Do social support and community engagement act as mechanisms in the association between neighbourhood income inequality and the mental health of mothers in Calgary,Canada? A mediation analysis

PurposeAccording to the social determinants of health framework, income inequality is a potential risk factor for adverse mental health. However, few studies have explored the mechanisms suspected to mediate this relationship. The current study addresses this gap through a mediation analysis to determine if social support and community engagement act as mediators linking neighbourhood income inequality to maternal anxiety and depressive symptoms within a cohort of new mothers living in the City of Calgary, Canada.MethodsData collected at three years postpartum from mothers belonging to the All Our Families (AOF) cohort were used in the current study. Maternal data were collected between 2012 and 2015 and linked to neighbourhood socioeconomic data from the 2006 Canadian Census. Income inequality was measured using Gini coefficients derived from 2006 after-tax census data. Generalized structural equation models were used to quantify the associations between income inequality and mental health symptoms, and to assess the potential direct and indirect mediating effects of maternal social support and community engagement.ResultsIncome inequality was not significantly associated with higher depressive symptoms (β = 0.32, 95%CI = −0.067, 0.70), anxiety symptoms (β = 0.11, 95%CI = −0.39, 0.60), or lower social support. Income inequality was not associated with community engagement. For the depression models, higher social support was significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms (β = −0.13, 95%CI = −0.15, −0.097), while community engagement was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.059, 95%CI = −0.15, 0.27). Similarly, for the anxiety models, lower anxiety symptoms were significantly associated with higher levels of social support (β = −0.17, 95%CI = −0.20, −0.13) but not with higher levels of community engagement (β = 0.14, 95%CI = −0.14, 0.41).ConclusionThe current study did not find clear evidence for social support or community engagement mediating the relationship between neighbourhood income inequality and maternal mental health. Future investigations should employ a broader longitudinal approach to capture changes in income inequality, potential mediators, and mental health symptomatology over time.     

2035年中国入围科技期刊“世界第一方阵”:基础、差距与推进思路

【目的】 在“中国科技期刊卓越行动计划”实施三周年之际,有必要对我国科技期刊2035年迈入“世界第一方阵”目标的具体任务进行重新审视和预判,以进一步明确发展方向,动态调整推进思路。【方法】 采用国内外科技期刊、科技论文、科技期刊评价成果的系统性发展数据对科技期刊“世界第一方阵” 国家(或地区)在高水平科技期刊数量与质量层面的入围标准进行界定,在深入总结现有基础和优势的同时,对我国科技期刊综合实力与“世界第一方阵”国家(或地区)的现实差距进行逐一梳理和剖析,并对实现目标的可行性和推进思路进行研判和设计。【结果】 必须继续加强高水平英文科技期刊创办和培育力度、持续加大优秀中文科技期刊的建设强度、快速推进国内外科技期刊论文等质同效评价制度的建设与引导,并积极探索建立科学家和科研机构办好一流科技期刊的责任制度和贡献激励机制、创新发展编辑人才队伍培养与激励管理思路、深入实践灵活多样的期刊出版市场资本运作模式、稳步推进期刊出版市场机制和管理制度改革,为我国科技期刊事业的高质量发展提速增效。【结论】 虽然当前阶段目标任务艰巨,但迈入“世界第一方阵”未来可期。     

Derivation of occupational exposure limits: Differences in methods and protection levels

Frameworks for deriving occupational exposure limits (OELs) and OEL-analogue values (such as derived-no-effect levels [DNELs]) in various regulatory areas in the EU and at national level in Germany were analysed. Reasons for differences between frameworks and possible means of improving transparency and harmonisation were identified. Differences between assessment factors used for deriving exposure limits proved to be one important reason for diverging numerical values. Distributions for exposure time, interspecies and intraspecies extrapolation were combined by probabilistic methods and compared with default values of assessment factors used in the various OEL frameworks in order to investigate protection levels. In a subchronic inhalation study showing local effects in the respiratory tract, the probability that assessment factors were sufficiently high to protect 99% and 95% of the target population (workers) from adverse effects varied considerably from 9% to 71% and 17% to 87%, respectively, between the frameworks. All steps of the derivation process, including the uncertainty associated with the point of departure (POD), were further analysed with two examples of full probabilistic assessments. It is proposed that benchmark modelling should be the method of choice for deriving PODs and that all OEL frameworks should provide detailed guidance documents and clearly define their protection goals by stating the proportion of the exposed population the OEL aims to cover and the probability with which they intend to provide protection from adverse effects. Harmonisation can be achieved by agreeing on the way to perform the methodological steps for deriving OELs and on common protection goals.     

Temporal changes in extra-axial brain hematoma's signal intensity in magnetic resonance images of trauma patients: A preliminary,technical study

IntroductionDating the exact or estimated time of trauma is an important issue facing forensic medicine. Several clinical and radiological methods were used to achieve this purpose. In the recent study, we aimed to track the changes in the signal intensity of the extra-axial brain hematoma using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) conventional sequences as well as diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC).Materials and methodsConsidering inclusion and exclusion criteria, all patients with blunt head trauma were involved. After proper management., stabilization, and resuscitation, the participants were assessed using conventional sequences of MRI and DWI twenty-four hours, forty-eight hours, and three weeks after the injury. Temporal changes of signal intensity were compared by Wilcoxon ranged test.ResultsSixteen patients sustaining blunt head trauma were included in this study. The study showed that during the time, diffusion restriction could be seen in an extraaxial hematoma. At the first 24 hours, the signal of hematoma was void in 87.5% of DWI and 100% of ADC. On the second day, they were hypo-signal in 75% of DWI and 100% 0f ADCs, and after three weeks, 100% of cases were hyper-signal in DWI and hypo-signal ADCs.ConclusionThis preliminary study has shown that the DWI can be used to detect and track the extra-axial hematoma. The signal intensity was void during the first twentyfour hours, although it became hypo-signal after 48 hours. Of note, the diffusion restriction is noted after three weeks.     

新时代检验医学发展定位与思考

检验医学作为医学科学的重要支撑学科,在疾病早期诊断、病情监测、预后判断与风险评估等方面发挥着重要作用。21世纪是数字信息时代,高新检测技术、计算机科学及互联网大数据等,为检验医学的发展带来巨大的机遇与挑战,新时代下如何借助信息科技革命实现检验医学新发展是检验工作者面临的重要课题。该文回顾检验医学的发展历程,重点关注检验医学在新时代的发展定位及未来发展方向,以求开创检验医学发展新局面。     

我国老年人认知水平变化轨迹及其分化

目的 探究影响我国老年人认知水平的变化趋势，分离出年龄、队列效应。方法 基于CLHLS（2002—2018）多重队列追踪数据，以Stata16.0软件为工具，运用分层生长曲线模型进行统计分析。结果 本研究发现，个体行为生活方式、社会经济地位、性别、慢性病数量对认知水平均具有统计学意义；年龄、队列对认知水平的变化具有独立效应；随着年龄的增长，我国老年人认知水平下降，认知水平的城乡、性别差异明显；较年轻出生队列的老年人认知水平较好，认知水平的城乡差异随着队列的年轻化而变大，性别差异在较年轻队列有略微缩小的趋势。结论 影响认知水平因素复杂，认知障碍会增加医疗成本及照护负担，因此需准确把握老年认知水平的变化规律与作用路径，从而为卫生服务、养老保障、长期医疗照护的资源配置提供科学依据。     

精准医学决策支持知识组织研究

介绍国内外医学知识组织体系，从数据来源、概念抽取、语义关系构建几方面阐述基于精准医学临床决策支持系统的精准医学知识组织体系设计，分析其在门诊和住院场景的应用。