A New Class of Non-Linear Stability Preserving Operators

We extend Br\"and\'en's recent proof of a conjecture of Stanley and describe a new class of non-linear operators that preserve weak Hurwitz stability and the Laguerre-P\'olya class.Comment: Fixed typos, spelling, and updated links in reference

How should implementation of the human right to health be assessed? A scoping review of the public health literature from 2000 to 2021.

The human right to health is a critical legal tool to achieve health justice, and universal health coverage is included among the Sustainable Development Goals. However, the content and meaning of the right to health may not be used adequately in public health research. We conducted a scoping review of the literature to discover the extent to which the legal principles underlying the right to health are used in public health. We mapped the various attempts to assess implementation of this right since its legal content was clarified in 2000.The first studies emerged in 2006, with an increase and a wider variety of investigations since 2015. We observe that some key principles do form the basis of right-to-health assessments, but some concepts remain unfamiliar. Critically, public health academics may have limited access to human rights research on health, which creates a gap in knowledge between the two disciplines

Anxiety, emotional processing and depression in people with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Despite the high comorbidity of anxiety and depression in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), little is known about their inter-relationships. Both involve emotional perturbations and the way in which emotions are processed is likely central to both. The aim of the current study was to explore relationships between the domains of mood, emotional processing and coping and to analyse how anxiety affects coping, emotional processing, emotional balance and depression in people with MS. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire study involving 189 people with MS with a confirmed diagnosis of MS recruited from three French hospitals. Study participants completed a battery of questionnaires encompassing the following domains: i. anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)); ii. emotional processing (Emotional Processing Scale (EPS-25)); iii. positive and negative emotions (Positive and Negative Emotionality Scale (EPN-31)); iv. alexithymia (Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire) and v. coping (Coping with Health Injuries and Problems-Neuro (CHIP-Neuro) questionnaire. Relationships between these domains were explored using path analysis. RESULTS: Anxiety was a strong predictor of depression, in both a direct and indirect way, and our model explained 48% of the variance of depression. Gender and functional status (measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale) played a modest role. Non-depressed people with MS reported high levels of negative emotions and low levels of positive emotions. Anxiety also had an indirect impact on depression via one of the subscales of the Emotional Processing Scale ("Unregulated Emotion") and via negative emotions (EPN-31). CONCLUSIONS: This research confirms that anxiety is a vulnerability factor for depression via both direct and indirect pathways. Anxiety symptoms should therefore be assessed systematically and treated in order to lessen the likelihood of depression symptoms

From ID-TIMS U-Pb dating of single monazite grain to APT-nanogeochronology: application to the UHT granulites of Andriamena (North-Central Madagascar)

The causes of U-Pb isotopic discordance documented by Paquette et al. (2004) in monazite grains from the ultra-high temperature (UHT) granulite of the Andriamena unit of Madagascar are re-evaluated in the light of nanoscale crystal-chemical characterization utilising Atom Probe Tomography (APT) and state-of-the-art Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM). APT provides isotopic (208Pb/232Th) dating and information on the chemical segregation of trace elements (e.g., Pb) in monazite at nanoscale. Latest generation of STEM allows complementary high-resolution chemical and structural characterization at nanoscale. In situ isotopic U–Pb dating with Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) on 25 monazite grains and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) on zircon have been employed to refine the age spectra. Monazite and zircon grains located in quartz and garnet formed with the peak UHT metamorphic assemblage, which is partially overprinted by retrograde coronitic textures. Zircon grains hosted in garnet and in quartz yield concordant U–Pb ages at 2758 ± 28 Ma and 2609 ± 51 Ma, respectively whereas monazite grains hosted in quartz and garnet show a discordant Pb* loss trend on the Concordia diagram recording disturbance at 1053 ± 246 Ma that is not seen by the zircon, underlining the importance of combining the use of monazite and zircon to understand the history of polymetamorphic rocks. The Pb*-loss trend of monazite is related to petrographic position, with less Pb* lost from monazite hosted in quartz and garnet than monazite hosted in the coronitic reaction texture domains. STEM shows that the garnet- and quartz-hosted monazite grains contain more Pb-bearing nanophases than monazite grains located in the coronitic textures. An inverse correlation between the number of Pb-bearing nanophases and the percentage of Pb*-loss in monazite grains demonstrates that Pb* is retained in the grain in the form of nanophases. The formation of Pb-bearing nanophases limits Pb*-loss at the grain scale and therefore allows the preservation of early events. 208Pb/232Th ratios obtained with APT in monazite located in quartz and garnet and excluding Pb*-bearing nanophases indicate a mean age of 1059 ± 129 Ma corresponding to a disturbance event hitherto undetected in the geochronological record of the Andriamena unit. Thus, geochronology with APT allows access to information and the definition of events that may be blurred or obscured when examined at lower spatial resolution

Whole systems approaches to obesity and other complex public health challenges: a systematic review

Background: Increasing awareness of the complexity of public health problems, including obesity, has led to growing interest in whole systems approaches (WSAs), defined as those that consider the multifactorial drivers of overweight and obesity, involve transformative co-ordinated action across a broad range of disciplines and stakeholders, operate across all levels of governance and throughout the life course. This paper reports a systematic review of WSAs targeting obesity and other complex public health and societal issues, such as healthy lifestyles for prevention of non-communicable disease. Methods: Seven electronic databases were searched from 1995 to 2018. Studies were included if there had been an effort to implement a WSA. Study selection was conducted by one reviewer with a random 20% double checked. Data extraction and validity assessment were undertaken by one reviewer and checked by a second reviewer. Narrative synthesis was undertaken. Results: 65 articles were included; 33 about obesity. Most examined multicomponent community approaches, and there was substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity. Nevertheless, a range of positive health outcomes were reported, with some evidence of whole systems thinking. Positive effects were seen on health behaviours, body mass index (BMI), parental and community awareness, community capacity building, nutrition and physical activity environments, underage drinking behaviour and health, safety and wellbeing of community members, self-efficacy, smoking and tobacco-related disease outcomes. Features of successful approaches reported in process evaluations included: full engagement of relevant partners and community; time to build relationships, trust and capacity; good governance; embedding within a broader policy context; local evaluation; finance. Conclusions: Systems approaches to tackle obesity can have some benefit, but evidence of how to operationalise a WSA to address public health problems is still in its infancy. Future research should: (a) develop an agreed definition of a WSA in relation to obesity, (b) look across multiple sectors to ensure consistency of language and definition, (c) include detailed descriptions of the approaches, and (d) include process and economic evaluations

Formative Research on Perceptions of Biobanking: What Community Members Think

Preparing healthy community members with timely communications prior to engaging them in a request to donate biospecimens promises to improve the experience of biobanking participation. To this end, a qualitative study was conducted to assess community member knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and informational needs about cancer-related biospecimen collection in a large metropolitan area in southwest Florida. The study utilized purposive sampling techniques to recruit a total of 95 participants to participate in 12 focus groups, segmented by race/ethnicity and language preference (mixed race, African American only, and Spanish speaking) and age (18–29, 30–54, and 55 and older). Focus group interviews were analyzed using content analysis to identify emergent themes. Overall, participants in the 30 years and older groups were favorable toward participating in biobanking if their concerns were addressed, such as confidentiality and consent issues, in contrast to participants aged 18–29 who were more skeptical. For all participants, the desire to participate in research that seeks new cancer treatments outweighed mistrust. Moreover, many cited the potential scientific benefit for future generations as a primary motivator. Finally, in some groups a therapeutic misconception was expressed, where participants expressed a willingness to forego confidentiality of their health status in exchange for therapeutic benefit. This study contributes to the literature on community perceptions of the benefits and barriers of biobanking and adds to the development of meaningful education communication priming tools to advance understandings about biobanking