Evaluation of quality of life in children with precocious puberty.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the quality of life of patients with central precocious puberty (CPP) who required treatment and premature thelarche (PT) followed up without treatment and to compare the groups with and without treatment among themselves and with healthy children. DESIGN, PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENT: This study is designed as a case-control study. A total of 193 children including 59 children with CPP, 53 children with PT, 81 healthy children and their parents were included in the study. A questionnaire was applied to evaluate the sociodemographic characteristics that would affect the quality of life. The 'Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL)' was used to assess the quality of life. RESULTS: The PedsQL total scale score was 78.10 ± 17.13, 79.35 ± 11.54 and 79.52 ± 14.65, the psychosocial health summary score was 78.86 ± 16.83, 79.40 ± 12.54 and 79.94 ± 14.94 and physical health summary score was 75.81 ± 20.69, 79.41 ± 15.04 and 78.25 ± 17.52 in CPP, PT and control groups, respectively; however, there was no statistical difference (p > .05). In the scale administered to the parents, scores were similar in the three groups. No difference was found between CPP, PT and control groups in terms of sociodemographic data in the study (p > .05). CONCLUSION: Unlike previous studies, in this study the effects of sociodemographic characteristics and whether treatment was initiated or not on quality of life were investigated. Although the scale scores of the CPP group were lower than the PT and control group, there was no statistically significant difference, indicating that quality of life was not negatively affected in the CPP group receiving treatment.

Updated single cell reference atlas for the starlet anemone Nematostella vectensis.

BACKGROUND: The recent combination of genomics and single cell transcriptomics has allowed to assess a variety of non-conventional model organisms in much more depth. Single cell transcriptomes can uncover hidden cellular complexity and cell lineage relationships within organisms. The recent developmental cell atlases of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, a representative of the basally branching Cnidaria, has provided new insights into the development of all cell types (Steger et al Cell Rep 40(12):111370, 2022; Sebé-Pedrós et al. Cell 173(6):1520-1534.e20). However, the mapping of the single cell reads still suffers from relatively poor gene annotations and a draft genome consisting of many scaffolds. RESULTS: Here we present a new wildtype resource of the developmental single cell atlas, by re-mapping of sequence data first published in Steger et al. (2022) and Cole et al. (Nat Commun 14(1):1747, 2023), to the new chromosome-level genome assembly and corresponding gene models in Zimmermann et al. (Nat Commun 14, 8270 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44080-7 ). We expand the pre-existing dataset through the incorporation of additional sequence data derived from the capture and sequencing of cell suspensions from four additional samples: 24 h gastrula, 2d planula, an inter-parietal region of the bodywall from a young unsexed animal, and another adult mesentery from a mature male animal. CONCLUSION: Our analyses of the full cell-state inventory provide transcriptomic signatures for 127 distinct cell states, of which 47 correspond to neuroglandular subtypes. We also identify two distinct putatively immune-related transcriptomic profiles that segregate between the inner and outer cell layers. Furthermore, the new gene annotation Nv2 has markedly improved the mapping on the single cell transcriptome data and will therefore be of great value for the community and anyone using the dataset.

Incidence of formation of anti-D between patients with and without a history of solid organ transplant.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Solid organ transplant surgeries including liver transplants constitute a substantial risk of bleeding complications and given frequent national blood shortages, supporting D-negative transplant recipients with D-negative red blood cell products perioperatively can be difficult for the transfusion services. This study was designed to compare the incidence of alloimmunization after D-mismatched red cell transfusions between patients with and without a history of solid organ transplant at a single tertiary care hospital. The patients undergoing solid organ transplants are on strong immunosuppressive regimens perioperatively to help reduce the risk of rejection. We hypothesized that the use of these immunosuppressive agents makes these patients very less likely to mount an immune response and form anti-D antibodies when exposed to the D-positive red blood cell products perioperatively. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: At our center, D-negative patients who received ≥1 unit of D-positive red blood cell products were identified using historical transfusion records. Antibody testing results were examined to determine the incidence of the formation of anti-D and any other red cell alloantibodies after transfusion and these results were compared between patients with and without a history of solid organ transplant. RESULTS: We were able to identify a total of 22 patients over 10 years with D-negative phenotype who had undergone a solid organ transplant and had received D-positive red blood cell products during the transplant surgeries. We also identified a second group of 54 patients with D-negative phenotype who had received D-positive red blood cell products for other indications including medical and surgical. A comparison of the data showed no new anti-D formation among patients with a history of D mismatched transfusion during solid organ transplant surgeries. CONCLUSION: Among our limited study population, we observed a very low likelihood of D alloimmunization among solid organ transplant recipients. A larger, prospective study could help further evaluate the need for prophylactic D matching for red cell transfusions during solid organ transplant surgeries.

Utility of the Alcohol Use Disorder Inventory Test in determining caseness for alcohol use disorder among persons receiving antiretroviral therapy.

We sought to determine the utility of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) in screening for alcohol use disorder (AUD) among 688 users of antiretroviral therapy (ART). We used the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to assess whether the AUDIT reliably detected AUD against the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM (SCID). Of the samples, 22.09% (CI: 19.05% to 25.38%) of participants met the diagnostic criteria for AUD. Among men (n = 135) and women (n = 553), the prevalence estimates were 31.9% and 19.7%, respectively. For men, a cut-off score of 6 predicted AUD with 88.36% (95%CI: 74.92-96.11) sensitivity and 88.04% (95%CI: 79.61-93.88) specificity. For women, a cut-off score of 4 on the AUDIT yielded an optimal sensitivity of 92.66% (95% CI: 86.05%-96.78%) and a specificity of 93.24% (95% CI: 90.49-95.40%). For men, the AUDIT yielded a positive predictive value (PPV) of 75.55% (95% CI: 66.26%-85.87%) and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 91.49% (95% CI: 87.63-97.37%); for women the PPV and NPV were 77.09% (70.34%-82.68%) and 98.11% (96.37%-99.02%), respectively. The instrument's good sensitivity and specificity indicate it is likely to be useful for screening and referral of ART users who are probably cases of AUD.

Understanding variation in impacts from private protected areas across regions and protection mechanisms to inform organizational practices.

Private land protection is an important and growing tool to address biodiversity loss and climate change. Thus, better empirical evidence on the effectiveness of private land protection and organizational practices, such as targeting of lands for protection and choice of protection mechanism (i.e., fee simple land acquisition and conservation easements), is needed. We addressed this gap by estimating the impacts of The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) (a large nongovernmental organization with relatively decentralized management) conservation land acquisitions and easements from 1988 to 2016 in three regions of the United States (Mid-Atlantic, New England and New York, and California). We estimated impact in terms of avoided conversion by comparing natural land cover on 3179 protected parcels with matched unprotected parcels. Nineteen of 21 ecoregional plans used threats of agriculture and development to identify priorities for protection. When regions and protection mechanisms were pooled, on average there was no evidence of avoided conversion from 1988 to 2016. Accounting for mechanisms, TNC land acquisitions avoided conversion and easements did not. TNC's easements on parcels acquired by conservation partners did avoid conversion. Limitations of these results include focus on a single measure of impact, inability to capture future avoided conversion, and low land cover change accuracy in California. Our results suggest that private land protection managers who seek to avoid land conversion in the near to medium term should increase focus on areas with higher threats. Special attention should be paid to strengthening accountability and the role of partners, improving or clarifying how easements are used, and facilitating the flow of resources to work with the greatest potential impact.

Comprensión de la variación en el impacto de las áreas protegidas privadas sobre las regiones y los mecanismos de protección para guiar las prácticas organizativas Resumen La protección de terreno privado es una herramienta importante, aunque su naturaleza voluntaria puede sesgar la protección hacia parcelas menos amenazadas­lo que resulta en que la conversión no se evite o se evite muy poco. Además, muchos programas de protección privada tienen una supervisión limitada y pocos reportes de sus resultados. Por lo tanto, se necesitan mejores evidencias empíricas de la efectividad de la protección en suelo privado y las prácticas organizativas, como el enfoque en tierras para protección y la selección de los mecanismos de protección (adquisición de terrenos a título oneroso y servidumbres de conservación). Abordamos esta brecha con la estimación de impactos de las adquisiciones de suelo de The Nature Conservancy (TNC, una gran organización no gubernamental con un manejo relativamente descentralizado) y las servidumbres implementadas entre 1988 y 2016 en tres regiones de los Estados Unidos: Atlántico Medio, Nueva Inglaterra y Nueva York, y California. Estimamos el impacto en términos de la conversión que se evitó al comparar la cobertura de suelo en 3,179 parcelas protegidas con parcelas desprotegidas equivalentes. Diecinueve de los 21 planes eco­regionales usaron las amenazas a la agricultura y al desarrollo para identificar las prioridades de protección. Cuando agrupamos las regiones y los mecanismos de protección, en promedio no hubo impacto alguno. Si se consideran los mecanismos, las adquisiciones de suelo de la TNC tuvieron un impacto mientras que las servidumbres no. Las servidumbres de la TNC en las parcelas adquiridas por socios de conservación sí tuvieron un impacto, aunque esta manera de proteger sólo se presentó en las regiones del Atlántico Medio y de Nueva Inglaterra y Nueva York. Nuestros resultados sugieren que la protección privada, especialmente mediante servidumbres, puede estar sesgada hacia suelos no amenazados. Los gestores que buscan evitar la conversión del suelo a mediano o corto plazo deberían enfocarse más en las áreas con más amenazas. Se debería prestar especial atención al fortalecimiento del papel y las responsabilidades de los socios, a la mejora o aclaración de cómo se usan las servidumbres y la facilitación del flujo de recursos para trabajar con el mayor impacto potencial.

Multidirectional Fate Path Model to Connect Phosphorus Emissions with Freshwater Eutrophication Potential.

Excessive anthropogenic phosphorus (P) emissions put constant pressure on aquatic ecosystems. This pressure can be quantified as the freshwater eutrophication potential (FEP) by linking P emissions, P fate in environmental compartments, and the potentially disappeared fraction of species due to increase of P concentrations in freshwater. However, previous fate modeling on global and regional scales is mainly based on the eight-direction algorithm without distinguishing pollution sources. The algorithm fails to characterize the fate paths of point-source emissions via subsurface pipelines and wastewater treatment infrastructure, and exhibits suboptimal performance in accounting for multidirectional paths caused by river bifurcations, especially in flat terrains. Here we aim to improve the fate modeling by incorporating various fate paths and addressing multidirectional scenarios. We also update the P estimates by complementing potential untreated point-source emissions (PSu). The improved method is examined in a rapidly urbanizing area in Taihu Lake Basin, China in 2017 at a spatial resolution of 100 m × 100 m. Results show that the contribution of PSu on FEP (62.6%) is greater than that on P emissions (58.5%). The FEP is more spatially widely distributed with the improved fate modeling, facilitating targeted regulatory strategies tailored to local conditions.

Emission of Intermediate Volatile Organic Compounds from Animal Dung and Coal Combustion and Its Contribution to Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China.

Intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) are important precursors to secondary organic aerosols (SOAs), but they are often neglected in studies concerning SOA formation. This study addresses the significant issue of IVOCs emissions in the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau (QTP), where solid fuels are extensively used under incomplete combustion conditions for residential heating and cooking. Our field measurement data revealed an emission factor of the total IVOCs (EFIVOCs) ranging from 1.56 ± 0.03 to 9.97 ± 3.22 g/kg from various combustion scenarios in QTP. The markedly higher EFIVOCs in QTP than in plain regions can be attributed to oxygen-deficient conditions. IVOCs were dominated by gaseous phase emissions, and the primary contributors of gaseous and particulate phase IVOCs are the unresolved complex mixture and alkanes, respectively. Total IVOCs emissions during the heating and nonheating seasons in QTP were estimated to be 31.7 ± 13.8 and 6.87 ± 0.45 Gg, respectively. The estimated SOA production resulting from combined emissions of IVOCs and VOCs is nearly five times higher than that derived from VOCs alone. Results from this study emphasized the pivotal role of IVOCs emissions in air pollution and provided a foundation for compiling emission inventories related to solid fuel combustion and developing pollution prevention strategies.

Significant Increase in Ammonia Emissions in China: Considering Nonagricultural Sectors Based on Isotopic Source Apportionment.

Isotopic source apportionment results revealed that nonagricultural sectors are significant sources of ammonia (NH3) emissions, particularly in urban areas. Unfortunately, nonagricultural sources have been substantially underrepresented in the current anthropogenic NH3 emission inventories (EIs). Here, we propose a novel approach to develop a gridded EI of nonagricultural NH3 in China for 2016 using a combination of isotopic source apportionment results and the emission ratios of carbon monoxide (CO) and NH3. We estimated that isotope-corrected nonagricultural NH3 emissions were 4370 Gg in China in 2016, accounting for an increase in the total NH3 emissions from 7 to 31%. As a result, compared to the original NH3 EI, the annual emissions of total NH3 increased by 35%. Thus, in comparison to the simulation driven by the original NH3 EI, the WRF-Chem model driven by the isotope-corrected NH3 EI has reduced the model biases in the surface concentrations and dry deposition flux of reduced nitrogen (NHx = gaseous NH3 + particulate NH4+) by 23 and 31%, respectively. This study may have wide-ranging implications for formulating targeted strategies for nonagricultural NH3 emissions controls, making it facilitate the achievement of simultaneously alleviating nitrogen deposition and atmospheric pollution in the future.

High-Resolution Estimates of N2O Emissions from Inland Waters and Wetlands in China.

Inland waters (rivers, lakes, and reservoirs) and wetlands (marshes and coastal wetlands) represent large and continuous sources of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, in view of adequate biomass and anaerobic conditions. Considerable uncertainties remain in quantifying spatially explicit N2O emissions from aquatic systems, attributable to the limitations of models and a lack of comprehensive data sets. Herein, we conducted a synthesis of 1659 observations of N2O emission rates to determine the major environmental drivers across five aquatic systems. A framework for spatially explicit estimates of N2O emissions in China was established, employing a data-driven approach that upscaled from site-specific N2O fluxes to robust multiple-regression models. Results revealed the effectiveness of models incorporating soil organic carbon and water content for marshes and coastal wetlands, as well as water nitrate concentration and dissolved organic carbon for lakes, rivers, and reservoirs for predicting emissions. Total national N2O emissions from inland waters and wetlands were 1.02 × 105 t N2O yr-1, with contributions from marshes (36.33%), rivers (27.77%), lakes (25.27%), reservoirs (6.47%), and coastal wetlands (4.16%). Spatially, larger emissions occurred in the Songliao River Basin and Continental River Basin, primarily due to their substantial terrestrial biomass. This study offers a vital national inventory of N2O emissions from inland waters and wetlands in China, providing paradigms for the inventorying work in other countries and insights to formulate effective mitigation strategies for climate change.

Including Methane Emissions from Agricultural Ponds in National Greenhouse Gas Inventories.

Agricultural ponds are a significant source of greenhouse gases, contributing to the ongoing challenge of anthropogenic climate change. Nations are encouraged to account for these emissions in their national greenhouse gas inventory reports. We present a remote sensing approach using open-access satellite imagery to estimate total methane emissions from agricultural ponds that account for (1) monthly fluctuations in the surface area of individual ponds, (2) rates of historical accumulation of agricultural ponds, and (3) the temperature dependence of methane emissions. As a case study, we used this method to inform the 2024 National Greenhouse Gas Inventory reports submitted by the Australian government, in compliance with the Paris Agreement. Total annual methane emissions increased by 58% from 1990 (26 kilotons CH4 year-1) to 2022 (41 kilotons CH4 year-1). This increase is linked to the water surface of agricultural ponds growing by 51% between 1990 (115 kilo hectares; 1,150 km2) and 2022 (173 kilo hectares; 1,730 km2). In Australia, 16,000 new agricultural ponds are built annually, expanding methane-emitting water surfaces by 1,230 ha yearly (12.3 km2 year-1). On average, the methane flux of agricultural ponds in Australia is 0.238 t CH4 ha-1 year-1. These results offer policymakers insights into developing targeted mitigation strategies to curb these specific forms of anthropogenic emissions. For instance, financial incentives, such as carbon or biodiversity credits, can mobilize widespread investments toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing the ecological and environmental values of agricultural ponds. Our data and modeling tools are available on a free cloud-based platform for other countries to adopt this approach.

Underestimation of Thermogenic Methane Emissions in New York City.

Recent studies have shown that methane emissions are underestimated by inventories in many US urban areas. This has important implications for climate change mitigation policy at the city, state, and national levels. Uncertainty in both the spatial distribution and sectoral allocation of urban emissions can limit the ability of policy makers to develop appropriately focused emission reduction strategies. Top-down emission estimates based on atmospheric greenhouse gas measurements can help to improve inventories and inform policy decisions. This study presents a new high-resolution (0.02 × 0.02°) methane emission inventory for New York City and its surrounding area, constructed using the latest activity data, emission factors, and spatial proxies. The new high-resolution inventory estimates of methane emissions for the New York-Newark urban area are 1.3 times larger than those for the gridded Environmental Protection Agency inventory. We used aircraft mole fraction measurements from nine research flights to optimize the high-resolution inventory emissions within a Bayesian inversion. These sectorally optimized emissions show that the high-resolution inventory still significantly underestimates methane emissions within the New York-Newark urban area, primarily because it underestimates emissions from thermogenic sources (by a factor of 2.3). This suggests that there remains a gap in our process-based understanding of urban methane emissions.

Evaluating the prevalence and risk factors for depression in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis: A cross-sectional multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy frequently accompanies Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Notably, people with temporal lobe epilepsy and hippocampal sclerosis may face an increased susceptibility to MDD, as evidence indicates the involvement of the limbic system in the development of emotional symptoms. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and predictors of depression in temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-HS) and compare them to those of other epilepsy types. METHODS: A sample of 293 epilepsy patients, including 159 non-TLE-HS and 134 TLE-HS, were recruited from three hospitals. Of these, 215 completed a two-section electronic survey. The first section collected demographic and epilepsy data, while the second used the Arabic version of the Neurological Disorders Depression Inventory for Epilepsy (NDDI-E). RESULTS: Of 215 patients, 104 (48%) had TLE-HS-38 with right TLE-HS (37%), 56 with left TLE-HS (54%), and 10 with bilateral TLE-HS (10%). The prevalence and severity of depression was assessed with an NDDI-E score of 15 or higher identified 35 patients (16%) with MDD. Valproic acid and lamotrigine were associated with higher NDDI-E scores. No such associations were found for levetiracetam or carbamazepine. Polytherapy in TLE-HS showed a significant correlation with daily poor concentration. CONCLUSION: We explored the differences in depression prevalence between TLE-HS and other epilepsy types and concluded they are minimal but slightly higher in TLE-HS. Predictors of depression such as seizure frequency and disease duration influenced MDD prevalence in TLE-HS. Lamotrigine and valproate were linked to higher NDDI-E scores.

Discriminative capacity of the Spanish version of the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms-II (IDAS-II) for detecting DMS-5 specific disorders and poor quality of life in a clinical sample.

BACKGROUND: Emotional problems can be evaluated using categorical approaches to guide treatment choices focused on targeting specific disorders, or dimensional approaches to reduce symptom severity. Moreover, recent evidence points out the need to intervene in patients' quality of life (QoL), which often remains low even after the remission of emotional problems. Thus, assessment instruments are needed to provide information on diagnosis, symptom severity, and QoL. The present study aimed to provide diagnostic and QoL cutoffs for the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms-II (IDAS-II). METHODS: 273 patients recruited from mental health services in Huelva (Spain) completed the IDAS-II, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and Short Form-36 Health Survey. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to establish cutoff values. Diagnostic, balanced, and screening cutoffs were provided for each IDAS-II scale to detect corresponding diagnoses and poor QoL. RESULTS: The specific IDAS-II scales Suicidality, Panic, Social Anxiety, Claustrophobia, and Traumatic Intrusions showed adequate discrimination values for their corresponding diagnoses (suicidal behavior disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, and post-traumatic stress disorder, respectively). Both the General Depression and Dysphoria scales showed adequate ability to detect major depressive disorder. The IDAS-II scales showed a higher discrimination ability for Mental Health-related QoL, than for General Health-related QoL. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic and QoL cutoffs expand the clinical utility of the IDAS-II in clinical practice and research, making it a comprehensive, detailed, and versatile self-report tool. The IDAS-II allows for the assessment of emotional problems consistent with the dimensional, categorical, transdiagnostic, and QoL approaches.

Occurrence characteristics, environmental trend, and source analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the water environment of industrial zones.

The middle reaches of the Yellow River are rich in energy resources, with the Kuye River, a first-class river in this region, serving as a vital hub for the coal chemical industry within China. This study investigated the occurrence patterns, environmental trends, and ecological risks associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Kuye River Basin, offering insights into the environmental dynamics of regions. The findings indicated that the river sediments primarily contained PAHs with medium to high-molecular weights, exhibiting levels ranging from 402.92 ng/g dw to 16,783.72 ng/g dw, while water bodies predominantly featured PAHs with low to medium molecular weights, ranging from 299.34 ng/L to 10,930.9 ng/L. The source analysis of PAHs indicated that industrial and traffic exhaust emissions were the primary contributors to PAHs in the Kuye basin, with sediments serving as a secondary release source based on fugacity fraction. The content of PAHs in sediment correlated closely with the environmental factors, and the PAHs inventory of the basin was 19.97 tons. The increased overall PAH concentration in the basin posed significant ecological and public health concerns, necessitating urgent attention.

Greenness and neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia.

OBJECTIVES: It is acknowledged that living in a green environment may help mental well-being and this may be especially true for vulnerable people. However, the relationship between greenness and neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia has not been explored yet. METHODS: We collected clinical, neuropsychiatric, and residential data from subjects with dementia living in the province of Modena, Northern Italy. Neuropsychiatric symptoms were measured with the Neuropsychiatry Inventory, a questionnaire administered to the caregiver who assesses the presence and severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms, including delusions, hallucinations, agitation/aggression, dysphoria/depression, anxiety, euphoria/elation, apathy/indifference, disinhibition, irritability/lability, aberrant motor behaviors, sleep disturbances, and appetite/eating changes. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used as a proxy of greenness. Regression models were constructed to study the association between greenness and neuropsychiatric features. RESULTS: 155 patients with dementia were recruited. We found that greenness is variably associated with the risk of having neuropsychiatric symptoms. The risk of apathy was lower with lower levels of greenness (OR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.19-0.91 for NDVI below the median value). The risk of psychosis was higher with lower levels of greenness but with more imprecise values (OR = 1.77, 95% CI 0.84-3.73 for NDVI below the median value). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest a possible association between greenness and neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with dementia. If replicated in larger samples, these findings will pave the road for identifying innovative greening strategies and interventions that can improve mental health in dementia.

Regional sources of NH3, SO2 and CO in the Third Pole.

The Third Pole (TP) is a high mountain region in the world, and is well-known for its pristine environment, but recent development activities in the region have degraded its air quality. Here, we investigate the spatial and temporal changes of the air pollutants ammonia (NH3), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) in TP, and reveal their sources using satellite measurements and emission inventory. We observe a clear seasonal cycle of NH3 in TP, with high values in summer and low values in winter. The intense agriculture activities in the southern TP are the cause of high NH3 (6-8 × 1016 molec./cm2) there. Similarly, CO shows a distinct seasonal cycle with high values in spring in the southeast TP due to biomass burning. In addition, the eastern boundary of TP in the Sichuan and Qinghai provinces also show high values of CO (about 1.5 × 1018 mol/cm2), primarily owing to the industrial activities. There is no seasonal cycle found for SO2 distribution in TP, but relatively high values (8-10 mg/m2) are observed in its eastern boundary. The high-altitude pristine regions of inner TP are also getting polluted because of increased human activities in and around TP, as we estimate positive trends in CO (0.5-1.5 × 1016 mol/cm2/yr) there. In addition, positive trends are also found in NH3 (0.025 × 1016 molec./cm2/yr) during 2008-2020 in most regions of TP and SO2 (about 0.25-0.75 mg/m2/yr) in the Sichuan and Qinghai region during 2000-2020. As revealed by the emission inventory, there are high anthropogenic emissions of NH3, SO2 and CO within TP. There are emissions of pollutants from energy sectors, oil and refinery, agriculture waste burning and manure management within TP. These anthropogenic activities accelerate the ongoing development in TP, but severely erode its environment.

The state-trait sense of self inventory: A psychometric study of self-experience and its relation to psychosis-like manifestations.

The sense of self is a fundamental construct in the study of the mind, yet its psychological nature remains elusive. We introduce a novel 25-item inventory to investigate selfhood both as an enduring trait and a temporary state. We hypothesized two foundational aspects of the self: identity (related to self-referencing and continuity over time) and agency (the perception of controlling own's actions and thoughts). Results from two population studies highlight a singular self-trait factor combining agency and identity. In contrast, self-state measures revealed a bifactorial structure with a high-order factor and three lower-order subfactors: state-identity, state-agency, and state-technology. These factors were predictive of psychosis-like experiences, schizotypal traits, and hopelessness. Mediation analysis demonstrated that the negative association between the sense of self and hopelessness is mediated by depressive manifestations. Our research provides a tool to shed new light on the complexity of the sense of self and its mental health implications.

The McCusker Subjective Cognitive Impairment Inventory (McSCI): a novel measure of perceived cognitive decline.

BACKGROUND: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD), i.e. self/other-reported concerns on one's cognitive functioning without objective evidence of significant decline, is an indicator of dementia risk. There is little consensus on reliability and validity of the available SCD measures. Therefore, introducing a novel and psychometrically sound measure of SCD is timely. OBJECTIVE: The psychometric properties of a new SCD measure, the McCusker Subjective Cognitive Impairment Inventory-Self-Report (McSCI-S), are reported. METHODS: Through review of previously published measures as well as our clinical and research data on people with SCD, we developed a 46-item self-report questionnaire to assess concerns on six cognitive domains, namely, memory, language, orientation, attention and concentration, visuoconstruction abilities and executive function. The McSCI-S was examined in a cohort of 526 participants using factor analysis, item response theory analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: A unidimensional model provided acceptable fit (CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.94, RMSEA [90% CI] = 0.052 [.049, 0.055], WRMR = 1.45). The McSCI-S internal consistency was excellent (.96). A cut-off score of ≥24 is proposed to identify participants with SCDs. Higher McSCI-S scores were associated with poorer general cognition, episodic verbal memory, executive function and greater memory complaints and depressive scores (P < .001), controlling for age, sex and education. CONCLUSIONS: Excellent reliability and construct validity suggest the McSCI-S estimates SCDs with acceptable accuracy while capturing self-reported concerns for various cognitive domains. The psychometric analysis indicated that this measure can be used in cohort studies as well as on individual, clinical settings to assess SCDs.

Psychometric Characteristics of the Italian Version of the Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory.

Sociosexuality refers to the tendency to engage in uncommitted sexual behavior and has been dissected into three domains: sociosexual behavior, attitudes, and desire (Penke & Asendorpf, 2008), which led to the revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI-R), which was validated on a German sample. The current research aimed at translating and validating an Italian version (I-SOI-R), administered to three distinct Italian participant groups. In the first sample (N = 710, females = 521, age = 18-59 years), we found evidence for a bifactor model, articulated in a general sociosexuality factor and three specific factors (behavior, attitudes, desire). High internal consistency was established for total and subscale scores, alongside favorable test-retest reliability. A connection was found between relationship status and sociosexual desire, though not gender dependent. We found evidence for test-retest reliability in a second sample (N = 55, females = 37, age 20-58 years). In a third study (N = 305, females = 147, age = 19-60 years), the earlier findings were replicated, further confirming the I-SOI-R's construct, criterion, and nomological validity on an online sample. Combining data from the three studies revealed full configural, metric, and scalar invariance regarding gender. This allowed us to meaningfully compare the observed scores of women and men and replicated the finding that men display higher levels of unrestricted sociosexuality. In conclusion, the I-SOI-R may serve as a valuable tool to assess and enhance sexual health, albeit warranting future research on construct and criterion validity.

Assessment of psychometric performance for the Chinese version of the Brief Inventory of Perceived Stress integrating exploratory graph analysis and confirmatory factor analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study was to evaluate measurement properties of the Chinese version of the Brief Inventory of Perceived Stress (BIPS-C) and confirm possible solutions for measuring the constructs underlying perceived stress. METHODS: A total of 1356 community residents enrolled and were randomly split into two halves. The first half was used to explore the underlying constructs of the BIPS-C by exploratory graph analysis (EGA) and the second half was used to compare and confirm the constructs by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). RESULTS: The EGA identified a one-factor model of the BIPS-C with an accuracy of 99.3%. One-factor, three-factor, second-order, and bifactor models were compared by CFAs. The bifactor model with one general and three specific factors was found to be the most adequate [comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.990; Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.979; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.058] and was superior to the other models. The related bifactor indices showed a stronger existence of the general factor. The bifactor model of the BIPS-C also showed adequate internal consistency with McDonald's omega and omega subscales ranging from moderate to strong (0.677-0.869). CONCLUSION: The BIPS-C demonstrates sufficient measurement properties for assessing general perceived stress.