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Mental health and peer relationship problems in preterm born adolescents: Which factors predict absence of symptoms?
Get PDFBackground Preterm birth is associated with difficulties in mental health and peer relationships in adolescence; however, most preterm adolescents do not experience these difficulties.
Objective To apply machine learning models to identify key early predictors of better mental health and peer relationships in preterm adolescents.
Methods The participants of the current study included 1472 preterm and 16,389 full-term individuals from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (2000−02). Early factors included a range of measurements across the following broad categories in infancy and early childhood: sociodemographic, family structure and environment, child-related birth and infancy factors, and early childhood factors. Mental health and peer relationships were assessed at 11, 14, and 17 years using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.
Results The prediction model in preterm born adolescents had the highest accuracy for 17 years of age and in hyperactivity/inattention disorders (75 %, 82.7 %, 92 %, at 11, 14 and 17 years respectively) and conduct/oppositional disorders (80 %, 78 %, 87.1 %, respectively). A similar pattern was found in full-term born adolescents. Family structure and environment related factors in early childhood contributed to better mental health and peer relationships problems in both preterm and full-term adolescents. In preterm born adolescents, motor skills in infancy and better cognitive development and emotional regulation in early childhood predicted better mental health and peer relationships.
Conclusions This study suggests that machine learning can help paediatricians differentiate preterm children who will not develop mental health symptoms and peer relationship problems from those at risk for developing these problems in adolescence
Sex-based differences in swimming performance in 10-years-old-and-under athletes in short course national competition.
Get PDFThe need for sex-segregated youth swimming is debated. A previous report indicates that male swimmers aged 10-and-under are 1%-2% faster than females in long course freestyle, butterfly, backstroke, and individual medley (IM), but not breaststroke events. Another report indicates that at age 10 males are 1%-2.5% faster than females in long course freestyle events. However, there are no evaluations for short course competitions. Therefore, the top eight performances for both sexes from the National Club Swimming Association Age Group Championships (a short course meet) for the years 2016-2023 in the 10-and-under age group were analyzed. Males were 1.16%-2.63% faster (p < 0.05; effect sizes 0.376-0.596) than females in the 50 yards (yd; 45.7 m), 100 yd (91.4 m), and 200 yd (182.9 m) freestyle, 100 yd backstroke, 50 yd breaststroke, 100 yd butterfly, and 100 and 200 yd IM. There were no significant sex-based differences in the 500 yd (457.2 m) freestyle, 50 yd backstroke, 100 yd breaststroke, or 50 yd butterfly. The individual fastest time for a female was faster than for a male in the 50, 100, and 500 yd freestyle, 50 and 100 yd backstroke, 50 and 100 yd butterfly, and 100 yd IM. Although in eight out of 12 events the individual fastest times were from females, in eight out of 12 events the average male times were significantly faster. The present data suggest that although some exceptional individual 10-and-under female swimmers do exist, their performance is not representative of the typical sex-based differences in swimming performance
Evaluating trustworthiness across ethnically diverse human and commercial synthesised voices: A comparative study
Get PDFThis study examined trustworthiness perceptions in the tone of voice of human and real-world synthesised voices, focusing on the impact of acoustic features, speaker and listener ethnicities, listener biases toward voice-based intelligent agents and speaker nature (human vs synthesised). Speech rate, mean pitch, harmonics-to-noise ratio, jitter, shimmer, cepstral peak prominence, and long-term average spectrum, significantly influenced trustworthiness ratings across both human and synthesised voices. Synthesised voices were rated as sounding more trustworthy than human voices with no explicit intent behind their tone of voice (i.e., neutral). However, synthesised voices were rated as sounding less trustworthy than human voices when human speakers intentionally attempted to sound trustworthy. Moreover, listener biases were measured using the Negative Attitudes toward Robots Scale (NARS), where a general scepticism toward robots lowered trustworthiness ratings overall. White speakers were consistently rated as more trustworthy than Black or south Asian speakers across all listener ethnic groups. The findings highlight the need to optimise acoustic properties of synthesised voices for trustworthiness while addressing biases related to speaker ethnicity and listener attitudes toward robots
Sedimentary blue carbon around decommissioned oil and gas platforms in the North Sea.
Get PDFShelf sea habitats contain significant sedimentary carbon stocks, due to their large spatial extent, and act as key ecosystems for global carbon cycling. These shelf sediments are subject to a range of anthropogenic pressures including seabed trawling, climate change and the introduction of man-made structures (MMS), such as oil and gas platforms. In the North Sea, following their production lifespan, MMS are required to be mandatorily decommissioned under OSPAR Decision 98/3. Understanding the impact of decommissioned MMS on sedimentary carbon stores is a significant research gap, as these platforms are widespread throughout many shelf seas, with many now exceeding or approaching the end of their designed lifespan. In this study we quantify carbon stocks, organic and inorganic carbon content, and sediment characteristics from shelf sediment cores taken at increasing distances (50-3200 m) away from two decommissioned North Sea oil and gas platforms, Miller and North West Hutton. Carbon accumulation rates were also determined for sediments collected around North West Hutton. Organic carbon content at Miller was highest within 50 m (24.55 ± 2.49 mg/g of sediment) of the decommissioned platform and significantly lower across all other sampling distances. Conversely, organic carbon content at North West Hutton did not vary greatly with distance; however, a significant decrease was seen at 200 m. These findings highlight that carbon dynamics around decommissioned oil and gas platforms are site-specific. Moreover, the absence of pre-decommissioning data limits our ability or disentangle the effects of decommissioning on sedimentary carbon
“No poverty” (SDG 1), “Zero hunger” (SDG 2) and HRM
No full textThe link between HRM and poverty and hunger is complex. While workers’ general welfare could be thought of as being in the separate private domain, the absence of poverty is dependent, in capitalist society, upon paid employment and so poverty is directly related to wages. In addition, while access to food may seem like an even further point of separation, hunger is directly related to wages and, in addition, any working day will traverse a time when food would normally be consumed: the lunch break. Historically, whilst general workplace conditions improved in the West as a result of regulation, unionisation and paternalism, this trend reversed in the period identified with neoliberalism from this point in the early 1980s. This chapter identifies the links between HR practice, food, and poverty. It traces the history of these links and then presents two contrasting national case studies: the UK and Sri Lanka
When Do Sanctions on Terrorist Groups Work?
No full textA substantial literature studies the effects of sanctions against states, but far less is known about sanctions against violent non-state actors. We argue and show that the effectiveness of counterterrorism sanctions hinges on terrorist groups’ financial adaptability. Groups with low financial adaptability are likely to reduce attacks due to sanctions. In contrast, groups with high financial adaptability are likely to adapt to sanctions and continue attacks. Case study analysis of the 80 U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organizations between 1997 and 2019, summarized in a systematic large- n qualitative study, support this claim. We find no evidence that FTO sanctions reduce attacks when terrorist groups possess high financial adaptability. FTO sanctions only led to reduced attacks for a few low/medium adaptability groups. Our analysis is the first to show a direct link between adaptability and counterterrorism sanctions, with important implications for adaptation and the role of sanctions as a foreign policy instrument
Subcortical Brain Structures Among Maltreated Youth With High and Low Externalizing Problems
No full textAlterations in brain structure following adversity show inconsistencies. Jointly considering maltreatment exposure alongside externalizing psychopathology may therefore prove helpful. However, few prospective studies currently follow up maltreated youth with high or low externalizing problems using neuroimaging assessments. A structural magnetic resonance imaging study was conducted using T1-weighted scans from 98 youth (MAge=14.76, SDAge=1.96; 51% girls) comparing participants with low (n=29) and high (n=29) maltreatment exposure to carefully matched non-maltreated controls (n=40). Comprehensive assessments of maltreatment history and psychopathology were ascertained across two waves, applying the Maltreatment Classification System alongside caregiver- and teacher-reported externalizing problems. Neuroimaging was conducted at the second wave. We found dose-dependent amygdala volume reductions following maltreatment and particularly abuse exposure, primarily driven by the basolateral subregion. Interaction analyses revealed lower amygdalar and hippocampal volumes in youth exposed to more vs. less extensive maltreatment, but merely among those with elevated externalizing problems. These findings highlight the value of the ecophenotype model for elucidating neural correlates of maltreatment and its sequelae
Semantic Communications in 6G: Coexistence, Multiple Access, and Satellite Networks
Get PDFThe exponential growth of wireless users and bandwidth constraints necessitates innovative communication paradigms for next-generation networks. Semantic Communication (SemCom) emerges as a promising solution by transmitting extracted meaning rather than raw bits, enhancing spectral efficiency and enabling intelligent resource allocation. This paper explores the integration of SemCom with conventional Bit-based Communication (BitCom) in heterogeneous networks, highlighting key challenges and opportunities. We analyze multiple access techniques, including Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA), to support coexisting SemCom and BitCom users. Furthermore, we examine multi-modal SemCom frameworks for handling diverse data types and discuss their applications in satellite networks, where semantic techniques mitigate bandwidth limitations and harsh channel conditions. Finally, we identify future directions for deploying semantic-aware systems in 6G and beyond
Anomaly Detection in Dynamic Graphs Using Multiple Encoding Strategies via Transformers
Get PDFAccurate anomaly detection in dynamic graph networks suffers due to lack of coverage of all aspects of information; specifically temporal, spatial and centrality based cross-coupled information. This work aims to address the challenge of precise and accurate anomaly detection in dynamic graph networks. It uses a graph-based diffusion technique to sample a fixed-size, yet cross-coupled, information-rich circumstantial node set for target edges. Centrality enabled spatial-temporal node encoding is considered as input to the dynamic graph based transformer network. The proposed method uses a set of four elements to make up the node encoding. The four encoding terms are combined to create an input that contains extensive centrality based cross-coupled spatial-temporal node encoding. The transformer module simultaneously captures all the required attributes with a single encoder. The performance of the proposed method is validated on six different datasets; UCI Messages, Bitcoin-Alpha, Digg Social, Enron Email, Epinions-Trust and AS-Topology. The proposed method outperforms the existing methods in terms of AUC-ROC score, accuracy, loss, and precision. Results show an improvement of 2.42% AUC-ROC value over the existing methods proving the models ability to counter over-fitting and provide accurate results
Meet, Greet and Eat: Farmed Animals as Dark Tourism Attractions
Get PDFThe growing popularity of the countryside as a place of consumption and recreation has contributed to the diversification of farming into tourism and the commodification of farm animals for touristic use. For example, in the UK, a number of livestock farms have opened their premises to the public, configuring and promoting them as tourism attractions whereby visitors can experience the immediacy and vitality of animal life, often portrayed as unfettered and joyful. At the same time, they have also responded to concerns around the negative impact on health and sustainability of conventional farming systems by opening farm shops that offer, amongst other things, their own fresh farm-reared meat direct to the consumer. Drawing upon the concept of embodied ethics in organizational studies (Hancock, 2008) and embodiment in tourism research (Baerenholdt et al., 2004, Veijola & Valtonen, 2007), we problematize this idyllic view of farming and farm animals as a curious form of dark tourism whereby non-human animal life and death become intimately entwined asobjects of profoundly embodied consumption practices. Gaze, touch, and practices of embodied incorporation are all combined as the living are looked upon, petted, and often internalised as anthropomorphic friends and companions, while the dead are equally evaluated by eye and hand and, ultimately, both ingested and excreted. There-fore, by paying particular attention to embodied engagement between people and farm animals, we take an ethical perspective that is sensitive to the embodied and situated nature of animal dark tourism