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Summary: Introduction: The COVID‐19 pandemic posed tremendous challenges for children. However, the long‐term effects of the pandemic on various aspects of physical health at a national level remain unclear. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analysed data from nationwide health checkup records amongst children aged 7–15 years. The dataset comprised 3 544 146 records from 393 794 individuals who graduated from junior high school during fiscal years 2007 to 2022. Difference‐in‐differences (DID) analyses with multiple time periods were used to examine the impact of COVID‐19 on physical health outcomes. Results: Compared with the pre‐pandemic period, the COVID‐19 pandemic was associated with excess increases in obesity for boys and girls, persisting over the 3 years (+0.42%; [95% CI, 0.23–0.61]). Also, it was associated with excess increases in underweight (+0.28% [0.25–0.32]) and poor visual acuity amongst boys in the 3rd year (+1.80% [1.30–2.30]). There were excess reductions in dental caries (−1.48% [−2.01 to −0.95]), glucosuria (−0.55 [−0.88 to −0.23]) and hematuria (−0.43% [−0.73 to −0.13]) during the 3rd year of the pandemic. Conclusions: These findings underscore the multifaceted impact of the pandemic on various health indicators for school‐aged children. This information could be valuable for public health policy and paediatric healthcare planning in the post‐pandemic era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature dependences of NMR spectra have been observed for 23Na and 27Al in the metallic phase of Na–K form low silica X (LSX) zeolite loaded with potassium, where the condition of saturation is achieved with a loading level of 9.0 atoms per supercage and the paramagnetic moment contributes to the magnetism of the system beyond simple isolated spin. Two separated peaks have been recognized for 23Na, where the shift values show a quite linear relationship with susceptibility, and the so-called K–χ plot works quite well to give values of 0.32 kOe μB−1 and 0.40 kOe μB−1 for hyperfine coupling constants. Although no separated peak is seen in the 27Al NMR spectrum, the spectral centroid deviates to the positive side. The shoulder of the spectrum scales to susceptibility and the K–χ plot also works well to give a value of 0.15 kOe μB−1 for the hyperfine coupling constant. The orbital of potassium-originated electrons confined in the cage of LSX is understood as seeping out over the framework of zeolite, which is wider than that of the sodium-originated case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In observational studies, instrumental variable (IV) methods are commonly applied when there are unmeasured covariates. In Mendelian randomization, constructing an allele score using many single nucleotide polymorphisms is often implemented; however, estimating biased causal effects by including some invalid IVs poses some risks. Invalid IVs are those IV candidates that are associated with unobserved variables. To solve this problem, we developed a novel strategy using negative control outcomes (NCOs) as auxiliary variables. Using NCOs, we are able to select only valid IVs and exclude invalid IVs without knowing which of the instruments are invalid. We also developed a new two‐step estimation procedure and proved the semiparametric efficiency of our estimator. The performance of our proposed method was superior to some previous methods through simulations. Subsequently, we applied the proposed method to the UK Biobank dataset. Our results demonstrate that the use of an auxiliary variable, such as an NCO, enables the selection of valid IVs with assumptions different from those used in previous methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Loneliness is a global issue, and primary care physicians play an important role in assessing and intervening with loneliness. This study aimed to examine the association between having a usual source of care (USC) or a good quality of primary care, and loneliness. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in Japan in 2022. A total of 6,000 residents were randomly sampled from the general population, aged 20–74 years. The outcome was the total score of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) 3-item loneliness scale. The exposure included USC and the Person-Centered Primary Care Measure (PCPCM), which assesses the quality of primary care. We conducted a linear regression analysis to adjust for age, sex, educational status, annual household income, self-rated health, living status (whether alone or not), and the existence of physical health problems. Results Of the 6,000 residents, 1,277 responded to the survey. The median score of the UCLA 3-item loneliness scale was 6.0 and the mean total score of the PCPCM was 2.62. Of the 1,277 individuals, 713 (55.8%) had USC. Having USC was significantly associated with lower scores on the UCLA 3-item loneliness scale; the coefficient was −0.34 (95% confidence interval (CI): −0.57 to −0.12). Also, the total PCPCM score was significantly associated with lower loneliness scores; the coefficient was −0.56 (P < 0.001, 95% CI: −0.78 to −0.35). Conclusions Having USC and a better quality primary care were associated with a lower loneliness score. The quality of primary care could be a factor to mitigate patient loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA) is conducted in a non‐polar medium (n‐dodecane) via reversible complexation‐mediated polymerization (RCMP). Stearyl methacrylate (SMA) is used to synthesize a macroinitiator, and subsequent block polymerization of benzyl methacrylate (BzMA) from the macroinitiator in n‐dodecane afforded a PSMA–PBzMA block copolymer, where PSMA is poly(stearyl methacrylate) and PBzMA is poly(benzyl methacrylate). Because PSMA is soluble but PBzMA is insoluble in n‐dodecane, the block copolymer formed a self‐assembly during the block polymerization (PISA). Spherical micelles, worms, and vesicles are obtained, depending on the degrees of polymerization of PSMA and PBzMA. "One‐pot" PISA is also attained; namely, BzMA is directly added to the reaction mixture of the macroinitiator synthesis, and PISA is conducted in the same pot without purification of the macroinitiator. The spherical micelle and vesicle structures are also fixed using a crosslinkable monomer during PISA. RCMP‐PISA is highly attractive as it is odorless and metal‐free. The "one‐pot" synthesis does not require the purification of the macroinitiator. RCMP‐PISA can provide a practical approach to synthesize self‐assemblies in non‐polar media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japan Diabetes Society and the Japan Cancer Association launched a joint committee and published their "First Joint Committee Report on Diabetes and Cancer" in 2013, compiling recommendations for physicians and health‐care providers as well as for the general population. In 2016, the "Second Joint Committee Report on Diabetes and Cancer" summarized the current evidence on glycemic control and cancer risk in patients with diabetes. The current "Third Joint Committee Report on Diabetes and Cancer", for which the joint committee also enlisted the assistance of the Japanese Society of Clinical Oncology and the Japanese Society of Medical Oncology, reports on the results from the questionnaire survey, "Diabetes Management in Patients Receiving Cancer Therapy," which targeted oncologists responsible for cancer management and diabetologists in charge of glycemic control in cancer patients. The results of the current survey indicated that there is a general consensus among oncologists and diabetologists with regard to the need for guidelines on glycemic control goals, the relevance of glycemic control, and glycemic control during cancer therapy in cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]