195 research outputs found
The prevalence of loneliness across 113 countries: systematic review and meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVES: To identify data availability, gaps, and patterns for population level prevalence of loneliness globally, to summarise prevalence estimates within World Health Organization regions when feasible through meta-analysis, and to examine temporal trends of loneliness in countries where data exist. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, and Scopus for peer reviewed literature, and Google Scholar and Open Grey for grey literature, supplemented by backward reference searching (to 1 September 2021) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Observational studies based on nationally representative samples (n≥292), validated instruments, and prevalence data for 2000-19. Two researchers independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Random effects meta-analysis was conducted in the subset of studies with relatively homogeneous research methods by measurement instrument, age group, and WHO region. RESULTS: Prevalence data were available for 113 countries or territories, according to official WHO nomenclature for regions, from 57 studies. Data were available for adolescents (12-17 years) in 77 countries or territories, young adults (18-29 years) in 30 countries, middle aged adults (30-59 years) in 32 countries, and older adults (≥60 years) in 40 countries. Data for all age groups except adolescents were lacking outside of Europe. Overall, 212 estimates for 106 countries from 24 studies were included in meta-analyses. The pooled prevalence of loneliness for adolescents ranged from 9.2% (95% confidence interval 6.8% to 12.4%) in South-East Asia to 14.4% (12.2% to 17.1%) in the Eastern Mediterranean region. For adults, meta-analysis was conducted for the European region only, and a consistent geographical pattern was shown for all adult age groups. The lowest prevalence of loneliness was consistently observed in northern European countries (2.9%, 1.8% to 4.5% for young adults; 2.7%, 2.4% to 3.0% for middle aged adults; and 5.2%, 4.2% to 6.5% for older adults) and the highest in eastern European countries (7.5%, 5.9% to 9.4% for young adults; 9.6%, 7.7% to 12.0% for middle aged adults; and 21.3%, 18.7% to 24.2% for older adults). CONCLUSION: Problematic levels of loneliness are experienced by a substantial proportion of the population in many countries. The substantial difference in data coverage between high income countries (particularly Europe) and low and middle income countries raised an important equity issue. Evidence on the temporal trends of loneliness is insufficient. The findings of this meta-analysis are limited by data scarcity and methodological heterogeneity. Loneliness should be incorporated into general health surveillance with broader geographical and age coverage, using standardised and validated measurement tools. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42019131448
Extended bound states and resonances of two fermions on a periodic lattice
The high- cuprates are possible candidates for d-wave superconductivity,
with the Cooper pair wave function belonging to a non-trivial irreducible
representation of the lattice point group. We argue that this d-wave symmetry
is related to a special form of the fermionic kinetic energy and does not
require any novel pairing mechanism. In this context, we present a detailed
study of the bound states and resonances formed by two lattice fermions
interacting via a non-retarded potential that is attractive for nearest
neighbors but repulsive for other relative positions. In the case of strong
binding, a pair formed by fermions on adjacent lattice sites can have a small
effective mass, thereby implying a high condensation temperature. For a weakly
bound state, a pair with non-trivial symmetry tends to be smaller in size than
an s-wave pair. These and other findings are discussed in connection with the
properties of high- cuprate superconductors.Comment: 21 pages, RevTeX, 4 Postscript figures, arithmetic errors corrected.
An abbreviated version (no appendix) appeared in PRB on March 1, 199
Individual differences in local gray matter density are associated with differences in affective and cognitive empathy
The understanding of empathy from a neuroscientific perspective has recently developed quickly, with numerous functional MRI studies associating different brain regions with different components of empathy. A recent meta-analysis across 40 fMRI studies revealed that affective empathy is most often associated with increased activity in the insula, whereas cognitive empathy is most often associated with activity in the midcingulate cortex and adjacent dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (MCC/dmPFC). To date, however, it remains unclear whether individual differences in brain morphometry in these regions underlie different dispositions in affective and cognitive empathy. In order to test this hypothesis, voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to examine the extent to which gray matter density predicts scores from an established empathy measure (Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy; QCAE). One hundred and seventy-six participants completed the QCAE and underwent MRI in order to acquire a high-resolution, three-dimensional T1-weighted structural scans. A factor analysis of the questionnaire scores revealed two distinct factors of empathy, affective and cognitive, which confirmed the validity of the QCAE. VBM results revealed gray matter density differences associated with the distinct components of empathy. Higher scores on affective empathy were associated with greater gray matter density in the insula cortex and higher scores of cognitive empathy were associated with greater gray matter density in the MCC/dmPFC. Taken together, these results provide validation for empathy being a multi-component construct, suggesting that affective and cognitive empathy are differentially represented in brain morphometry as well as providing convergent evidence for empathy being represented by different neural and structural correlates
Entanglement transfer from dissociated molecules to photons
We introduce and study the concept of a reversible transfer of the quantum
state of two internally-translationally entangled fragments, formed by
molecular dissociation, to a photon pair. The transfer is based on intracavity
stimulated Raman adiabatic passage and it requires a combination of processes
whose principles are well established.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Exclusion statistics for fractional quantum Hall states on a sphere
We discuss exclusion statistics parameters for quasiholes and quasielectrons
excited above the fractional quantum Hall states near . We
derive the diagonal statistics parameters from the (``unprojected'') composite
fermion (CF) picture. We propose values for the off-diagonal (mutual)
statistics parameters as a simple modification of those obtained from the
unprojected CF picture, by analyzing finite system numerical spectra in the
spherical geometry.Comment: 9 pages, Revtex, 4 Postscript figures. Universality of the statistics
parameters is stressed, 2 figs adde
Recent advances in pulsed-laser deposition of complex-oxides
Pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) is one of the most promising techniques for the
formation of complex-oxide heterostructures, superlattices, and well-controlled
interfaces. The first part of this paper presents a review of several useful
modifications of the process, including methods inspired by combinatorial
approaches. We then discuss detailed growth kinetics results, which illustrate
that 'true' layer-by-layer (LBL) growth can only be approached, but not fully
met, even though many characterization techniques reveal interfaces with
unexpected sharpness. Time-resolved surface x-ray diffraction measurements show
that crystallization and the majority of interlayer mass transport occur on
time scales that are comparable to those of the plume/substrate interaction,
providing direct experimental evidence that a growth regime exists in which
non-thermal processes dominate PLD. This understanding shows how kinetic growth
manipulation can bring PLD closer to ideal LBL than any other growth method
available today.Comment: 37 pages, 9 figures. Revie
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