Life satisfaction around the world: Measurement invariance of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups.

The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used self-report measure of subjective well-being, but studies of its measurement invariance across a large number of nations remain limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset-with data collected between 2020 and 2022 -to assess measurement invariance of the SWLS across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups (N = 56,968). All participants completed the SWLS under largely uniform conditions.

Depressive Symptoms and Amyloid Pathology.

Importance: Depressive symptoms are associated with cognitive decline in older individuals. Uncertainty about underlying mechanisms hampers diagnostic and therapeutic efforts. This large-scale study aimed to elucidate the association between depressive symptoms and amyloid pathology.

Insights into balloon pulmonary angioplasty and the WHO functional class of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients: findings from the CTEPH AC registry.

Advances in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) treatment have improved prognosis, shifting focus towards symptom management. This study aimed to identify factors influencing the World Health Organization functional class (WHO-FC) in CTEPH patients. The CTEPH AC registry is a prospective, multicenter database from 35 Japanese institutions, analyzing data from August 2018 to July 2023.

3D-Printed Myocardium-Specific Structure Enhances Maturation and Therapeutic Efficacy of Engineered Heart Tissue in Myocardial Infarction.

Despite advancements in engineered heart tissue (EHT), challenges persist in achieving accurate dimensional accuracy of scaffolds and maturing human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs), a primary source of functional cardiac cells. Drawing inspiration from cardiac muscle fiber arrangement, a three-dimensional (3D)-printed multi-layered microporous polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold is created with interlayer angles set at 45° to replicate the precise structure of native cardiac tissue. Compared with the control group and 90° PCL scaffolds, the 45° PCL scaffolds exhibited superior biocompatibility for cell culture and improved hiPSC-CM maturation in calcium handling.

Programmed Transformation of Osteogenesis Microenvironment by a Multifunctional Hydrogel to Enhance Repair of Infectious Bone Defects.

Repair of infectious bone defects remains a serious problem in clinical practice owing to the high risk of infection and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the early stage, and the residual bacteria and delayed Osseo integrated interface in the later stage, which jointly creates a complex and dynamic microenvironment and leads to bone non-union. The melatonin carbon dots (MCDs) possess antibacterial and osteogenesis abilities, greatly simplifying the composition of a multifunctional material. Therefore, a multifunctional hydrogel containing MCDs (GH-MCD) is developed to meet the multi-stage and complex repair needs of infectious bone injury in this study.

Application of artificial intelligence in the health management of chronic disease: bibliometric analysis.

Background: With the rising global burden of chronic diseases, traditional health management models are encountering significant challenges. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into chronic disease management has enhanced patient care efficiency, optimized treatment strategies, and reduced healthcare costs, providing innovative solutions in this field. However, current research remains fragmented and lacks systematic, comprehensive analysis.

A comparative psychological evaluation of a robotic avatar in Dubai and Japan.

Introduction: This study focused on the psychological evaluation of an avatar robot in two distinct regions, Dubai in the Middle East and Japan in the Far East. Dubai has experienced remarkable development in advanced technology, while Japan boasts a culture that embraces robotics. These regions are distinctively characterized by their respective relationships with robotics.

Evaluation of diesel engine performance and emissions using biodiesel from waste oils synthesized with FeO-SiO heterogeneous nano catalyst.

Purpose: Biodiesel is a non-toxic, renewable, and environmentally friendly fuel used in compression ignition engines. This work aimed to develop FeO/SiO as a cheap, magnetic, and easy separable catalyst for biodiesel production from waste oil by sono-catalytic transesterification.

Methods: Fe₃O₄-SiO₂ was prepared using a modified Stober method and used as a heterogeneous catalyst in an ultrasound-assisted transesterification reaction to produce biodiesel.

Swatting Flies: Biting Insects as Non-Invasive Samplers for Mammalian Population Genomics.

Advances in next-generation sequencing have allowed the use of DNA obtained from unusual sources for wildlife studies. However, these samples have been used predominantly to sequence mitochondrial DNA for species identification while population genetics analyses have been rare. Since next-generation sequencing allows indiscriminate detection of all DNA fragments in a sample, technically it should be possible to sequence whole genomes of animals from environmental samples.

YHSeqY3000 panel captures all founding lineages in the Chinese paternal genomic diversity database.

Background: The advancements in second-/third-generation sequencing technologies, alongside computational innovations, have significantly enhanced our understanding of the genomic structure of Y-chromosomes and their unique phylogenetic characteristics. These researches, despite the challenges posed by the lack of population-scale genomic databases, have the potential to revolutionize our approach to high-resolution, population-specific Y-chromosome panels and databases for anthropological and forensic applications.

Objectives: This study aimed to develop the highest-resolution Y-targeted sequencing panel, utilizing time-stamped, core phylogenetic informative mutations identified from high-coverage sequences in the YanHuang cohort.

Efficacy and safety of molecular targeted therapies in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a network meta-analysis.

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common head and neck cancers worldwide. The majority of the new cases were from Asia and are the leading cause of cancer in China. The main treatment is surgery and radiotherapy with chemotherapy for advanced cases.

Comparing the cost-benefit of breast cancer screening programs in rural and urban areas across four economic zones in China: a Markov modeling analysis.

Background: This study assessed the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of breast cancer screening across rural and urban regions in China's four economic zones.

Methods: Using a decision-analytic Markov model, we evaluated 5,280 scenarios involving different ages and screening technologies. The model followed individuals from birth through 100 yearly cycles in eight settings.

Patient and public involvement in the co-design and assessment of unobtrusive sensing technologies for care at home: a user-centric design approach.

Background: There is growing interest in developing sensing solutions for remote health monitoring to support the safety and independence of older adults. To ensure these technologies are practical and relevant, people-centred design is essential. This study aims to explore the involvement of various stakeholders across different developmental stages to inform the design and assess the capabilities of unobtrusive sensing solutions being developed as part of the Advanced Care Research Centre (ACRC), Edinburgh, UK.

Time to HIV viral rebound and frequency of post-treatment control after analytical interruption of antiretroviral therapy: an individual data-based meta-analysis of 24 prospective studies.

The only current strategy to test efficacy of novel interventions for sustained HIV control without antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people with HIV (PWH) is through an analytical treatment interruption (ATI). Inclusion of 'placebo' controls in ATIs poses ethical, logistical, and economic challenges. To understand viral dynamics and rates of post-treatment control (PTC) after ATI among PWH receiving either placebo or no intervention, we undertook an individual-participant data meta-analysis.

Sound levels in the operating theatre resulting from hammering during cementless total hip arthroplasty.

Background: Although hearing loss in orthopaedic surgeons from exposure to hammering sounds have been previously reported, there are no reports on the noise environment during total hip arthroplasty (THA) in Japan. The aim of this study was to investigate the sound level generated by cementless THA in Japan, and to discuss the broader sound environment within this space.

Methods: 94 cementless THAs (94 patients with informed consent) performed by four surgeons were included.

Vaccines in a time of global boiling and megacities.

Neglected tropical diseases are accelerating because of climate change and urbanization to create new clusters of vast urban areas beset by poverty and environmental degradation. These hot and contaminated megacities could enable the rise of parasitic and other tropical infections. A new generation of antiparasitic vaccines will be needed.

Measurement of volumetric wear of printed polymer resin and milled polymer infused ceramic network definitive restorative materials.

Statement Of Problem: Currently there is no regulatory requirement or international standard for the wear resistance of dental materials and therefore no need to test prior to market launch.

Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate and compare the total volumetric wear characteristics of milled polymer infiltrated ceramic network (MPICN) and printed polymer resin (PPR) as substrates opposing five antagonists, human enamel (EN), lithium disilicate (LD), zirconia (ZR), MPICN, and PPR, and to evaluate and compare the volumetric wear of these same materials as antagonists.

Material And Methods: Ten of each antagonist for a total of 50 EN, LD (IPS e.

Health and tuberculosis systems resilience, the role of the private sector and pandemic preparedness: insights from a cross-country qualitative study with policy-makers in India, Indonesia and Nigeria.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented challenge to health systems worldwide and had a severe impact on tuberculosis (TB) case notifications and service delivery. India, Indonesia and Nigeria are high TB-burden countries where the majority of initial care-seeking happens in the private health sector. The objectives of this study were to (1) explore policy-makers' perspectives on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on private sector TB service delivery in India, Indonesia and Nigeria and (2) identify cross-cutting insights for pandemic preparedness with respect to TB service delivery.

Strong Hydrophobic Interaction of High Molecular Weight Chitosan in Aqueous Solution.

Chitosan is a versatile bioactive polysaccharide in various industries, such as pharmaceuticals and environmental applications, owing to its abundance, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and antibacterial properties. To effectively harness its potential for various purposes, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms of its interaction in water. This study investigates the interactions between high molecular weight (HMW, >150 kDa) chitosan and four different functionalized self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) at three different pHs (3.

Efficacy of HA130 Hemoadsorption in Removing Advanced Glycation End Products in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients.

Background: Patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) face complications due to the accumulation of protein-bound uremic toxins, such as advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which contribute to inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular disease. Conventional HD techniques inadequately remove AGEs. This study evaluates the efficacy of the HA130 hemoadsorption cartridge combined with high-flux HD (HF-HD) in enhancing AGE removal.

Android avatar improves educational effects by embodied anthropomorphization.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption of distance learning has been accelerated in educational institutions in multiple countries. In addition to using a videoconferencing system with camera images, avatars can also be used for remote classes. In particular, an android avatar with a sense of presence has the potential to provide higher quality education than a video-recorded lecture.

Anatomic and Functional Outcomes of Scleral Buckling Surgery for Advanced Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Systematic Review and Proportional Meta-Analysis.

A significant percentage of patients with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) who progressed to stages 4 and 5 of ROP will require surgical intervention. Scleral buckling surgery is widely employed for the restoration of retinal detachment in advanced cases of ROP. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to review the anatomical and visual outcomes following scleral buckling surgery in ROP of stages 4 and 5.

The trade of illicit cigarettes in Ghana: Insights from a policy synthesis and qualitative study.

The illicit trade of tobacco products trade continues to challenge tobacco control efforts in several African countries, including Ghana. Ghana recently ratified the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products ('the Protocol'). This Protocol aims to eliminate all kinds of illicit tobacco.

Evaluating the role of generative AI and color patterns in the dissemination of war imagery and disinformation on social media.

This study explores the evolving role of social media in the spread of misinformation during the Ukraine-Russia conflict, with a focus on how artificial intelligence (AI) contributes to the creation of deceptive war imagery. Specifically, the research examines the relationship between color patterns (LUTs) in war-related visuals and their perceived authenticity, highlighting the economic, political, and social ramifications of such manipulative practices. AI technologies have significantly advanced the production of highly convincing, yet artificial, war imagery, blurring the line between fact and fiction.