Corpus of Modern Scottish Writing (CMSW)

This poster describes the online Corpus of Modern Scottish Writing (1700-1945), being created at the University of Glasgow. The corpus fills the chronological gap between the Helsinki Corpus of Older Scots (1375-1700) and the Scottish Corpus of Texts and Speech (1945-present). The period covered by CMSW is an important time in the history of Scotland and Scots. It begins with the last stages of the standardisation of written English and the onset of the ‘Vernacular Revival’ in literary Scots. Out of the interaction between Broad Scots and written Standard English, the hybrid prestige variety of today’s Scottish English is said to emerge: CMSW will allow researchers to substantiate this claim, among many others. Once complete, CMSW will contain at least 4 million words of text, with accompanying metadata, covering a range of genres, including personal writing, administrative prose, verse and drama, and the writings of language commentators

Associations of childcare type, age at start, and intensity with body mass index trajectories from 10 to 42 years of age in the 1970 British Cohort Study

Background: Attending childcare is related to greater childhood obesity risk, but there are few long-term follow-up studies. We aimed to examine the associations of childcare type, age at start, and intensity with body mass index body mass index (BMI) trajectories from ages 10 to 42 years. Methods: The sample comprised 8234 individuals in the 1970 British Cohort Study, who had data on childcare attendance (no, yes), type (formal, informal), age at start (4-5, 3-3.99, 0-2.99 years old), and intensity (1, 2, 3, 4-5 days/week) reported at age 5 years and 32 563 BMI observations. Multilevel linear spline models were used to estimate the association of each exposure with the sample-average BMI trajectory, with covariate adjustment. A combined age at start and intensity exposure was also examined. Results: Attending vs not attending and the type of childcare (none vs formal/informal) were not strongly related to BMI trajectories. Among participants who attended childcare 1 to 2 days a week, those who started when 3 to 3.99 years old had a 0.197 (−0.004, 0.399) kg/m2 higher BMI at age 10 years than those who started when 4 to 5 years old, and those who started when 0 to 2.99 years old had a 0.289 (0.049, 0.529) kg/m2 higher BMI. A similar dose-response pattern for intensity was observed when holding age at start constant. By age 42 years, individuals who started childcare at age 0 to 2.99 years and attended 3 to 5 days/week had a 1.356 kg/m2 (0.637, 2.075) higher BMI than individuals who started at age 4 to 5 years and attended 1 to 2 days/week. Conclusions: Children who start childcare earlier and/or attend more frequently may have greater long-term obesity risk

Association of childhood psychomotor coordination with survival up to 6 decades later

Importance: Poorer performance on standard tests of motor coordination in children has emerging links with sedentary behavior, obesity, and functional capacity in later life. These observations are suggestive of an untested association of coordination with health outcomes, including mortality. Objective: To examine the association of performance on a series of psychomotor coordination tests in childhood with mortality up to 6 decades later. Design, Setting, and Participants: The British National Child Development Study (1958 Birth Cohort Study) is a prospective cohort study based on a nationally representative sample of births from England, Scotland, and Wales. A total of 17 415 individuals had their gross and fine motor psychomotor coordination assessed using 9 tests at ages 11 and 16 years. Data analysis for the present study was conducted from October 2016 to December 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures: All-cause mortality as ascertained from a vital status registry and survey records. Results: In this birth cohort study of 17 415 individuals who underwent a series of psychomotor coordination tests in childhood, follow up was conducted over several decades. Of the analytical sample of 12 678 individuals, 51% were male, and 72% came from a lower social group. Mortality surveillance between ages 12 and 58 years in an analytical sample of 17 062 men and women yielded 1072 deaths (766 661 person-years at risk). In survival analyses with adjustment for sex, higher scores on 7 of the 9 childhood coordination tests were associated with a lower risk of mortality in a stepwise manner. After controlling for early-life socioeconomic, health, cognitive, and developmental factors, lower mortality was statistically significantly associated with 3 tests: ball catching at age 11 years (0-8 vs 10 catches: hazard ratio [HR], 1.57; 95% CI, 1.19-2.07), match-picking at age 11 years (>50 vs 0-36 seconds: HR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.09-1.63), and hopping at age 16 years (very unsteady vs very steady: HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.01-1.63). Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this cohort study suggest that childhood motor coordination is associated with lower mortality up to middle-age; these findings require replication

Age of First Overweight and Obesity, COVID-19 and Long COVID in Two British Birth Cohorts

Longer exposure to obesity, and thus a longer period in an inflamed state, may increase susceptibility to infectious diseases and worsen severity. Previous cross-sectional work finds higher BMI is related to worse COVID-19 outcomes, but less is known about associations with BMI across adulthood. To examine this, we used body mass index (BMI) collected through adulthood in the 1958 National Child Development Study (NCDS) and the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70). Participants were grouped by the age they were first overweight (> 25 kg/m2) and obese (> 30 kg/m2). Logistic regression was used to assess associations with COVID-19 (self-reported and serology-confirmed), severity (hospital admission and contact with health services) and long-COVID reported at ages 62 (NCDS) and 50 (BCS70). An earlier age of obesity and overweight, compared to those who never became obese or overweight, was associated with increased odds of adverse COVID-19 outcomes, but results were mixed and often underpowered. Those with early exposure to obesity were over twice as likely in NCDS (odds ratio (OR) 2.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17-4.00) and three times as likely in BCS70 (OR 3.01, 95% CI 1.74-5.22) to have long COVID. In NCDS they were also over four times as likely to be admitted to hospital (OR 4.69, 95% CI 1.64-13.39). Most associations were somewhat explained by contemporaneous BMI or reported health, diabetes or hypertension; however, the association with hospital admission in NCDS remained. An earlier age of obesity onset is related to COVID-19 outcomes in later life, providing evidence of the long-term impact of raised BMI on infectious disease outcomes in midlife

Changes in the behavioural determinants of health during the COVID-19 pandemic: gender, socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities in five British cohort studies

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to have far-reaching consequences on population health. We investigated whether these consequences included changes in health-impacting behaviours which are important drivers of health inequalities. METHODS: Using data from five representative British cohorts (born 2000-2002, 1989-1990, 1970, 1958 and 1946), we investigated sleep, physical activity (exercise), diet and alcohol intake (N=14 297). We investigated change in each behaviour (pre/during the May 2020 lockdown), and differences by age/cohort, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic position (childhood social class, education attainment and adult financial difficulties). Logistic regression models were used, accounting for study design and non-response weights, and meta-analysis used to pool and test cohort differences in association. RESULTS: Change occurred in both directions-shifts from the middle part of the distribution to both declines and increases in sleep, exercise and alcohol use. Older cohorts were less likely to report changes in behaviours while the youngest reported more frequent increases in sleep, exercise, and fruit and vegetable intake, yet lower alcohol consumption. Widening inequalities in sleep during lockdown were more frequent among women, socioeconomically disadvantaged groups and ethnic minorities. For other outcomes, inequalities were largely unchanged, yet ethnic minorities were at higher risk of undertaking less exercise and consuming lower amounts of fruit and vegetables. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide new evidence on the multiple changes to behavioural outcomes linked to lockdown, and the differential impacts across generation, gender, socioeconomic circumstances across life, and ethnicity. Lockdown appeared to widen some (but not all) forms of health inequality

The Evolution Of LMC X-4 Flares: Evidence For Super-Eddington Radiation Oozing Through Inhomogeneous Polar Cap Accretion Flows ?

We present the results of two extensive Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer observations of large X-ray flaring episodes from the high-mass X-ray binary pulsar LMC X-4. Light curves during the flaring episodes comprise bright peaks embedded in relatively fainter regions, with complex patterns of recurrence and clustering of flares. We identify precursors preceding the flaring activity. Pulse profiles during the flares appear to be simple sinusoids, and pulsed fractions are proportional to the flare intensities. We fit Gaussian functions to flare peaks to estimate the mean full-width-half-maximum to be $\sim$68 s. Significant rapid aperiodic variability exists up to a few hertz during the flares, which is related to the appearance of narrow, spiky peaks in the light curves. While spectral fits and softness ratios show overall spectral softening as the flare intensity increases, the narrow, spiky peaks do not follow this trend. The mean fluence of the flare peaks is (3.1 $\pm$ 2.9) $\times$ 10$^{40}$ ergs in the 2.5--25 keV energy range, with its maximum at $\sim$1.9 $\times$ 10$^{41}$ ergs. The flare peak luminosity reaches up to (2.1 $\pm$ 0.2) $\times$ 10$^{39}$ ergs s$^{-1}$, far above the Eddington luminosity of a neutron star. We discuss possible origins of the flares, and we also propose that inhomogeneous accretion columns onto the neutron star polar caps are responsible for the observed properties.Comment: 39 pages (including figures and tables), accepted for publication in Ap

Inequality in access to health and care services during lockdown – Findings from the COVID-19 survey in five UK national longitudinal studies

Background: Access to health services and adequate care is influenced by sex, ethnicity, socio-economic position (SEP) and burden of co-morbidities. However, it is unknown whether the COVID-19 pandemic further deepened these already existing health inequalities. / Methods: Participants were from five longitudinal age-homogenous British cohorts (born in 2001, 1990, 1970, 1958 and 1946). A web and telephone-based survey provided data on cancelled surgical or medical appointments, and the number of care hours received during the UK COVID-19 national lockdown. Using binary or ordered logistic regression, we evaluated whether these outcomes differed by sex, ethnicity, SEP and having a chronic illness. Adjustment was made for study-design, non-response weights, psychological distress, presence of children or adolescents in the household, keyworker status, and whether participants had received a shielding letter. Meta-analyses were performed across the cohorts and meta-regression evaluated the effect of age as a moderator. / Findings: 14891 participants were included. Females (OR 1·40, 95% confidence interval [1·27,1·55]) and those with a chronic illness (OR 1·84 [1·65-2·05]) experienced significantly more cancellations during lockdown (all p<0·0001). Ethnic minorities and those with a chronic illness required a higher number of care hours during the lockdown (both OR ≈2·00, all p<0·002). Age was not independently associated with either outcome in meta-regression. SEP was not associated with cancellation or care hours. / Interpretation: The UK government’s lockdown approach during the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have deepened existing health inequalities, impacting predominantly females, ethnic-minorities and those with chronic illnesses. Public health authorities need to implement urgent policies to ensure equitable access to health and care for all in preparation for a second wave

Duration of obesity exposure between ages 10 and 40 years and its relationship with cardiometabolic disease risk factors: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with obesity do not represent a homogeneous group in terms of cardiometabolic risk. Using 3 nationally representative British birth cohorts, we investigated whether the duration of obesity was related to heterogeneity in cardiometabolic risk. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We used harmonised body mass index (BMI) and cardiometabolic disease risk factor data from 20,746 participants (49.1% male and 97.2% white British) enrolled in 3 British birth cohort studies: the 1946 National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD), the 1958 National Child Development Study (NCDS), and the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70). Within each cohort, individual life course BMI trajectories were created between 10 and 40 years of age, and from these, age of obesity onset, duration spent obese (range 0 to 30 years), and cumulative obesity severity were derived. Obesity duration was examined in relation to a number of cardiometabolic disease risk factors collected in mid-adulthood: systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). A greater obesity duration was associated with worse values for all cardiometabolic disease risk factors. The strongest association with obesity duration was for HbA1c: HbA1c levels in those with obesity for <5 years were relatively higher by 5% (95% CI: 4, 6), compared with never obese, increasing to 20% (95% CI: 17, 23) higher in those with obesity for 20 to 30 years. When adjustment was made for obesity severity, the association with obesity duration was largely attenuated for SBP, DBP, and HDL-C. For HbA1c, however, the association with obesity duration persisted, independent of obesity severity. Due to pooling of 3 cohorts and thus the availability of only a limited number harmonised variables across cohorts, our models included adjustment for only a small number of potential confounding variables, meaning there is a possibility of residual confounding. CONCLUSIONS: Given that the obesity epidemic is characterised by a much earlier onset of obesity and consequently a greater lifetime exposure, our findings suggest that health policy recommendations aimed at preventing early obesity onset, and therefore reducing lifetime exposure, may help reduce the risk of diabetes, independently of obesity severity. However, to test the robustness of our observed associations, triangulation of evidence from different epidemiological approaches (e.g., mendelian randomization and negative control studies) should be obtained

Uncovering Tropical Eiversity: Six Sympatric Cryptic Species of Blepharoneura (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Flowers of Gurania spinulosa (Cucurbitaceae) in Eastern Ecuador

Diversification of phytophagous insects is often associated with changes in the use of host taxa and host parts. We focus on a group of newly discovered Neotropical tephritids in the genus Blepharoneura, and report the discovery of an extraordinary number of sympatric, morphologically cryptic species, all feeding as larvae on calyces of flowers of a single functionally dioecious and highly sexually dimorphic host species (Gurania spinulosa) in eastern Ecuador. Molecular analyses of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase-I gene from flies reared from flowers of G. spinulosa reveal six distinct haplotype groups that differ by 7.2-10.1% bp (uncorrected pairwise distances; N = 624 bp). Haplotype groups correspond to six distinct and well-supported clades. Members of five clades specialize on the calyces of flowers of a particular sex: three clades comprise male flower specialists; two clades comprise female flower specialists; the sixth clade comprises generalists reared from male and female flowers. The six clades occupy significantly different morphological spaces defined by wing pigmentation patterns; however, diagnostic morphological characters were not discovered. Behavioural observations suggest specific courtship behaviours may play a role in maintaining reproductive isolation among sympatric species

Investigating change across time in prevalence or association: the challenges of cross-study comparative research and possible solutions

Cross-study research initiatives to understand change across time are an increasingly prominent component of social and health sciences, yet they present considerable practical, analytical and conceptual challenges. First, we discuss the key challenges to comparative research as a basis for detecting societal change, as well as possible solutions. We focus on studies which investigate changes across time in outcome occurrence or the magnitude and/or direction of associations. We discuss the use and importance of such research, study inclusion, sources of bias and mitigation, and interpretation. Second, we propose a structured framework (a checklist) that is intended to provide guidance for future authors and reviewers. Third, we outline a new open-access teaching resource that offers detailed instruction and reusable analytical syntax to guide newcomers on techniques for conducting comparative analysis and data visualisation (in both R and Stata formats).</p