Trajectories of depressive symptoms after hip fracture

BACKGROUND: Hip fracture is often complicated by depressive symptoms in older adults. We sought to characterize trajectories of depressive symptoms arising after hip fracture and examine their relationship with functional outcomes and walking ability. We also investigated clinical and psychosocial predictors of these trajectories. METHOD: We enrolled 482 inpatients, aged ≥60 years, who were admitted for hip fracture repair at eight St Louis, MO area hospitals between 2008 and 2012. Participants with current depression diagnosis and/or notable cognitive impairment were excluded. Depressive symptoms and functional recovery were assessed with the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale and Functional Recovery Score, respectively, for 52 weeks after fracture. Health, cognitive, and psychosocial variables were gathered at baseline. We modeled depressive symptoms using group-based trajectory analysis and subsequently identified correlates of trajectory group membership. RESULTS: Three trajectories emerged according to the course of depressive symptoms, which we termed ‘resilient’, ‘distressed’, and ‘depressed’. The depressed trajectory (10% of participants) experienced a persistently high level of depressive symptoms and a slower time to recover mobility than the other trajectory groups. Stressful life events prior to the fracture, current smoking, higher anxiety, less social support, antidepressant use, past depression, and type of implant predicted membership of the depressed trajectory. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms arising after hip fracture are associated with poorer functional status. Clinical and psychosocial variables predicted membership of the depression trajectory. Early identification and intervention of patients in a depressive trajectory may improve functional outcomes after hip fracture

Structural studies of Perfluoroaryldiselenadiazolyl Radicals: Insights into Dithiadiazolyl Chemistry

Synopsis Diselenadiazolyls exhibit a stronger tendency to dimerize in the solid state than their corresponding dithiadiazolyl (DTDA) radicals, reflected in a range of dimerization modes for (p-XC6F4CNSeSeN)2, which contrast with those of the monomeric DTDA radicals, p-XC6F4CNSSN. The structure of (p-NCC6F4CNSeSeN)2 reflects a buildup of molecular strain in order to accommodate both dimerization and structure-directing CN···Se contacts, whereas the suppression of dimerization releases molecular strain yet retains structure-directing CN···S contacts for the corresponding DTDA radical

Climate change anxiety among parents of school-aged children in the UK: Experience as a common predictor of cognitive-emotional and functional impairments

Climate change anxiety (CCA) is distress about climate change and its impacts on the environment and human health. CCA is manifested as cognitive-emotional impairment and functional impairment. CCA has been increasingly recognised in the mental health field, however, how to reduce CCA remains uninformed. Parents of school-aged children are vulnerable to CCA, due to parenting stress and worries for the future. We aimed to identify predictors of the CCA impairment, from experience of climate change, behavioural engagement, and number of children among parents of school-aged children. A convenience sample of 126 parents (82 mothers and 44 fathers) responded to an online survey. Multiple regression analyses were used. After controlling for age and gender, (a) experience of climate change (b=0.16, p< 0.01, 95%CI 0.06-0.27) and behavioural engagement (b=0.31, p<0.05, 95%CI 0.08-0.55) predicted cognitive-emotional impairment, and (b) experience of climate change predicted functional impairment (b=0.20, p<0.01, 95%CI 0.08-0.31). Experience of climate change was a common predictor. Cognitive re-appraisal and compassion practice may help alter the experiential aspect of climate change to mitigate CCA. Future research needs to evaluate the mechanism of climate change experience in order to effectively reduce CCA

Understanding how children are coping with climate change anxiety by exploring coping strategies and supportive interventions.

Climate change presents a significant threat to both the planet and human prosperity which impacts our physical health and mental well-being. There is an imminent requirement for significant global action. This means (a) our children have been born into unprecedented times and (b) as future adults, they will find themselves facing the major consequences of climate change. These can negatively affect their mental health and well-being. This paper reports the effect of climate anxiety on this population group through an exploration of coping strategies and supportive interventions. Empowering children to engage in climate action has been identified as a coping strategy. Whilst equipping them with knowledge and resources on climate change and providing safe spaces and experiences in nature are identified as supportive interventions. However, further empirical research evidence is needed to determine the next steps to address the extent of the impact of climate anxiety and prepare our children for the future

Semiconductor Halogenation in Molecular Highly-Oriented Layered p–n (n–p) Junctions

Organic p–n junctions attract widespread interest in the field of molecular electronics because of their unique optoelectronic singularities. Importantly, the molecular donor/acceptor character is strongly correlated to the degree of substitution, e.g., the introduction of electron-withdrawing groups. Herein, by gradually increasing the degree of peripheral fluorination on planar, D4h−symmetric iron(II) phthalocyanato (FePc) complexes, the energy level alignment and molecular order is defined in a metal-supported bilayered Pc-based junction using photoemission orbital tomography. This non-destructive method selectively allows identifying molecular levels of the hetero-architectures. It demonstrates that, while the symmetric fluorination of FePc does not disrupt the long-range order and degree of metal-to-molecule charge transfer in the first molecular layer, it strongly impacts the energy alignment in both the interface and topmost layer in the bilayered structures. The p–n junction formed in the bilayer of perhydrogenated FePc and perfluorinated FeF16Pc may serve as an ideal model for understanding the basic charge-transport phenomena at the metal-supported organic–organic interfaces, with possible application in photovoltaic devices

Neural Networks and the Classification of Active Galactic Nucleus Spectra

The use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) as a classifier of digital spectra is investigated. Using both simulated and real data, it is shown that neural networks can be trained to discriminate between the spectra of different classes of active galactic nucleus (AGN) with realistic sample sizes and signal-to-noise ratios. By working in the Fourier domain, neural nets can classify objects without knowledge of their redshifts.Comment: 11 pages, LaTeX, including two postscript figures, 41 kb. Accepted for publication in Publ. AS

Reversible, High-Affinity Surface Capturing of Proteins Directed by Supramolecular Assembly

The ability to design surfaces with reversible, high-affinity protein binding sites represents a significant step forward in the advancement of analytical methods for diverse biochemical and biomedical applications. Herein, we report a dynamic supramolecular strategy to directly assemble proteins on surfaces based on multivalent host–guest interactions. The host–guest interactions are achieved by one-step nanofabrication of a well-oriented β-cyclodextrin host-derived self-assembled monolayer on gold (β-CD-SAM) that forms specific inclusion complexes with hydrophobic amino acids located on the surface of the protein. Cytochrome c, insulin, α-chymotrypsin, and RNase A are used as model guest proteins. Surface plasmon resonance and static time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry studies demonstrate that all four proteins interact with the β-CD-SAM in a specific manner via the hydrophobic amino acids on the surface of the protein. The β-CD-SAMs bind the proteins with high nanomolar to single-digit micromolar dissociation constants (KD). Importantly, while the proteins can be captured with high affinity, their release from the surface can be achieved under very mild conditions. Our results expose the great advantages of using a supramolecular approach for controlling protein immobilization, in which the strategy described herein provides unprecedented opportunities to create advanced bioanalytic and biosensor technologies

Electronic communication of cells with a surface mediated by boronic acid saccharide interactions

The fabrication of a molecularly tailored surface functionalised with a saccharide binding motif, a phenyl boronic acid derivative is reported.The functionalised surface facilitated the transfer of electrons, via unique electronic interactions mediated by the presence of the boronic acid, from a macrophage cell line. This is the first example of eukaryotic cellular-electrical communication mediated by the binding of cells via their cell–surface saccharide units