Personality traits and childhood trauma as correlates of metabolic risk factors: the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA)

Objective

Personality and childhood trauma may affect cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, evidence for an association with metabolic risk factors for CVD is limited and ambiguous. Moreover, despite their interrelatedness, personality and childhood trauma were not yet studied simultaneously. Therefore, we aimed to explore whether personality and childhood trauma are correlates of metabolic risk factors.

Methods

Among 2755 participants of the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), we investigated through linear regression models whether Big Five personality traits (i.e., extraversion, openness, agreeableness, neuroticism and conscientiousness) and childhood trauma type (i.e., emotional neglect, and psychological, physical and sexual abuse) were correlates of metabolic risk factors (i.e., lipids, waist circumference (WC), glucose and blood pressure). Basic covariates (i.e., age, sex and income level), lifestyle, severity of depressive symptoms and years of education were taken into account.

Results

Openness was the most robust favorable correlate, and sexual abuse was the most robust unfavorable correlate of lipids and WC, and of overall metabolic risk (β = −.070; p < .001 and β = .035; p = .04, respectively).

Conclusions

People with a low openness trait and those who experienced childhood sexual abuse are at higher risk of dyslipidemia and abdominal obesity.     

Theoretical models for ac impedance of finite diffusion layers exhibiting low frequency dispersion

This paper is concerned with frequency dispersion in the low frequency range of electrochemical impedance measurements in thin layer cells such as electrochromic devices, conducting polymer-coated electrodes, ion exchange membranes, and in general any type of diffusion layer which exerts some hindrance to mass transport at the boundaries. New theoretical models are developed for diagnostic applications and treatment of cases in which systematic deviations from the standard models for spatially restricted diffusion impedances are found. This is done by using a generalized boundary condition in the solution of Fick’s law for a small ac perturbation. The resulting model has several satisfactory properties: (a) it generalizes in effect classical boundary conditions related to absorbing and reflecting boundaries, (b) it provides exact analytical solutions which can be tested experimentally, and (c) it provides a very simple physical picture of the origin of low frequency dispersion in film electrodes in terms of interfacial transfer functions. The properties of the generalized diffusion impedance imply that boundary effects cannot influence the impedance for frequencies in excess of the characteristic diffusion frequency ω_d=D/L². On the other hand, at low frequencies the response is a mixture of ‘volume’ and ‘boundary’ properties of the layer. Several particularized examples of blocking and non-blocking dispersive boundary conditions are studied in detail. An extended discussion is focused on a blocking interface that presents a capacitive dispersion describable as a constant phase element (CPE). Approximating expressions are derived which allow separation of boundary and volume contributions in the extreme low frequency range. This is expected to provide a powerful analytical tool for analysis in those instances where a sloped line is found in the low frequency region of the measured impedance.     

同一车间中冲压工和下料工个体噪声暴露的测量与评价

目的　测量和评价同一车间中冲压工和下料工的环境噪声水平和个体噪声暴露水平。方法　用声级计在工人工作位耳高度测量 1min等效声级 (LAeq·1min) ,用个体计量仪测量工人 8h个体噪声暴露的等效声级 (LAeq·8h)。结果　冲压机和剪板机分别安装在车间的不同区域 ,各设备间无隔声装置。冲压工和下料工的个体噪声暴露水平随时间而不断变化 ,有代表性的采样时间难以确定 ,而用个体计量仪收集LAeq·8h的噪声暴露数据稳定性较好。冲压工和下料工工作位的LAeq·1min均为 (92 5± 2 1)dB(A) ,个体噪声暴露水平LAeq·8h分别为 (95 3± 2 5)dB(A)和 (95 2± 3 5)dB(A) ,LAeq·8h的测定数值高于LAeq·1min2 7～ 2 8dB(A) ,P <0 0 1。结论　在同一车间工作的冲压工和下料工的工作环境噪声水平相似、个体噪声暴露水平相似 ,个体噪声暴露水平明显高于环境噪声的测量数值。个体噪声暴露的测量更适合于类似复杂噪声环境中工作人员的噪声暴露评价     

Selective and enduring deficits in spatial learning after limited neonatal binge alcohol exposure in male rats

BACKGROUND: In rats, heavy bingelike alcohol exposure during the neonatal brain growth spurt [postnatal days (PD) 4-9] can impair development of spatial learning. This study tested whether binge exposure limited to the latter half of this period (PD 7-9) produced selective spatial learning deficits that endured into adulthood. METHODS: On PD 7 to 9, Long-Evans rats were given intubations of alcohol (5.25 g/kg/day), sham intubations, or no intubations. Rats were tested as adults (>or=PD 70) in the Morris water maze under one of three different conditions: place (submerged escape platform in the same location each trial), random (submerged platform in a different, random location each trial), or redundant (visible platform that protruded above the water, in the same location for each trial). A 60-sec probe trial (with no platform present) followed the last acquisition trial. RESULTS: The mean peak blood alcohol concentration was 401 mg/dl on PD 7. Neonatal alcohol treatment significantly impaired acquisition and reduced place biases on the probe trial in place-trained males, but not females. Neonatal alcohol treatment had no significant effects on acquisition performance of the random or redundant groups. Redundant training yielded rapid acquisition for all groups. The visible cue overshadowed place cues for all treatment groups, but small place biases were evident in controls. After random training, no group showed place biases. CONCLUSIONS: Heavy alcohol exposure in rats limited to the last half of the neonatal brain growth spurt caused enduring deficits in spatial learning, but only in males. The deficits were specific to place learning in the Morris water maze and emerged only when learning and performance depended on the use of distal place cues.     

The Hemodynamic Effect of the Support Mode for the Intra‐Aorta Pump on the Cardiovascular System

Intra‐aorta pump is a novel rotary ventricular assist device. Because of the special structure and connection with the native heart, the hemodynamic effect of support mode of this pump on the cardiovascular system is not clear. In this work, three support modes, including “constant speed” mode, “co‐pulse” mode, and “counter‐pulse” mode, have been designed for the intra‐aorta pump to evaluate the hemodynamic effect of different support modes on the cardiovascular system. Simulation results demonstrate that that both “co‐pulse” mode and “counter‐pulse” mode can achieve better unloading performance than “constant speed” mode. The intra‐aorta pump controlled by “co‐pulse” mode is beneficial for improving coronary flow. Moreover, the external work, which is defined as the product of left ventricular pressure and cardiac output, under “co‐pulse” mode is the minimum of the three support modes (0.783 w vs. 0.615 w vs. 0.702 w). The pulsatility ratio, defined as the ratio of the peak‐to‐peak value of arterial pressure (AP) to the mean arterial pressure value, under “co‐pulse” mode is the maximum of the three modes (24% vs. 32.8% vs. 23.7%). The equivalent afterload value, which is the ratio of pulsatile pressure at the pump inflow and pulsatile pump flow, is larger than other support modes (0.596 mm Hg.s/mL vs. 0.9704 mm Hg.s/mL vs. 0.55 mm Hg.s/mL). In brief, the intra‐aorta pump under “co‐pulse” mode support is beneficial for improving myocardial perfusion and restoring pulsatility of AP, while “counter‐pulse” mode is beneficial to the perfusion of vital organs.     

Calculating the Number of Pregnant Women Receiving Standardized Services for PMTCT of HIV in Liangshan Prefecture,Based on the Equivalent Method

ObjectiveTo calculate the number of pregnant women who receive standardized prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services for HIV annually.MethodsHIV-positive pregnant women in six counties of Liangshan Prefecture in 2017 were selected as study subjects. The entire process, from when the subjects first received the PMTCT of HIV services to the end, was divided into four stages, which were further divided into 25 phases. The equivalent coefficient was used to indicate the weight of workload in each phase. Seven experts were invited to score the equivalent coefficient; the number of pregnant women who received standardized services to prevent the transmission of HIV was calculated.ResultsA total of 663 HIV-positive pregnant women were registered in six Liangshan Prefecture counties in 2017. This figure was converted into 7,780 person-months devoted to HIV-positive pregnant women, with 260 person-months (3.34%) spent on the first antenatal care, 1,510 person-months (19.41%) during pregnancy, 378 person-months (4.86%) on delivery, and 5,632 person-months (72.39%) on post-partum period. The equivalent coefficient calculation showed that 314 HIV-positive pregnant women received standardized PMTCT services.ConclusionThe number of pregnant women receiving standardized services for the PMTCT of HIV can be calculated accurately using the equivalent method to identify the gap between the level of PMTCT of HIV intervention services needed and the actual workload.     

Equivalent source estimation of scalp potential fields contaminated by heteroscedastic and correlated noise

Summary The customary ordinary least squares (OLS) approach to the estimation of equivalent sources of scalp potential fields relies on the assumption that noise in the potential measurements has an equal variance and is uncorrelated over leads. It is shown that this assumption is likely to be violated in practice, for instance by the use of a common reference lead. We describe tests to detect these violations and we propose several versions of an alternative estimation method called iterated generalised least squares (IGLS), which accounts for heteroscedastic or correlated noise by incorporating an estimate of the covariance matrix of the noise derived from single trial OLS residuals. Simulation results indicate that these alternatives give a considerable increase in the accuracy of both the parameter and the standard error and confidence interval estimates. The proposed tests and methods are finally integrated into a stepwise approach to equivalent source estimation, which incorporates in addition a test on the goodness of fit of the model, an assessment of the confidence intervals of the parameters and a powerful test of differences between experimental conditions. This stepwise approach is applied to the modelling of equivalent sources of early visual potentials elicited in a spatial attention task.The authors thank Berry Wijers and Johan Lange for providing the empirical data and for their helpful comments of on an earlier draft of the paper. They also thank Dirk Heslenfeld for helpful comments on an earlier draft.     

Optimal placebo response rates for comparing two binomial proportions

This paper considers the problem of comparing proportions in clinical trials where two parallel groups are studied. The question of what will happen to the response rate of an active therapy if some external factor affects the placebo rate is asked and two different, but similar, answers are proposed. Assuming either a logistic or probit model has substantial influence on the sample size required to detect differences and optimal comparisons are suggested. The idea is illustrated by a clinical trial of treatment for peptic ulcer and suggestions for other possible applications are presented.     

Statistical methods used in the estimation of age-specific paediatric reference intervals for laboratory blood tests: A systematic review

IntroductionThere is an emerging realisation that paediatric reference intervals (RIs) estimated using discrete age-groups may be misleading, especially close to age cut-off values. This limitation has been addressed by estimating RIs that vary continuously with age. This systematic review examines the range of statistical methods used over the past 25 years for estimation of age-specific RIs, and identifies trends in usage and reporting.MethodsLiterature searches were conducted using predefined search criteria for original publications between 1993 and 2018 on the MEDLINE and Embase databases. Data related to sample size, treatment of age (as categorical or continuous), and statistical methods were extracted from the selected publications.ResultsA total of 238 publications were reviewed. Not all publications reported the statistical methods used in different steps. Among the publications, 167 (70%) reported discrete age-group RIs, 54 (23%) reported continuous RIs and 17 (7%) reported both types of RIs. The nonparametric statistical method was commonly used for discrete age-group RIs (64%, n = 117), whereas a wide variety of curve-fitting approaches, including Cole's lambda-mu-sigma method (28%, n = 20), parametric curve-based methods (28%, n = 20), generalised additive model for location, scale and shape method (13%, n = 9) and quantile regression (11%, n = 8) were used for continuous RIs.ConclusionsImprovement in the reporting of statistical methods used for estimating age-specific paediatric RIs is required. There has been insufficient uptake of methods for producing continuous RIs, especially for biomarkers that display strong age-dependence.     

RJ32-2106P和AT1123两种Χ-γ剂量率仪响应时间性能研究

目的 探讨国内医用X射线诊断工作场所放射防护检测中存在的问题，试验比较国产和进口两款X-γ剂量率仪响应时间性能，评估其在医用X射线诊断工作场所放射防护检测中的适用性。方法 在一台医用X射线摄影机上，使用固定的管电压（70 kV），分别设定不同的管电流获取高中低三档剂量，曝光时间从10 ms递增至1 000 ms，记录不同曝光时间下两种X-γ剂量率仪的周围剂量当量率读数。结果 国产RJ32-2106P型X-γ剂量率仪在3档剂量水平的X射线中，低剂量档时间响应为160 ms，中、高剂量档对应的响应时间为50~64 ms；AT1123的响应时间在3个剂量档均稳定在80~100 ms左右。结论 在医用X射线诊断机房防护检测时，应根据X射线辐射场，选择能够测量短时间出束和脉冲辐射场的设备进行测量。RJ32-2106P和AT1123X-γ剂量率仪在不同剂量水平下时间响应在200 ms以内，适用于医用X射线诊断机房的放射防护检测。