Parental antisocial behavior (ASB) is a risk factor for ASB in the next generation. While social and environmental mechanisms contribute to this relationship, research also supports the influence of genetic components. A low resting heart rate (RHR) is moderately heritable and a well-established risk factor that may contribute to the intergenerational transmission of ASB. However, research investigating this relationship is limited. The overarching aim of the current study was to examine the influence of RHR in the intergenerational transmission of ASB from parent to child. Three minutes of RHR was collected on 129 girls and boys at age 9–10 years, alongside maternal ASB. At the age of 14–15 years, data on offspring ASB were collected using the externalizing scale of the Youth Self-Report. Results showed that maternal ASB predicted offspring ASB (B = 2.36, β = 0.36, t = 4.28, p < .001). However, offspring RHR did not mediate or moderate this relationship. Findings indicate that RHR is not a biological marker of risk in the intergenerational transmission of ASB in this community sample, although the results may be influenced by low statistical power.
Abstract Background Endothelial dysfunction profoundly compromises the barrier function that precludes trans-endothelial entry of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) into the vessel wall. LDL-C retention in the vessel wall is atherogenic and its flux involves several mechanisms including LDL-receptor (LDL-R) mediated transcytosis, a process that is facilitated by inflammatory stressors. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in regulating LDL-R and LDL-C uptake by vascular endothelial cells. Method We used commercially available Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in this study. Flow cytometry, western blotting, qRT-PCR and ELISA were used to investigate expression of LDL-R and Mylip/IDOL. LDL-C uptake and free cholesterol levels in HUVECs was assessed using flowcytometry and mass-spectrometry respectively. Results We show that HUVECs treated with a combination of IL-6 and soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R) result in a significant reduction in surface expression of LDL-R, an effect that is reversed by soluble gp130Fc – an antagonist of IL-6 trans-singling. Using pharmacological inhibitors and gene silencing techniques, we demonstrate that IL-6 trans-signaling induced downregulation of LDL-R is attained through lysosomal degradation mediated by the E3 ubiquitin ligase Mylip. Conversely, HUVECs treated with IL-6 in combination with sIL-6R exhibit markedly increased uptake of native LDL-C which is also inhibited by sgp130Fc, the actin inhibitor Cytochalasin D and the macropinocytosis inhibitor EIPA. Although stimulation of HUVECs upregulated the expression of scavenger receptors CD36 and CXCL16, their contribution to native LDL-C uptake turned out to be negligible. Conclusion Collectively, this study highlights the role of IL-6 in the regulation of LDL-R expression and cholesterol homeostasis in vascular ECs. IL-6 trans-signaling downregulates LDL-R yet increases LDL-C uptake via an LDL-R–independent, actin-dependent macropinocytosis pathway.
Abstract Introduction The ageing of the population is expected to increase the costs and consumption of health care. Care should be patient-centred. Patient-centred care (PCC) has been shown to increase the quality of life for older patients living with frailty, as well as reduce health care costs. As one of the core principles of PCC, it is important to investigate and consider patients’ wishes regarding their care. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate and identify factors and information that older patients find important when planning for their care. Methods Sixteen patients at the geriatric ward at Örebro University Hospital in Sweden were interviewed using focus group discussions. The patients were ≥ 65 years of age, spoke Swedish, and were cognitively and physically able to participate in a focus group discussion. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using content analysis. Results Three main categories were formed to summarize what mattered most to the patients when planning their care were that they maintained autonomy, that no harm was done and that the care had a holistic approach. These were further divided into the subcategories: the right to be well informed, taking part in planning of their care, having accessible care and a feeling of safety and security, considering emotional wellbeing, including relatives and close friends and maintaining their wellbeing. Conclusions What mattered most to the patients was closely related to the World Health Organization’s recommendations for ethical and good quality health care. Generally, the patients agreed on what mattered most. Further studies are needed to enrich the understanding of what is important to older patients.
Abstract Background There is still only limited evidence regarding how bacterial air contamination of sterile items changes over time in the operating room, even when protected by sterile covers. This review aimed to synthesize the available data to inform safe handling and preparation of sterile equipment. Methods A systematic search was conducted for controlled studies that assessed time-related bacterial contamination of covered sterile items in operating rooms and that reported the outcome as colony forming units (CFU) measured at two or more time points, generating distinct timelines. Six databases were searched from inception to 1 September 2025: Ovid MEDLINE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase, and Web of Science. A meta-analysis was performed using linear regression with CFU as the dependent variable and time (minutes) as the independent variable. The review followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251018280). Results Five timelines from four studies evaluating CFU counts yielded an R2 of 0.085, indicating that time explained 8.5% of CFU variation. Similarly, analysis of eight timelines from four studies assessing mean CFU values produced an R2 of 0.070, attributing 7% of variation to time. Neither analysis demonstrated a statistically significant linear association between time and CFU count (p = 0.176, CI: -1.319 < β < 4.863) or mean CFU values (p = 0.108, CI: 0.191 < β < 0.420) when sterile covers were used. Three additional timelines excluded from the meta-analysis showed mixed results: two indicated a positive association, while one showed no relationship. Conclusions Time has only a modest impact on bacterial contamination of sterile items when protective covers are used, with minimal increases in CFU over different waiting periods. Clinically, this confirms that properly covered sterile items can be prepared in advance without compromising microbial safety, thus supporting efficient operating room organization and workflow. These findings reinforce the effectiveness of sterile covers as a key measure to reduce the risk of surgical site infections and ensure the safe handling of sterile equipment. Although covered storage appears safe, minimizing unnecessary waiting time, even with coverage, is good clinical practice.
This paper studies hypothesis testing for structured scale matrices in the multivariate t distribution. We develop likelihood ratio and Rao score tests for general structural constraints on the scale matrix and derive the Wald test for hypotheses in which the scale matrix is restricted to a quadratic subspace. The latter class includes, in particular, diagonality, sphericity, compound symmetry, circular Toeplitz structures, and their block extensions with structured subblocks. Since the construction of the test statistics requires maximum likelihood estimation, we derive the likelihood equations under quadratic subspace restrictions. Although likelihood ratio and score tests have been investigated for covariance structure in the multivariate normal model, the Wald test has not been developed in that setting. Because the multivariate normal distribution arises as a limiting case of the multivariate t model, our results also provide a new contribution to the normal framework. Finite sample performance is examined via simulation, and a real data example illustrates the proposed methodology.
