Why loneliness requires a multidimensional approach: a critical narrative review
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Dynamic effects of psychiatric vulnerability, loneliness and isolation on distress during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on mental health is challenging to quantify because pre-existing risk, disease burden and public policy varied across individuals, time and regions. Longitudinal, within-person analyses can determine whether pandemic-related changes in social isolation impacted mental health. We analyzed time-varying associations between psychiatric vulnerability, loneliness, psychological distress and social distancing in a US-based study during the first year of the pandemic. We surveyed 3,655 participants about psychological health and COVID-19-related circumstances every 2 weeks for 6 months. We combined self-reports with regional social distancing estimates and a classifier that predicted probability of psychiatric diagnosis at enrollment. Loneliness and psychiatric vulnerability both impacted psychological distress. Loneliness and distress were also linked to social isolation and stress associated with distancing, and psychiatric vulnerability shaped how regional distancing affected loneliness across time. Public health policies should address loneliness when encouraging social distancing, particularly in those at risk for psychiatric conditions.
Mobilizing power quality and reliability measurements for electricity equity and justice in Africa
In sub-Saharan Africa, urban electricity inequities manifesting as poor power quality and reliability (PQR) are prevalent. Yet, granular PQR data and frameworks for assessing PQR inequities and guiding equitable electricity interventions remain sparse. To address this gap, we present a conceptual framework that leverages energy justice, capability and multidimensional poverty theories alongside concepts relating to power systems to quantify PQR inequities in sub-Saharan Africa. To demonstrate our framework and using 1 year’s worth of remotely sensed PQR data from Accra, Ghana, we assessed the distributive scale of PQR inequities, explored how multidimensional poverty exacerbates these inequities and examined the impact of PQR on households’ domestic capabilities. We found wider patterns of PQR inequities and a link between poor PQR and neighbourhoods with higher multidimensional poverty. We conclude that using remotely sensed data combined with justice and capability frameworks offers a powerful method for revealing PQR inequities and driving sustainable energy transitions.
Collective quantum enhancement in critical quantum sensing
Critical systems represent a valuable resource in quantum sensing and metrology. Critical quantum sensing (CQS) protocols can be realized using finite-component phase transitions, where criticality arises from the rescaling of system parameters rather than the thermodynamic limit. Here, we show that a collective quantum advantage can be achieved in a multipartite CQS protocol using a chain of parametrically coupled critical resonators in the weak-nonlinearity limit. We derive analytical solutions for the low-energy spectrum of this unconventional quantum many-body system, which is composed of locally critical elements. We then assess the scaling of the quantum Fisher information with respect to fundamental resources. We demonstrate that the coupled chain outperforms an equivalent ensemble of independent critical sensors, achieving quadratic scaling in the number of resonators. Finally, we show that even with finite Kerr nonlinearity or Markovian dissipation, the critical chain retains its advantage, making it relevant for implementing quantum sensors with current microwave superconducting technologies.
An umbrella review of health outcomes following traumatic brain injury
While numerous reviews have assessed the association between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and various mental and physical health outcomes, a comprehensive evaluation of the scope, validity, and quality of evidence is lacking. Here we present an umbrella review of a wide range of health outcomes following TBI and outline outcome risks across subpopulations. On 17 May 2023, we searched Embase, Medline, Global Health, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We compared risk ratios across different outcomes for risks compared with people without TBI and examined study quality, including heterogeneity, publication bias, and prediction intervals. The study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023432255). We identified 24 systematic reviews and meta-analyses covering 24 health outcomes in 31,397,958 participants. The current evidence base indicates an increased risk of multiple mental and physical health outcomes, including psychotic disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, suicide, and depression. Three outcomes—dementia, violence perpetration, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—had meta-analytical evidence of at least moderate quality, which suggest targets for more personalized assessment. Health-care services should review how to prevent adverse long-term outcomes in TBI.
Phenotypic divergence between individuals with self-reported autistic traits and clinically ascertained autism
While allowing for rapid recruitment of large samples, online research relies heavily on participants’ self-reports of neuropsychiatric traits, foregoing the clinical characterizations available in laboratory settings. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research is one example for which the clinical validity of such an approach remains elusive. Here we compared 56 adults with ASD recruited in person and evaluated by clinicians to matched samples of adults recruited through an online platform (Prolific; 56 with high autistic traits and 56 with low autistic traits) and evaluated via self-reported surveys. Despite having comparable self-reported autistic traits, the online high-trait group reported significantly more social anxiety and avoidant symptoms than in-person ASD participants. Within the in-person sample, there was no relationship between self-rated and clinician-rated autistic traits, suggesting they may capture different aspects of ASD. The groups also differed in their social tendencies during two decision-making tasks; the in-person ASD group was less perceptive of opportunities for social influence and acted less affiliative toward virtual characters. These findings highlight the need for a differentiation between clinically ascertained and trait-defined samples in autism research.
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