Interactive effects of orthography and semantics in Chinese picture naming

Posters - Language Production/Writing: abstract no. 4035Picture-naming performance in English and Dutch is enhanced by presentation of a word that is similar in form to the picture name. However, it is unclear whether facilitation has an orthographic or a phonological locus. We investigated the loci of the facilitation effect in Cantonese Chinese speakers by manipulating—at three SOAs (2100, 0, and 1100 msec)—semantic, orthographic, and phonological similarity. We identified an effect of orthographic facilitation that was independent of and larger than phonological facilitation across all SOAs. Semantic interference was also found at SOAs of 2100 and 0 msec. Critically, an interaction of semantics and orthography was observed at an SOA of 1100 msec. This interaction suggests that independent effects of orthographic facilitation on picture naming are located either at the level of semantic processing or at the lemma level and are not due to the activation of picture name segments at the level of phonological retrieval.postprin

Intraoperative PTH Monitoring in Normohormonal Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Background: A subset of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism present with inappropriately normal PTH levels despite elevated serum calcium, called normohormonal primary hyperparathyroidism (NHPHP). This disease variant presents a clinical dilemma regarding intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) monitoring during parathyroidectomy when using the standard criteria of a ≥ 50% reduction in IOPTH from baseline to determine surgical success. This study aimed to determine what percent reduction in post-excision IOPTH from baseline in NHPHP patients would yield a high cure rate similar to that of classic primary hyperparathyroidism. Methods: This was a single surgeon, single institution retrospective cohort study of patients that underwent parathyroidectomy between July 2013 and February 2020. Demographic, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative metrics were collected. Patients with NHPHP were compared to those with classic primary hyperparathyroidism. Results: 496 patients were included in the study. 66 (13.3%) were of the normohormonal variant based on preoperative intact PTH levels and 28 (5.6%) based on baseline IOPTH levels. The cure rates in the normohormonal groups were not significantly different from their classic counterparts: 98.4% and 100.0% vs 97.1% and 97.1%, p = 1.000. The median percent decline in post-excision IOPTH from baseline that achieved cure in the normohormonal groups were 82.8% and 80.4% compared to their respective controls of 87.3% and 87.1%, p = 0.017 and p=0.001. Conclusion: A ≥ 75% decline in 15-minute post-excision IOPTH level from baseline can be used as a more stringent criterion for achieving high rates of cure in patients with NHPHP that undergo parathyroidectomy

Vaccine-associated enhanced disease : case definition and guidelines for data collection, analysis, and presentation of immunization safety data

This is a Brighton Collaboration Case Definition of the term & ldquo;Vaccine Associated Enhanced Disease & rdquo; to be utilized in the evaluation of adverse events following immunization. The Case Definition was developed by a group of experts convened by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in the context of active development of vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and other emerging pathogens. The case definition format of the Brighton Collaboration was followed to develop a consensus definition and defined levels of certainty, after an exhaustive review of the literature and expert consultation. The document underwent peer review by the Brighton Collaboration Network and by selected Expert Reviewers prior to submission. (c) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Prevalence and factors associated with anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic among Malaysians: a cross-sectional study

The COVID-19 pandemic is a significant public health threat with wide-reaching psychological implications. The drastic changes in lifestyle due to the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) were associated with adverse effects on mental health. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of anxiety among Malaysians during the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated factors. The following questionnaires were self-administered online through google form which included: (i) Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7; (ii) Short Boredom Proneness Scale; (iii) Short Scale for Measuring Loneliness in Large Surveys; and (iv) The World Health Organisation (WHO) well-being index. Higher scores denoted higher levels of anxiety, boredom, loneliness, and well-being. Out of the 543 participants, more than half (55.2%) reported mild (25.6%), moderate (13.8%) to severe (19.8%) anxiety. Multiple logistic regression showed higher odds of moderate to severe anxiety were reported among those divorced/separated/widowed (aOR 6.778, 95% CI [1.200, 38.296]), adults aged 25 to 34 years (aOR 2.038, 95% CI [1.049, 3.958]), 35 to 44 years (aOR 2.279, 95% CI [1.064, 4.882]), and with higher boredom levels (aOR 1.063, 95% CI [1.035, 1.092]). One in five Malaysians surveyed experienced severe anxiety. Adults within the working age range (between 25 and 44 years old) were at higher odds of having anxiety. Boredom increased the odds of anxiety compared to loneliness, well-being and coping. Thus, addressing the risk factors through public health messages is deemed important

Socioeconomic position across the lifecourse & allostatic load: data from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 cohort study

Background: We examined how socioeconomic position (SEP) across the lifecourse (three critical periods, social mobility and accumulated over time) is associated with allostatic load (a measure of cumulative physiological burden). Methods. Data are from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study, with respondents aged 35 (n = 740), 55 (n = 817) and 75 (n = 483). SEP measures representing childhood, the transition to adulthood and adulthood SEP were used. Allostatic load was produced by summing nine binary biomarker scores (1 = in the highest-risk quartile). Linear regressions were used for each of the lifecourse models; with model fits compared using partial F-tests. Results: For those aged 35 and 55, higher SEP was associated with lower allostatic load (no association in the 75-year-olds). The accumulation model (more time spent with higher SEP) had the best model fit in those aged 35 (b = -0.50, 95%CI = -0.68, -0.32, P = 0.002) and 55 (b = -0.31, 95%CI = -0.49, -0.12, P < 0.001). However, the relative contributions of each life-stage differed, with adulthood SEP less strongly associated with allostatic load. Conclusions: Long-term, accumulated higher SEP has been shown to be associated with lower allostatic load (less physiological burden). However, the transition to adulthood may represent a particularly sensitive period for SEP to impact on allostatic load. © 2014 Robertson et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Influence of Landscape Structure and Human Modifications on Insect Biomass and Bat Foraging Activity in an Urban Landscape

Urban landscapes are often located in biologically diverse, productive regions. As such, urbanization may have dramatic consequences for this diversity, largely due to changes in the structure and function of urban communities. We examined the influence of landscape productivity (indexed by geology), housing density and vegetation clearing on the spatial distribution of nocturnal insect biomass and the foraging activity of insectivorous bats in the urban landscape of Sydney, Australia. Nocturnal insect biomass (g) and bat foraging activity were sampled from 113 sites representing backyard, open space, bushland and riparian landscape elements, across urban, suburban and vegetated landscapes within 60 km of Sydney's Central Business District. We found that insect biomass was at least an order of magnitude greater within suburban landscapes in bushland and backyard elements located on the most fertile shale influenced geologies (both p<0.001) compared to nutrient poor sandstone landscapes. Similarly, the feeding activity of bats was greatest in bushland, and riparian elements within suburbs on fertile geologies (p = 0.039). Regression tree analysis indicated that the same three variables explained the major proportion of the variation in insect biomass and bat foraging activity. These were ambient temperature (positive), housing density (negative) and the percent of fertile shale geologies (positive) in the landscape; however variation in insect biomass did not directly explain bat foraging activity. We suggest that prey may be unavailable to bats in highly urbanized areas if these areas are avoided by many species, suggesting that reduced feeding activity may reflect under-use of urban habitats by bats. Restoration activities to improve ecological function and maintain the activity of a diversity of bat species should focus on maintaining and restoring bushland and riparian habitat, particularly in areas with fertile geology as these were key bat foraging habitats

Which interventions offer best value for money in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease?

BackgroundDespite many decades of declining mortality rates in the Western world, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. In this research we evaluate the optimal mix of lifestyle, pharmaceutical and population-wide interventions for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.Methods and FindingsIn a discrete time Markov model we simulate the ischaemic heart disease and stroke outcomes and cost impacts of intervention over the lifetime of all Australian men and women, aged 35 to 84 years, who have never experienced a heart disease or stroke event. Best value for money is achieved by mandating moderate limits on salt in the manufacture of bread, margarine and cereal. A combination of diuretic, calcium channel blocker, ACE inhibitor and low-cost statin, for everyone with at least 5% five-year risk of cardiovascular disease, is also cost-effective, but lifestyle interventions aiming to change risky dietary and exercise behaviours are extremely poor value for money and have little population health benefit.ConclusionsThere is huge potential for improving efficiency in cardiovascular disease prevention in Australia. A tougher approach from Government to mandating limits on salt in processed foods and reducing excessive statin prices, and a shift away from lifestyle counselling to more efficient absolute risk-based prescription of preventive drugs, could cut health care costs while improving population health.<br /

Body mass index and height and risk of cutaneous melanoma: Mendelian randomization analyses

Background Height and body mass index (BMI) have both been positively associated with melanoma risk, although findings for BMI have been less consistent than height. It remains unclear, however, whether these associations reflect causality or are due to residual confounding by environmental and lifestyle risk factors. We re-evaluated these associations using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Methods We identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for BMI and height from separate genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analyses. We obtained melanoma SNPs from the most recent melanoma GWAS meta-analysis comprising 12 874 cases and 23 203 controls. We used the inverse variance-weighted estimator to derive separate causal risk estimates across all SNP instruments for BMI and height. Results Based on the combined estimate derived from 730 SNPs for BMI, we found no evidence of an association between genetically predicted BMI and melanoma [odds ratio (OR) per one standard deviation (1 SD) (4.6 kg/m2) increase in BMI 1.00, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.91–1.11]. In contrast, we observed a positive association between genetically-predicted height (derived from a pooled estimate of 3290 SNPs) and melanoma risk [OR 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02–1.13, per 1 SD (9.27 cm) increase in height]. Sensitivity analyses using two alternative MR methods yielded similar results. Conclusions These findings provide no evidence for a causal association between higher BMI and melanoma, but support the notion that height is causally associated with melanoma risk. Mechanisms through which height influences melanoma risk remain unclear, and it remains possible that the effect could be mediated through diverse pathways including growth factors and even socioeconomic status