Further significant predictors were socialization and relationship status of the parents, birth year of the father, as well as education and sex of the adolescent. Socioeconomic status and education level of the parents and birth year of the mother were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provide initial evidence that as society becomes more individualized, even personal happiness is increasingly seen as independent of significant others. Ronald Inglehart's theory of value change, however, seems to have only limited applicability as an explanatory model for this development.

Leisure Activities as a Driver of Personality Development? A Random-Intercept Cross-lagged Panel Model Across 13 Years in Adulthood

Repeated experiences and activities drive personality development. Leisure activities are among the daily routines that may elicit personality change. Yet despite the important role they play in daily life, little is known about their prospective effects on personality traits and vice versa. The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which within-person changes in leisure activities lead to prospective changes in personality traits, and whether changes in personality elicit prospective changes in leisure activities. We applied random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM) to four waves of 13-year longitudinal data (2005−2017) from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) for the sample as a whole (N = 55,790) and for three specific age groups (young, middle-aged, and older adults). We examined between-person associations and within-person auto-regressive effects, correlated change and cross-lagged effects for Big Five personality traits (i.e., openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) with self-reported frequency of leisure activities (i.e., physical activities, socializing, volunteering, political activity, artistic and musical activity, going out) and overall participation in leisure activities. At the between-person level, leisure activities and overall participation were most strongly associated with openness to experience. At the within-person level, we found reciprocal effects of extraversion only with overall participation in leisure activities and socializing. We found unidirectional within-person cross-lagged effects between leisure activities and personality traits and vice versa. Some effects were age-group-specific only. These findings suggest that leisure activities that are associated with certain traits at the between-person level are not necessarily those that trigger change in the respective personality trait. We discuss our findings based on the TESSERA framework for personality development. We conclude that the specificity of an experience or behavior and its corresponding trait is essential for personality development and should be subjected to further research.

Cooperative Chain Dynamics of Tracer Chains in Highly Entangled Polyethylene Melts

By neutron spin echo spectroscopy, we have studied the center of mass motion of short tracer chains on the molecular length scale within a highly entangled polymer matrix. The center of mass mean square displacements of the tracers independent of their molecular weight is subdiffusive at short times until it has reached the size of the tube d; then, a crossover to Fickian diffusion takes place. This observation cannot be understood within the tube model of reptation, but is rationalized as a result of important interchain couplings that lead to cooperative chain motion within the entanglement volume ∼d^{3}. Thus, the cooperative tracer chain motions are limited by the tube size d. If the center of mass displacement exceeds this size, uncorrelated Fickian diffusion takes over. Compared to the prediction of the Rouse model we observe a significantly reduced contribution of the tracer's internal modes to the spectra corroborating the finding of cooperative rather than Rouse dynamics within d^{3}.

[Awareness and Use of Digital Health Services in Germany: A Cross-sectional Study Representative of the Population]

OBJECTIVES

In light of the current efforts of health policy to implement eHealth, the question arises which sections of the population already use online self-help in order to tailor them to users' needs. The present study aims to determine the differences in the use of health information and psychological online counseling based on socio-demographic variables, health status and previous illnesses.

METHODS

The basis for the cross-sectional data analyses using logistic regression analysis was the innovation sample of the German socio-economic panel. Data were collected from September 2016 to February 2017, with 4802 participants aged between 17-95 years.

RESULTS

Fifty-five percent of the sample searched for health information on the Internet, while 1.1% had experience with online counseling. Logistic regression analyses showed that online search for information was significantly determined by age (Odds Ratio (OR)=0.96; 95-%-CI=0.96-0.97), gender (OR=1.20; 95-%-CI=1.05-1.36), awareness of Internet therapy (OR=2.57; 95-%-CI=2.20-3.00), experience with psychotherapy (OR=1.40; 95-%-CI=1.16-1.69) and the diagnosis of asthma (OR=1.14; 95-%-CI=1.01-1.29) or stroke (OR=0.66; 95-%-CI=0.52-0.84). Regarding the use of online counseling, awareness of Internet therapy and experience with face-to-face psychotherapy proved to be significant determinants.

CONCLUSION

For the first time, a reliable picture has become available of the determinants of the awareness of internet therapy and online self-help utilization among the German public that should enable target-group-specific strategies to improve the care situation.

Self-Similar Dynamics of Large Polymer Rings: A Neutron Spin Echo Study

This work clarifies the self-similar dynamics of large polymer rings using pulsed-field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance and neutron spin echo spectroscopy. We find center of mass diffusion taking place in three dynamic regimes starting (i) with a strongly subdiffusive domain ⟨r^{2}(t)⟩_{com}∼t^{α} (0.4≤α≤0.65); (ii) a second subdiffusive region ⟨r^{2}(t)⟩_{com}∼t^{0.75} that (iii) finally crosses over to Fickian diffusion. While the t^{0.75} range previously has been found in simulations and was predicted by theory, we attribute the first to the effect of cooperative dynamics resulting from the correlation hole potential. The internal dynamics at scales below the elementary loop size is well described by ring Rouse motion. At larger scales the dynamics is self-similar and follows very well the predictions of the scaling models with preference for the self-consistent fractal loopy globule model.

Femtosecond inscription of semi-aperiodic multi-notch fiber Bragg gratings using a phase mask

We present an innovative concept of a semi-aperiodic phase mask design that enables the realization of multi-notch fiber Bragg gratings (FBG). This design utilizes the overlap and interference of near-infrared ultrashort laser pulses diffracted by short sequenced phase mask sections, which not only allows for a highly stable and reproducible inscription of a large number of wavelength filters but also paves the way towards full aperiodic phase masks. The semi-aperiodic FBG inscribed by this phase mask enables versatile notch filters showing multiple non-equidistant resonances. Those filters target applications, for instance in ground-based telescopes, where a large number of hydroxyl emission lines emitted in the upper atmosphere at near-infrared wavelengths restrict the observation of faint extraterrestrial objects.

Long-term effects of pregnancy and childbirth on sleep satisfaction and duration of first-time and experienced mothers and fathers

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To examine the changes in mothers' and fathers' sleep satisfaction and sleep duration across prepregnancy, pregnancy, and the postpartum period of up to 6 years after birth; it also sought to determine potential protective and risk factors for sleep during that time.

METHODS

Participants in a large population-representative panel study from Germany reported sleep satisfaction and sleep duration in yearly interviews. During the observation period (2008-2015), 2541 women and 2118 men reported the birth of their first, second, or third child and provided longitudinal data for analysis. Fixed-effects regression models were used to analyze changes in sleep associated with childbirth.

RESULTS

Sleep satisfaction and duration sharply declined with childbirth and reached a nadir during the first 3 months postpartum, with women more strongly affected (sleep satisfaction reduction compared with prepregnancy: women, 1.81 points on a 0 to 10 scale, d = 0.79 vs. men, 0.37 points, d = 0.16; sleep duration reduction compared with prepregnancy: women, 62 min, d = 0.90 vs. men, 13 min, d = 0.19). In both women and men, sleep satisfaction and duration did not fully recover for up to 6 years after the birth of their first child. Breastfeeding was associated with a slight decrease in maternal sleep satisfaction (0.72 points, d = 0.32) and duration (14 min, d = 0.21). Parental age, household income, and dual vs. single parenting were unrelated, or only very weakly related, to improved sleep.

CONCLUSIONS

Following the sharp decline in sleep satisfaction and duration in the first months postpartum, neither mothers' nor fathers' sleep fully recovers to prepregnancy levels up to 6 years after the birth of their first child.

Intravenous thrombolysis for large vessel or distal occlusions presenting with mild stroke severity

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

We investigated the effectiveness of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) patients with large vessel or distal occlusions and mild neurological deficits, defined as National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores < 6 points.

METHODS

The primary efficacy outcome was 3-month functional independence (FI) [modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores 0-2] that was compared between patients with and without IVT treatment. Other efficacy outcomes of interest included 3-month favorable functional outcome (mRS scores 0-1) and mRS score distribution at discharge and at 3 months. The safety outcomes comprised all-cause 3-month mortality, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), asymptomatic ICH and severe systemic bleeding.

RESULTS

We evaluated 336 AIS patients with large vessel or distal occlusions and mild stroke severity (mean age 63 ± 15 years, 45% women). Patients treated with IVT (n = 162) had higher FI (85.6% vs. 74.8%, P = 0.027) with lower mRS scores at hospital discharge (P = 0.034) compared with the remaining patients. No differences were detected in any of the safety outcomes including symptomatic ICH, asymptomatic ICH, severe systemic bleeding and 3-month mortality. IVT was associated with higher likelihood of 3-month FI [odds ratio (OR), 2.19; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.09-4.42], 3-month favorable functional outcome (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.10-3.57), functional improvement at discharge [common OR (per 1-point decrease in mRS score), 2.94; 95% CI, 1.67-5.26)] and at 3 months (common OR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.06-2.86) on multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for potential confounders, including mechanical thrombectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Intravenous thrombolysis is independently associated with higher odds of improved discharge and 3-month functional outcomes in AIS patients with large vessel or distal occlusions and mild stroke severity. IVT appears not to increase the risk of systemic or symptomatic intracranial bleeding.

A practical method to account for random phase approximation effects on the dynamic scattering of multi-component polymer systems

Investigations of polymer systems that rely on the interpretation of dynamical scattering results as, e.g., the structure factor S(Q, t) of single chains or chain sections may require the inclusion of effects, as described within the framework of the random phase approximation (RPA) for polymers. To do this in practice for the dynamic part of S(Q, t) beyond the initial slope is a challenge. Here, we present a method (and software) that allows a straightforward assessment of dynamical RPA effects and inclusion of these in the process/procedures of model fitting. Examples of applications to the interpretation of neutron spin-echo data multi-component polymer melts are shown.

Word contexts enhance the neural representation of individual letters in early visual cortex

Visual context facilitates perception, but how this is neurally implemented remains unclear. One example of contextual facilitation is found in reading, where letters are more easily identified when embedded in a word. Bottom-up models explain this word advantage as a post-perceptual decision bias, while top-down models propose that word contexts enhance perception itself. Here, we arbitrate between these accounts by presenting words and nonwords and probing the representational fidelity of individual letters using functional magnetic resonance imaging. In line with top-down models, we find that word contexts enhance letter representations in early visual cortex. Moreover, we observe increased coupling between letter information in visual cortex and brain activity in key areas of the reading network, suggesting these areas may be the source of the enhancement. Our results provide evidence for top-down representational enhancement in word recognition, demonstrating that word contexts can modulate perceptual processing already at the earliest visual regions.

Visual Immunoprecipitate Assay (VIP) for Listeria monocytogenes and Related Listeria Species Detection in Selected Foods: Collaborative Study

Six foods representing a variety of food products were analyzed by the Assurance Listeria polyclonal enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and by either the Bacteriological Analytical Manual or the U.S. Department of Agriculture culture method for detecting Listeria monocytogenes and related Listeria species. Samples of each food type, at each inoculation level, were analyzed simultaneously by both methods. A total of 19 laboratories representing federal government agencies and private industry in the United States and Canada participated. Food types were inoculated with Listeria species including L. monocytogenes, with the exception of 3 lots of green beans, which were naturally contaminated. During this study, 1764 samples and controls were analyzed and confirmed, of which 492 were positive and 947 were negative by both methods. There were 159 samples that were positive by culture method but negative by the EIA and 188 that were negative by culture method but positive by EIA. Twenty-two samples were negative by EIA and by culture method but confirmed positive when Assurance selective enrichment broths were subcultured to selective agar. The Assurance polyclonal EIA for detecting L. monocytogenes and related Listeria species in foods has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Assurance Enzyme Immunoassay for Detection of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli 0157:H7 in Selected Foods: Collaborative Study

Five foods types were analyzed by the Assurance EHEC (Escherichia coli 0157:H7) enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and by the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) culture method. Each sample of each food type at each inoculation level was simultaneously analyzed by both methods. A total of 21 laboratories representing state and federal government agencies and private industry in the United States and Canada participated. Samples were inoculated with E. coli 0157:H7, except for one lot of poultry that was naturally contaminated. A total of 1304 samples and controls were analyzed and confirmed, of which 473 were positive and 818 were negative by both methods. Thirteen samples were positive by BAM but negative by EIA. Because of the study design, it was not possible for the BAM method to produce false-negative or falsepositive results. The Assurance method for detection of E. coli OI57:H7 in selected foods has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

High-Sensitivity Dry Rehydratable Film Method for Enumeration of Coliforms in Dairy Products: Collaborative Study

A dry-film coliform count plate that is inoculated with 5 mL sample was compared with the Violet Red Bile Agar plate method in a collaborative study by 18 laboratories. Products analyzed were 2% milk, chocolate milk, cream, vanilla ice cream, cottage cheese, and cheese. Collaborators tested blind duplicate uninoculated samples and samples inoculated at low, medium, and high level. Significantly (P&lt; 0.05) higher numbers of coliforms were recovered by the dry-film method from 2% milk samples at the 3 inoculum levels, the chocolate milk at the low- and high-inoculum levels, and the cream at the high-inoculum level. Significantly higher counts were obtained by the agar method for cottage cheese samples at the low-inoculum level. The repeatability standard deviation for the dry-film method was significantly higher for the high-inoculum level chocolate milk sample and the medium-inoculum level cottage cheese. The same statistic was significantly higher for the agar method at all 3 inoculum levels in the 2% milk and the medium-inoculum level cream. The high-sensitivity dry rehydratable film method for enumeration of coliforms in dairy products has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Visual Immunoprecipitate Assay (VIP) for Detection of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) 0157:H7 in Selected Foods: Collaborative Study

Five foods representative of a variety of food products were analyzed by the Visual Immunoprecipitate Assay (VIP) and the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) culture method for the presence of Escherichia coli 0157: H7. A total of 21 laboratories representing state and federal government agencies, as well as private industry, in the United States and Canada participated. Food types were inoculated with strains of E. coli 0157:H7, with the exception of one lot of poultry, which was naturally contaminated. During this study, a total of 1377 samples and controls were analyzed and confirmed, of which 508 were positive and 867 were negative by both methods. Two samples were positive by BAM and negative by VIP. Because of the study design, it was not possible for the BAM method to produce false-negative or false-positive results. The VIP assay for detection of EHEC in selected foods has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Assurance Polyclonal Enzyme Immunoassay for Detection of Listeria monocytogenes and Related Listeria Species in Selected Foods: Collaborative Study

Six foods representing a variety of food products were analyzed by the Assurance Listeria polyclonal enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and by either the Bacteriological Analytical Manual or the U.S. Department of Agriculture culture method for detecting Listeria monocytogenes and related Listeria species. Samples of each food type, at each inoculation level, were analyzed simultaneously by both methods. A total of 19 laboratories representing federal government agencies and private industry in the United States and Canada participated. Food types were inoculated with Listeria species including L. monocytogenes, with the exception of 3 lots of green beans, which were naturally contaminated. During this study, 1764 samples and controls were analyzed and confirmed, of which 492 were positive and 947 were negative by both methods. There were 159 samples that were positive by culture method but negative by the EIA and 188 that were negative by culture method but positive by EIA. Twenty-two samples were negative by EIA and by culture method but confirmed positive when Assurance selective enrichment broths were subcultured to selective agar. The Assurance polyclonal EIA for detecting L. monocytogenes and related Listeria species in foods has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.

Elective, Non-urgent Procedures and Aesthetic Surgery in the Wake of SARS-COVID-19: Considerations Regarding Safety, Feasibility and Impact on Clinical Management

BACKGROUND

The worldwide spread of a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led to a near total stop of non-urgent, elective surgeries across all specialties in most affected countries. In the field of aesthetic surgery, the self-imposed moratorium for all aesthetic surgery procedures recommended by most international scientific societies has been adopted by many surgeons worldwide and resulted in a huge socioeconomic impact for most private practices and clinics. An important question still unanswered in most countries is when and how should elective/aesthetic procedures be scheduled again and what kind of organizational changes are necessary to protect patients and healthcare workers when clinics and practices reopen. Defining manageable, evidence-based protocols for testing, surgical/procedural risk mitigation and clinical flow management/contamination management will be paramount for the safety of non-urgent surgical procedures.

METHODS

We conducted a MEDLINE/PubMed research for all available publications on COVID-19 and surgery and COVID-19 and anesthesia. Articles and referenced literature describing possible procedural impact factors leading to exacerbation of the clinical evolution of COVID-19-positive patients were identified to perform risk stratification for elective surgery. Based on these impact factors, considerations for patient selection, choice of procedural complexity, duration of procedure, type of anesthesia, etc., are discussed in this article and translated into algorithms for surgical/anesthesia risk management and clinical management. Current recommendations and published protocols on contamination control, avoidance of cross-contamination and procedural patient flow are reviewed. A COVID-19 testing guideline protocol for patients planning to undergo elective aesthetic surgery is presented and recommendations are made regarding adaptation of current patient information/informed consent forms and patient health questionnaires.

CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 crisis has led to unprecedented challenges in the acute management of the crisis, and the wave only recently seems to flatten out in some countries. The adaptation of surgical and procedural steps for a risk-minimizing management of potential COVID-19-positive patients seeking to undergo elective aesthetic procedures in the wake of that wave will present the next big challenge for the aesthetic surgery community. We propose a clinical algorithm to enhance patient safety in elective surgery in the context of COVID-19 and to minimize cross-contamination between healthcare workers and patients. New evidence-based guidelines regarding surgical risk stratification, testing, and clinical flow management/contamination management are proposed. We believe that only the continuous development and broad implementation of guidelines like the ones proposed in this paper will allow an early reintegration of all aesthetic procedures into the scope of surgical care currently performed and to prepare the elective surgical specialties better for a possible second wave of the pandemic.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Method Extension Study to Validate Applicability of AOAC Official Method 996.14 Assurance® Polyclonal Enzyme Immunoassay for Detection of Listeria monocytogenes and Related Listeria spp. from Environmental Surfaces: Collaborative Study

Test portions from 3 environmental surface types, representative of typical surfaces found in a food production facility, were analyzed by the Assurance®Listeria Polyclonal Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) culture method for Listeria monocytogenes and related Listeria species. In all cases, naturally contaminated environmental test samples were collected from an actual food production facility by sponge or swab. Test samples from concrete surfaces were collected by both swab and sponge; sponge test samples were collected from rubber surfaces, and swabs were used to sample steel surfaces. Test portions from each surface type were simultaneously analyzed by both methods. A total of 23 collaborators, representing government agencies, as well as private industry in both the United States and Canada, participated in the study. During this study, a total of 550 test portions and controls was analyzed and confirmed, of which 207 were positive and 336 were negative by both methods. Six test portions were positive by culture, but negative by the EIA. Three test portions were negative by culture, but positive by the EIA. Two test portions were negative by EIA and by culture, but confirmed positive when EIA enrichment broths were subcultured to selective agars. The data reported here indicate that the Assurance®Listeria EIA method and the USDA/FSIS culture method are statistically equivalent for detection of L. monocytogenes and related Listeria species from environmental surfaces taken by sponges or swabs.

Method Extension Study to Validate Applicability of AOAC Official Method 997.03 Visual Immunoprecipitate Assay (VIP®) for Listeria monocytogenes and Related Listeria spp. from Environmental Surfaces: Collaborative Study

Test portions from 3 environmental surface types, representative of typical surfaces found in a food production facility, were analyzed by the Visual Immunoprecipitate assay (VIP®) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA/FSIS) culture method for Listeria monocytogenes and related Listeria species. In all cases, naturally contaminated environmental test samples were collected from an actual food production facility by sponge or swab. Test samples from concrete surfaces were collected by both swab and sponge; sponge test samples were collected from rubber surfaces, and swabs were used to sample steel surfaces. Test portions from each surface type were simultaneously analyzed by both methods. A total of 27 laboratories, representing government agencies as well as private industry in both the United States and Canada, participated in the study. During this study, a total of 615 test portions and controls was analyzed and confirmed, of which 227 were positive and 378 were negative by both methods. Nine test portions were positive by culture, but negative by the VIP. Five test portions were negative by culture, but positive by the VIP. Four test portions were negative by VIP and by culture, but confirmed positive when VIP enrichment broths were subcultured to selective agars. The data reported here indicate that the VIP method and the USDA/FSIS culture method are statistically equivalent for detection of L. monocytogenes and related Listeria species from environmental surfaces taken by sponges or swabs.

Equivalence of Assurance® Gold Enzyme Immunoassay for Visual or Instrumental Detection of Motile and Nonmotile Salmonella in All Foods to AOAC Culture Method: Collaborative Study

Six foods representative of a wide variety of processed, dried powder processed, and raw food types were analyzed by the Assurance® Gold Salmonella Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) and AOAC INTERNATIONAL culture method. Paired samples of each food type were simultaneously analyzed; one sample by the Assurance method and one by the AOAC culture method. The results for Assurance method were read visually and instrumentally with a microplate reader. A total of 24 laboratories representing federal government agencies and private industry, in the United States and Canada, participated in this collaborative study. Food types were inoculated with species of Salmonella with the exception of raw ground chicken, which was naturally contaminated. No statistical differences (p &lt; 0.05) were observed between Assurance Gold Salmonella EIA with either visual or instrumental interpretation and the AOAC culture method for any inoculation level of any food type or naturally contaminated food. The Assurance visual and instrumental options of reading sample reactions produced the same results for 1277 of the 1296 sample and controls analyzed.

Is the global prevalence rate of adult mental illness increasing? Systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

The question whether mental illness prevalence rates are increasing is a controversially debated topic. Epidemiological articles and review publications that look into this research issue are often compromised by methodological problems. The present study aimed at using a meta-analysis technique that is usually applied for the analysis of intervention studies to achieve more transparency and statistical precision.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Google Scholar and reference lists for repeated cross-sectional population studies on prevalence rates of adult mental illness based on ICD- or DSM-based diagnoses, symptom scales and distress scales that used the same methodological approach at least twice in the same geographical region. The study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018090959).

RESULTS

We included 44 samples from 42 publications, representing 1 035 697 primary observations for the first time point and 783 897 primary observations for the second and last time point. Studies were conducted between 1978 and 2015. Controlling for a hierarchical data structure, we found an overall global prevalence increase in odds ratio of 1.179 (95%-CI: 1.065-1.305). A multivariate meta-regression suggested relevant associations with methodological characteristics of included studies.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the prevalence increase in adult mental illness is small, and we assume that this increase is mainly related to demographic changes.