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Osteosarcopenia as a risk factor for depression: longitudinal findings from the SHARE study
No full textBackground: Osteosarcopenia (i.e., the co-existence of osteoporosis and sarcopenia) and depression are highly prevalent among older people. However, the association between osteosarcopenia and depression in older people is largely unknown. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate this possible association in a representative sample of the older adult population in Europe and Israel.Methods: Osteosarcopenia was defined as the concomitant presence of osteoporosis and sarcopenia; depressive symptoms in the SHARE study were self-reported using the EURO-D scale. The association between the presence of osteosarcopenia at baseline in people free from depression and incident depression during 12 years of follow-up was analyzed using a Cox's regression analysis, adjusting for several baseline covariates.Results: 16,452 participants were included (mean age 63.7, SD 9.6; females 50.6 %). During the follow-up period, 5056 participants (31.1 % of the initial population) became depressed. People affected by osteosarcopenia became depressed in more than half of the cases compared to a quarter of controls. After adjusting for several potential baseline confounding variables, only sarcopenia (HR, hazard ratio = 1.17; 95 % CI, confidence intervals 1.04–1.32; p = 0.009) and osteosarcopenia (HR = 1.27; CI 95 % 1.12–1.58; p = 0.003) were significantly associated with a higher risk of depression.Limitations: Definition of sarcopenia using an anthropometric equation; definition of depression using the EURO-D scale.Conclusions: The present study identified a significant association between osteosarcopenia and depression over 12 years of follow-up, mainly driven by sarcopenia. If future research confirms the present findings, it may then be prudent to target those with osteosarcopenia to aid in the prevention of onset depression.</p
Clinical validity of repeated circulating tumor cell enumeration as an early treatment monitoring tool for metastatic breast cancer in the PREDICT global pooled analysis
No full textPurpose: The aim of PREDICT was to confirm clinical validity and the potential for clinical utility of serial circulating tumor cell (CTC) enumeration in patients with metastatic breast cancer, focusing on its prognostic value in different breast cancer subtypes and clinical settings. Experimental Design: In total, 4,436 individual patient-level data with CTC results from both baseline and one follow-up (CellSearch; Menarini Silicon Biosystems) were analyzed to evaluate the association between CTC detection and overall survival (OS) in the full patient cohort and separately for tumor and treatment types. Results: Using the cutoff ≥1 CTC for CTC positivity, 913 (20.6%) patients had 0 CTCs at both time points (neg/neg) and 325 (7.3%) and 1,189 (26.8%) patients converted from CTC negative to CTC positive (neg/pos) or vice versa (pos/neg), whereas 2,009 (45.3%) patients had at least one CTC at both time points (pos/pos). The median OS for the neg/neg, neg/pos, pos/neg, and pos/pos group was 45.6, 26.1, 32.3, and 17.3 months, respectively (P Conclusions: Follow-up CTC assessments strongly predict OS independently from tumor subtype and treatment. New randomized trials to define the clinical utility of CTC monitoring for risk stratification and as an early response marker in metastatic breast cancer are urgently needed.</p
National trends in influenza vaccination rates in South Korea before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2011–2022
No full textObjective: Despite the global decrease in influenza infections during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, seasonal influenza remains a significant health issue. South Korea, known for its robust pandemic response and high influenza vaccination rates, offers a unique context for examining changes in vaccination trends during the pandemic. Using nationally representative data, we aimed to understand the impact of the pandemic on influenza vaccination behavior over a 12-year period and to identify vulnerable groups.Methods: We analyzed influenza vaccination rates in South Korea between 2011–2022, focusing on pandemic-related impacts. The data of 2,426,139 adults (≥ 19 years) from the Korea Community Health Survey were used to assess demographic and sociological factors influencing vaccination behaviors.Results: We observed an increase in influenza vaccination rates during the pre-COVID-19 period from 2011–2013 (weighted prevalence: 46.68% [95% confidence interval (CI): 46.55–46.82]) to 2017–2019 (weighted prevalence: 52.50% [95% CI: 52.38–52.63]). However, a significant decline was observed in 2022, the late-COVID-19 pandemic period (weighted prevalence: 55.78% [95% CI: 55.56–56.01]), compared with the mid-pandemic period in 2021 (weighted prevalence: 59.12% [95% CI: 58.91– 59.32]), particularly among populations traditionally prioritized for influenza vaccination, including older adults (≥ 65 years) and patients with chronic diseases and low educational and income levels.Conclusion: The influenza vaccination rate in South Korea was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, showing a notable decrease among vulnerable demographic groups. This suggests the need for targeted public health strategies to address vaccine hesitancy and improve vaccination rates, particularly among high-risk populations.</p
The analysis of blended and hybrid higher education system of UK top-up degree in Japan
No full textBlended and hybrid learning has transformed education globally. Japan has extensively implemented hybrid and mixed-learning methods, which is reflected in the research. However, there is little research undertaken on UK institutions' Top-Up degree offerings in Japan. The present study evaluates the competitiveness of UK Top-Up degree programmes and highlights the benefits of choosing blended and hybrid learning methods. This study examines why participants chose a UK postgraduate diploma degree with an online Top-Up course over a Japanese MBA. In so doing, this study also assesses hybrid and mixed learning in UK Top-Up degrees. The thesis also considers future expansion, including Japanese and UK joint ventures. A pragmatic and abductive research philosophy were adopted to achieve the objectives. This selection enabled the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, facilitating insights and generalisations regarding the choice of hybrid and blended learning in UK Top-Up degrees in Japan, compared to regular Master's programmes in Japanese universities. A questionnaire-based survey was the primary data collection tool, gathering experiences, perceptions, and beliefs from students enrolled in UK Top-Up degree courses in Japan. The research findings hold significant implications for the future development of top-degree programmes in Japan. The insights obtained from the study can inform programme tailoring better to meet the preferences and needs of Japanese students, potentially fostering collaboration opportunities and increased enrolment.</p
International Consortium to Classify Ageing-related Pathologies (ICCARP) senescence definitions: achieving international consensus
No full textWith the global increase in ageing populations, a clear understanding of the physiological and pathological changes associated with ageing is vital for advancing research and clinical practice. Following the World Health Organization’s decision to classify age-related aetiologies, the International Consortium to Classify Ageing-related Pathologies (ICCARP) was established in 2023, led by Cardiff Metropolitan University.</p
An analysis of Rock Against Racism and Love Music, Hate Racism
No full textThis thesis investigates the socio-political dynamics and cultural significance of two prominent antiracist organisations in Britain: Rock Against Racism (RAR) and Love Music, Hate Racism (LMHR). In exploring their historical context, cultural expressions, and organisational strategies, this analysis elucidates how these music-based movements have challenged racism within the music industry and wider society. Utilising data from 27 semi-structured interviews alongside participant observations, the study reveals the participants’ lived experiences and diverse perspectives and uncovers the challenges they faced, particularly in relation to their political associations with the far left. Through a comparative analysis of RAR and LMHR, the study highlights the evolution and relationship between RAR and LMHR, emphasising their responses to shifting political landscapes over three separate time periods. The findings demonstrate how each movement adapted to evolving social and political contexts. RAR employed punk and reggae to bridge racial divides, while LMHR leveraged grime and indie music to engage new generations. Both movements effectively utilised media to amplify their messages. This research contributes to a nuanced understanding of their impact on contemporary antiracist discourse and provides a comprehensive overview of the mobilisation of musical activism against racism, revealing the complexities and continuities within the broader antiracist movement.</p
Robust low-rank tensor constrained orthogonal symmetric non-negative matrix factorization for multi-layer networks community detection
No full textIn multi-layer network community detection, the goal is to group nodes into distinct clusters based on their connection strengths. Currently, many existing methods do not fully leverage the relationships between layers, and observed multi-layer networks often contain noise that can significantly impact the accuracy of community detection. To address these challenges, a robust low-rank tensor constrained orthogonal symmetric non-negative matrix factorization method for multi-layer network community detection (RTOSNMF) is introduced. Specifically, noise is separated from raw adjacency matrices using linear separation, and an l2,1 norm constraint is applied to achieve denoising. Clean adjacency matrices are then used to perform orthogonal symmetric non-negative matrix factorization, extracting latent representations of the multi-layer networks. Moreover, the nuclear norm is utilized to preserve the low-rank property of the adjacency tensor, aiding in the discovery of higher-order inter-layer relationships. An algorithm based on the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM) is designed to solve the RTOSNMF model. Extensive experiments conducted on eight datasets demonstrate superior performance of the proposed model compared with fifteen state-of-the-art methods.</p
Leveraging organisational agility in B2B ecosystems to mitigate food waste and loss: a stakeholder perspective
No full textFacing global challenges and uncertainty, food wastage and loss (FWL) have become pressing concerns for food industry stakeholders across the supply chain, impacting United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). This study investigates how organisational agility within business-to-business (B2B) supply chains promotes innovative strategies to reduce FWL. Specifically, through qualitative methods involving interviews and observations with stakeholders in Nigerian food supply chains, this study explores the integration of technological innovations like data-driven decisions, and automation in B2B collaborations to enhance resilience and reduce waste. The findings demonstrate that active and proactive innovative strategies can effectively reduce FWL at the pre-consumption stage. This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating how technological innovation and organisational agility combine to mitigate food waste and loss within pre-consumption stages of B2B supply chains. It also promotes organisational agility within B2B settings, emphasising innovative partnerships and sustainable food supply chain development. These insights address waste in the context of pressing global challenges such as food inequality, economic disparities, environmental degradation, hunger, and malnutrition.</p
The role of grandparents in early education and care in the 21st century: a thematic literature review of the UK research landscape
No full textIn recent years there has been increased interest in undertaking research about grandparents in different contexts and across a variety of academic disciplines. Although the role of grandparents as pivotal figures is often recognised, these roles are frequently taken for granted in the field of early childhood education and care. There is little mention of the vital roles that they may play in partnerships between families and early years settings or schools. This paper presents a literature review on grandparent roles in the 21st century in the UK. Four EBSCO education and child development databases, set keywords, and clear inclusion/exclusion criteria were used. Forty-one peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2023 were selected and a qualitative thematic analysis undertaken, which identified three main themes: 1) intergenerational learning; 2) social and cultural influences; and 3) support for families.
Findings highlight the significant and multifaceted place of grandparents as supporters and mediators of culture within contemporary families, education and care settings, and different ecosystems inhabited by the grandchildren. By exploring various ways in which grandparents contribute to family functioning, this review offers important insights for educare professionals, including nannies and childminders, as well as for policymakers, about the possibility of establishing synergistic partnerships with grandparents.</p
Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase augments the bone anabolic response to mechanical loading in male mice
No full textAbstract
Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) is an enzyme predominantly expressed in osteoclasts, where it plays a pivotal role in bone remodeling. Deficiency in TRAP leads to severe skeletal impairments such as osteopetrosis in humans and mice. While mechanical loading is known to promote bone mass and growth, the role of TRAP in this adaptive process remains unclear. Here, we applied axial tibial loading and micro-CT analysis to investigate differences in anabolic response to mechanical loading in 16-wk-old male TRAP KO (TRAP−/−) and WT littermate control mice. In WT mice, mechanical loading enhanced the tibial periosteally enclosed area, trabecular bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness, and trabecular number, indicating a robust anabolic response to mechanical strain. In contrast, TRAP−/− mice failed to increase cortical bone and displayed markedly reduced trabecular bone formation under the same loading conditions. Analysis of epiphyseal growth plate bony bridges revealed that the number of bridges in lateral tibiae was reduced in TRAP−/− mice compared to that in WT control mice following mechanical loading, signifying an impaired mechanoadaptive response. Serum alkaline phosphatase concentrations in TRAP−/− mice were similar to those in WT controls, indicating that the inability to respond to mechanical load in TRAP−/− mice is due to TRAP’s specific role in the bone’s adaptive responses to mechanical loading, possibly involving partially impaired osteoblastic bone formation. These findings highlight TRAP as a mediator of bone adaptation to mechanical loading. Understanding the functions of TRAP in mechanoadaptation could direct therapeutic strategies aimed at improving bone strength and treating conditions associated with TRAP dysfunction.</p
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