Relations between Infant Sleep Quality, Physiological Reactivity, and Emotional Reactivity to Stress at 3 and 6 Month

This study examined the association between infant physiological self-regulation in baseline and stress-inducing scenarios and future sleep quality and emotional reactivity to stress. A sample of 89 healthy African American mother-infant dyads were recruited as part of the Neonatal and Pediatric Sleep study. Home visits were conducted when infants were 3 and 6 months of age. Baseline cardiac data was obtained at both time-points to assess RSA change (an index of physiological reactivity), sleep assessments were conducted for one week following the home visits at each time-point (from which actigraphy data was collected), and the still-face paradigm (SFP) was conducted at the 6 month time-point. Results showed significant associations between sleep and emotional reactivity llduring the SFP such that 6 month sleep efficiency was positively associated with neutral affect and negatively associated with positive affect in the normal episode of the SFP and amount of sleep minutes at 6 months was negatively associated with positive affect in the still-face episode of the SFP. In addition, significant links were found between sleep and RSA change in the SFP including a negative relationship between sleep efficiency at 3 months and self-regulation in the still-face episode of the SFP at 6 months and a negative relationship between 6 month sleep efficiency and RSA change from the normal to the still-face episodes of the SFP. These results suggest that there is a link between both early and concurrent sleep and emotional and physiological reactivity to stress.Bachelor of Scienc

Examining the Use of Biomedicine and Folk Medicine across Socioeconomic Factors and Health in China

The current study analyzes the influences of access to biomedicine and folk medicine on the relationship between socioeconomic factors (measured by income and urbanicity) and health outcomes (measured by infectious and chronic disease prevalence). This study tests a medical system mediational framework whereby socioeconomic factors influence health through access to biomedical preventive care and TCM resources. This framework was tested against a disease prevention mediational framework whereby socioeconomic factors influenced the use of different health resources through health outcomes. Both frameworks were tested when infectious and chronic disease prevalence was compared to the general sample and when the two disease groups were compared to each other. This epidemiological study analyzed data from the 2011 wave of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), which included respondents in a multistage random cluster design from industrial urban and rural centers across nine provinces in China. Results showed that while biomedical preventive care and TCM individually accounted for variations in how socioeconomic factors impacted disease prevalence, socioeconomic factors did not affect health through this access to health resources. As such, it seems that access to both biomedical and folk medical health resources seems to affect socioeconomic factors’ influence on health through mechanisms completely independent of the given relationship. In contrast, results for the disease prevention mediational framework when disease prevalence was compared with each other showed that the socioeconomic factor of income affected TCM use through health outcomes. As such, it seems that health outcomes may affect how socioeconomic factors effect access to biomedical and folk medical health resources.Bachelor of Art

An Examination of the Flipped Classroom\u27s Efficacy on Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Students

Existing flipped classroom (FC) research focuses on a typical, homogenous student population in terms of age. Research focuses on student satisfaction and perception of the FC to assess if student performance translates to actual perceived learning. Further, a growing number of studies show that outcomes of FC depend on student motivation. This study examines student performance, perception, and satisfaction in the FC in a novel demographic: Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical students. These students, who vary widely in age, experience, and prior knowledge of subject matter, are career changers who become full-time students to complete prerequisite coursework for medical school. Students enrolled in the undergraduate Biology course in GWU\u27s Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medicine program were taught by the same instructor for this study. 17 students (Cohort 1), enrolled in 2017-2018, had a traditional classroom with a three hour didactic lecture. 30 students (Cohort 2), enrolled in 2018-2019, had the flipped classroom with 50% less didactic lecture time and more active and independent learning. End-of-course evaluations, pre and post quizzes, exam performance, and overall course grades were compared between cohorts. Course perceptions from evaluations were also compared, and Cohort 2 completed an additional survey on their perceptions of the FC. Results show that students were between ages 20 and 40 years of age for both cohorts. Student performance on exams and overall course grades did not vary significantly between the cohorts. FC components such as pre- and post- quizzes were perceived as significantly useful (p\u3c.01) and were often found to be engaging and most beneficial in promoting understanding. FC components viewed by students as really useful for exam preparation included pre-quizzes (68.96%), post-quizzes (82.75%), and jeopardy (51.72%). Components viewed by students as really useful for concept comprehension included pre-quizzes (42.85%), post-quizzes (57.14%), and questionnaire worksheets (58.62%). Group work was also viewed by 51.72% students as useful for concept comprehension. Student comments between cohorts indicated that students almost universally desired to maintain a lecture component to their learning. Surprisingly, course evaluation data further showed most students in both cohorts viewing lectures as contributing most to their learning over other class activities. This seems contrary to the majority of the current literature on student learning. These results suggest that student motivation and engagement are important factors in assessing student comprehension, and understanding the influence of these factors in learning methods could alter how instructors approach and effectively structure courses to increase student satisfaction

Assessing groundwater fluoride contamination scenario in West Bengal, India: A combined approach using meta-analysis, current research, and health risk evaluation

The present study was initiated by the findings of a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis, which synthesized all available literature on the patterns and trends of groundwater fluoride (F−) contamination in West Bengal, India. This investigation aimed to provide detailed information on F− contamination at the block level within the state, which is essential for effective monitoring and alleviation efforts addressing the acute and evolving human health concerns in affected areas. This study focuses on the six districts (South 24 Parganas, West Medinipur, Jhargram, East Bardhaman, West Bardhaman and Murshidabad) of West Bengal. Findings from more than 3000 datasets revealed that approximately 10%, 11%, 4%, and 14% of groundwater samples exceeded the safe limit of F− (1.5mgL−1) from South 24 Parganas, Jhargram, West Bardhaman, and Murshidabad district, respectively. Notably 3% of samples from West Bardhaman displayed class V toxicity where F− concentrations exceeding >10mgL−1. This research introduces an initial assessment of F− concentrations in groundwater from nine newly identified F− contaminated blocks (Baruipur, Sonarpur, Binpur II, Salanpur, Baraboni, Jamuriya, Pandabeswar, Kandi and Khargram) within the region. Overall, 65 blocks from ten districts have been recognized as F− contaminated zones in West Bengal till 2023. The non-cancerous health risk was found to be disproportionately higher in the western districts (Jhargram, West Bardhaman, and western part of Murshidabad) compared to their southeastern counterparts (East Bardhaman, Paschim Medinipur, and South 24 Parganas). A demographic analysis of health risk indicated infants as the most susceptible group to F− toxicity. The probabilistic health risk at P95 dose for eight blocks further corroborated the heightened vulnerability of infants. These insights offer critical implications for the policy-makers, suggesting an urgent need for tailored health policies to mitigate the risk associated with F− contamination in West Bengal

Neighborhood poverty is associated with failure to be waitlisted and death during liver transplantation evaluation

Liver transplantation (LT) is the final step in a complex care cascade. Little is known about how race, gender, rural versus urban residence, or neighborhood socioeconomic indicators impact a patient's likelihood of LT waitlisting or risk of death during LT evaluation. We performed a retrospective cohort study of adults referred for LT to the Indiana University Academic Medical Center from 2011 to 2018. Neighborhood socioeconomic status indicators were obtained by linking patients' addresses to their census tract defined in the 2017 American Community Survey. Descriptive statistics were used to describe completion of steps in the LT evaluation cascade. Multivariable analyses were performed to assess the factors associated with waitlisting and death during LT evaluation. There were 3454 patients referred for LT during the study period; 25.3% of those referred were waitlisted for LT. There was no difference seen in the proportion of patients from vulnerable populations who progressed to the steps of financial approval or evaluation start. There were differences in waitlisting by insurance type (22.6% of Medicaid vs. 34.3% of those who were privately insured; p < 0.01) and neighborhood poverty (quartile 1 29.6% vs. quartile 4 20.4%; p < 0.01). On multivariable analysis, neighborhood poverty was independently associated with waitlisting (odds ratio 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.38–0.82) and death during LT evaluation (hazard ratio 1.49, 95% CI 1.09–2.09). Patients from high-poverty neighborhoods are at risk of failing to be waitlisted and death during LT evaluation

Constraining the K‾N{\overline{\textrm{K}}}{\textrm{N}} coupled channel dynamics using femtoscopic correlations at the LHC

The interaction of ${\rm{K}^{-}}$ with protons is characterised by the presence of several coupled channels, systems like ${\rm \overline{K}^0}$n and ${\pi\Sigma}$ with a similar mass and the same quantum numbers as the ${\rm{K}^{-}}$ p state. The strengths of these couplings to the ${\rm{K}^{-}}$p system are of crucial importance for the understanding of the nature of the $\Lambda(1405)$ resonance and of the attractive ${\rm{K}^{-}}$ p strong interaction. In this article, we present measurements of the ${\rm{K}^{-}}$p correlation functions in relative momentum space obtained in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$~TeV, in p$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$~TeV, and (semi)peripheral Pb$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$~TeV. The emitting source size, composed of a core radius anchored to the ${\rm{K}^{+}}$p correlation and of a resonance halo specific to each particle pair, varies between 1 and 2 fm in these collision systems. The strength and the effects of the ${\rm \overline{K}^0}$n and ${\pi\Sigma}$ inelastic channels on the measured ${\rm{K}^{-}}$p correlation function are investigated in the different colliding systems by comparing the data with state-of-the-art models of chiral potentials. A novel approach to determine the conversion weights $\omega$, necessary to quantify the amount of produced inelastic channels in the correlation function, is presented. In this method, particle yields are estimated from thermal model predictions, and their kinematic distribution from blast-wave fits to measured data. The comparison of chiral potentials to the measured ${\rm{K}^{-}}$p interaction indicates that, while the \mbox{${\pi\Sigma}$$-$${\rm{K}^{-}}$p} dynamics is well reproduced by the model, the coupling to the ${\rm \overline{K}^0}$n channel in the model is currently underestimated.The interaction of $\textrm{K}^{-}$with protons is characterised by the presence of several coupled channels, systems like ${\overline{\textrm{K}}}^0$n and \uppi \Sigma with a similar mass and the same quantum numbers as the $\textrm{K}^{-}$p state. The strengths of these couplings to the $\textrm{K}^{-}$p system are of crucial importance for the understanding of the nature of the $\Lambda (1405)$ resonance and of the attractive $\textrm{K}^{-}$p strong interaction. In this article, we present measurements of the $\textrm{K}^{-}$p correlation functions in relative momentum space obtained in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}~=~13$ Te, in p–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}~=~5.02$ Te, and (semi)peripheral Pb–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}~=~5.02$ Te. The emitting source size, composed of a core radius anchored to the $\textrm{K}^{+}$p correlation and of a resonance halo specific to each particle pair, varies between 1 and 2 fm in these collision systems. The strength and the effects of the ${\overline{\textrm{K}}}^0$n and \uppi \Sigma inelastic channels on the measured $\textrm{K}^{-}$p correlation function are investigated in the different colliding systems by comparing the data with state-of-the-art models of chiral potentials. A novel approach to determine the conversion weights $\omega$, necessary to quantify the amount of produced inelastic channels in the correlation function, is presented. In this method, particle yields are estimated from thermal model predictions, and their kinematic distribution from blast-wave fits to measured data. The comparison of chiral potentials to the measured $\textrm{K}^{-}$p interaction indicates that, while the \uppi \Sigma –$\textrm{K}^{-}$p dynamics is well reproduced by the model, the coupling to the ${\overline{\textrm{K}}}^0$n channel in the model is currently underestimated.The interaction of $\rm{K}^{-}$ with protons is characterised by the presence of several coupled channels, systems like ${\rm \overline{K}^0}$n and $\pi\Sigma$ with a similar mass and the same quantum numbers as the $\rm{K}^{-}$p state. The strengths of these couplings to the $\rm{K}^{-}$p system are of crucial importance for the understanding of the nature of the $\Lambda(1405)$ resonance and of the attractive $\rm{K}^{-}$p strong interaction. In this article, we present measurements of the $\rm{K}^{-}$p correlation functions in relative momentum space obtained in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}~=~13$ TeV, in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}~=~5.02$ TeV, and (semi)peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}~=~5.02$ TeV. The emitting source size, composed of a core radius anchored to the $\rm{K}^{+}$p correlation and of a resonance halo specific to each particle pair, varies between 1 and 2 fm in these collision systems. The strength and the effects of the ${\rm \overline{K}^0}$n and $\pi\Sigma$ inelastic channels on the measured $\rm{K}^{-}$p correlation function are investigated in the different colliding systems by comparing the data with state-of-the-art models of chiral potentials. A novel approach to determine the conversion weights $\omega$, necessary to quantify the amount of produced inelastic channels in the correlation function, is presented. In this method, particle yields are estimated from thermal model predictions, and their kinematic distribution from blast-wave fits to measured data. The comparison of chiral potentials to the measured $\rm{K}^{-}$p interaction indicates that, while the $\pi\Sigma-\rm{K}^{-}$p dynamics is well reproduced by the model, the coupling to the ${\rm \overline{K}^0}$n channel in the model is currently underestimated

f0(980){\rm f}_{0}(980) production in inelastic pp collisions at s=5.02\sqrt{s} = 5.02 TeV

International audienceThe measurement of the production of f0(980) in inelastic pp collisions at s=5.02 TeV is presented. This is the first reported measurement of inclusive f0(980) yield at LHC energies. The production is measured at midrapidity, |y|&lt;0.5, in a wide transverse momentum range, 0&lt;pT&lt;16 GeV/c, by reconstructing the resonance in the f0(980)→π+π− hadronic decay channel using the ALICE detector. The pT-differential yields are compared to those of pions, protons and ϕ mesons as well as to predictions from the HERWIG 7.2 QCD-inspired Monte Carlo event generator and calculations from a coalescence model that uses the AMPT model as an input. The ratio of the pT-integrated yield of f0(980) relative to pions is compared to measurements in e+e− and pp collisions at lower energies and predictions from statistical hadronisation models and HERWIG 7.2. A mild collision energy dependence of the f0(980) to pion production is observed in pp collisions from SPS to LHC energies. All considered models underpredict the pT-integrated 2f0(980)/(π+ +π−) ratio. The prediction from the canonical statistical hadronisation model assuming a zero total strangeness content of f0(980) is consistent with the data within 1.9σ and is the closest to the data. The results provide an essential reference for future measurements of the particle yield and nuclear modification in p–Pb and Pb–Pb collisions, which have been proposed to be instrumental to probe the elusive nature and quark composition of the f0(980) scalar meson