bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A-256 Literacy Level May Mediate the Relationship Between an Individual’s Ethnicity and Letter Fluency Ability
Authors: Khan Humza , Bing-Canar Hanaan , Stocks Jane K , Lapitan-Moore Franchezka , DeBoer Adam B , Durkin Nicole M , Cerny Brian M , Jennett Kyle J , Soble Jason R , Resch Zachary J
Published: August 2022

Objective: Previous research suggests that literacy level may be a better predictor of cognitive performance than years of education in minoritized groups. Although literacy tests remain a mainstay in the context of neuropsychological evaluations due to their role in the estimation of premorbid intellectual functioning, there is relatively little research examining the role of literacy in the relationship between ethnicity and cognitive performance. This study examined whether literacy level influences the relationship between ethnicity and letter fluency ability.

Method: This cross-sectional study included 64 adult patients consecutively referred for outpatient neuropsychological evaluation within a large, Midwestern academic medical center. The sample was 54.7% male, 43.8% White, 56.3% Black, with Mage of 57.8 years (SD=11.7) and Meducation of 12.6 years (SD=2.5). A mediation analysis was performed using Hayes’ PROCESS macro within SPSS to evaluate whether literacy, as measured by the Test of Premorbid Functioning (TOPF), mediated the association between ethnicity (dichotomized as Black/White) and letter fluency via raw scores from the F/A/S trials.

Results: The main model of the mediation analysis was significant, F (4, 51) = 13.89, p <.001, R2 = .521. After accounting for age and years of education, there was a significant mediation effect of literacy on the relationship between ethnicity and letter fluency (B = .740, SE = .143, t = 5.19, p <.001).

Conclusion(s): In sum, this study provided evidence that literacy level helps explain the letter fluency performance differences observed between Black and White patients.
A-258 A Comparison of Parent and Teacher Reports on the Connors 3 Rating Scale
Authors: Gellman Jonathan , Golden Charles , Herndon Hayley , Nunez Christina , Slicer Kayley
Published: August 2022

Objectives: To examine differences in reporting children’s symptoms between parents and teachers on the Conners 3 Rating scale.

Methods: Children (N=194, Mage=10.75, Medu=4.87, 41.3% white, and 62.8% male) with corresponding parents and teachers were selected from a deidentified clinical outpatient database. Respondents included mothers (n=287), fathers (n=194), math teachers (n=58), and reading teachers (n=26). Within subjects ANOVAs were used to compare mother and father ratings, math teacher and reading teacher ratings, and parents and teacher ratings on the Conners 3 Rating Scale.

Results: Mothers and fathers did not differ significantly on their reports of the Conners 3. Math teachers and reading teachers did not differ significantly on their reports of the Conners 3. Parents and teachers differed significantly on inattention F(1,84)= 7.957, p=.005, learning problems F(1,84= 4.603, p=.033, and executive functioning F(1,84)= 3.987, p=.047 with teachers reporting lower scores across indicators.

Conclusion: This analysis demonstrated that parents report similarly, teachers report similarly but teachers and parents report differently on measures of executive function, inattention, and learning problems. Teachers reported lower scores across all three indicators, suggesting that these areas are less problematic. Being that these measures are directly relevant to school performance, the explanation for these differences is unclear. Future research should explore the reasons behind the differences in parent and teacher reporting, whether parent or teacher reports are more consistent with diagnostic conclusions, and whether similar discrepancies exist across other report measures. Limitations of this study include the relatively small sample of teachers and the lack of reporter demographic information.
A-260 Regional Cerebral Blood Flow Differences in ADHD Subtypes Among Children
Authors: Perez Sophia G , Slicer Kayley , Harrigan D’Shawn , Arias Brittny , Golden Charles J , Willeumier Kristen , Amen Daniel
Published: August 2022

Objective: To identify regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) differences among children with varying Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) subtypes. The participants were part of an archival de-identified database that received SPECT scans at baseline. The sample (N= 3222) consisted of ADHD classifications of asymptomatic (N=773), combined type (N=1157), hyperactive (N=25), inattentive (N=479), mostly impulsive (N=122), mostly inattentive (N=633), and undetermined (N=33). The sample consisted of 70.3% males and 29.4% females with Caucasians (N=1652), African Americans (N=58), Hispanics (N=79), Asians (N=42), and unknown (N=1391). A one-way between-subjects ANCOVA was performed controlling for age and gender, where ADHD type was the independent variable and brain region was the dependent variable. The main effect of ADHD type was statistically significant for the baseline left occipital, F (7, 3425) = 2.462, p =.016, ηp2=.005. Post hoc tests showed there was a significant difference between the hyperactive and mostly impulsive group (p=.043), where the hyperactive group demonstrated higher rCBF perfusion. Research is limited regarding rCBF perfusion among ADHD subtypes, with no research on the hyperactive subtype, this is the first study providing evidence that youth diagnosed with hyperactive subtype may have increased activation across brain regions as compared to other subtypes. Specifically, our results suggest there may be increased activity in the brain region that is primarily responsible for visual processing among children in the ADHD hyperactive group. SPECT imaging may be useful in determining differences between ADHD subtypes and their resulting behavioral and cognitive functioning. Limitations of this study included the use of DSM-IV-TR rather than DSM-5 diagnosis criteria.
A-266 Neuropsychological Profile of a 5-Year-Old Boy with Gould Syndrome
Authors: Cap Caitlyn J , Manning Madeline , Ball Kayleen
Published: August 2022

Objective: Gould syndrome (COL4A1/A2-related disorders) is an extremely rare, genetic disorder characterized by cerebral vasculature defects, ocular dysgenesis, myopathy, and cerebral cortical abnormalities. Many individuals with COL4A1 mutations exhibit seizures, stroke, visual field defects, and hydrocephalus. To date, research regarding neuropsychological sequelae of Gould syndrome has been sparse. Therefore, this presentation aims to present clinical considerations for pediatric patients with Gould syndrome.

Method: Patient is a 5-year-old Hispanic boy born at 35-weeks following perinatal stroke, pre-term birth, and suspected cyanosis. After birth, genetic testing revealed a COL4A1p.G1234R gene mutation (i.e., Gould syndrome). Patient’s medical history is also notable for cerebral palsy, epilepsy, encephalopathy, hypertonia, global developmental delays with language regression, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Previous brain MRIs have found decreased white matter density in both cerebral hemispheres. Abbreviated neuropsychological testing was completed during an inpatient pre-surgical epilepsy evaluation. Patient was non-verbal.

Results: Non-verbal intellectual ability was Below Average (IQ=74). Receptive language was Average (SS=93). Further, bilateral fine-motor speed and dexterity and visual motor integration were Exceptionally Low. Standardized questionnaires revealed ongoing concerns related to attention, hyperactivity, and poor adaptive functioning. Diagnostic impressions included Global Developmental Delay.

Conclusion: Gould syndrome can include a variety of neurological sequelae depending on neurological defects and incidents. These findings are consistent with the “early vulnerability” position of brain development, which proposes that earlier age at brain insult may result in greater impairments in cognitive functioning (Jacomb et al., 2018). Therefore, early intervention and targeted long-term interventions appears imperative to improve function outcomes for pediatric patients with Gould syndrome.
A-268 Personal Adjustment of Young Adult Survivors of Leukemia/Lymphoma: Examining the Association with Cognition and Sex
Authors: Balderrama Melissa , Whitaker Ashley M , Mendoza Leanne
Published: August 2022

Objective: Survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia/non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (ALL/NHL) are at risk of cognitive sequelae of treatment, as well as psychosocial distress. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe self-perceptions of personal adjustment in young adult survivors of pediatric ALL/NHL and (2) examine associations between personal adjustment, cognition, and sex.

Method: Thirty-five young adult (x ̅=19.4 years), primarily Latino, survivors of ALL/NHL underwent neuropsychological evaluation, which included assessment of self-reported personal adjustment (Behavior Assessment System for Children – Third Edition [BASC-3]), working memory, processing speed, and sustained attention.

Results: Personal adjustment was approximately 0.5 standard deviations below normative expectations (mean T=45.5), with over 28% of the sample endorsing concerns in this area (compared to 18% of the normative population). Self-reliance was the lowest personal adjustment subscale (mean T=42.2), with nearly half (49%) endorsing concerns (compared to 15-21% of the normative population). There were no significant correlations between cognitive measures and personal adjustment subscales. Females endorsed a higher number of elevated personal adjustment subscales compared to males, t(33)=1.99, p=.027, which parallels their poorer working memory performance, t(36)=-2.14; p=.02.

Conclusion: Young adult survivors of ALL/NHL are at greater risk of concerns regarding personal adjustment than peers, particularly lower self-reliance. While there does not appear to be a direct relationship between cognition and personal adjustment in this group, females reported more areas of concern and demonstrated worse working memory, confirming their particular vulnerability to long-term cognitive and psychosocial sequelae.
A-269 Sex Differences in the Behavioral Profile of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Joyce Cali , Jacobowitz Jordan
Published: August 2022

Objective: Literature suggests discrepant prevalence rates between males and females with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be due to sex-specific ASD phenotypes. This study sought to identify sex-specific behavioral profiles for adolescents with ASD, as measured by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2). Sex differences in intellectual ability for individuals with ASD were also examined.

Method: A sample of adolescents with ASD across the United States was retrieved from the National Database for Autism Research (NDAR) (N=80, 65 males, 15 females; M age=12.17 years, SD=.97). Participants were included within the age parameters (11 years, zero months to 16 years, 11 months) with data on Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V) and ADOS-2. The study was a cross-sectional design analyzing the relationship between biological sex and intellectual abilities, overall autism severity, and deficits within social affect and repetitive and restricted behaviors and interests (RRBIs).

Results: Significant sex differences were found in total severity of ASD after controlling for IQ, F(1,77)=4.59, p=.04. Adjusted marginal means demonstrated that males have higher ADOS total scores [M =13.37; 95% CI (12.47,14.34)] than females [M=11.13; 95% CI (9.33,12.98)]. No sex differences were found within the domain of intellectual ability, t(78)=.34, p= .738, or across the linear combination of the dependent variables of social affect and RRBIs, F(2,76)=2.95, p=.058.

Conclusions: This study provides further evidence that males are diagnosed with ASD at higher rates than females and suggests males present with more severe ASD pathology than females on the ADOS-2. Additional analyses are required to understand the full extent of clinical implications.
A-271 Assessment of Autistic Filipino-Americans using the ECLECTIC Model
Authors: Romero Regilda Anne , Ordonez Cherry , Dulay Mario , Agbayani Kristina
Published: August 2022

Objective: Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by difficulties with social communication and restricted/repetitive behaviors. It is reported to occur in all racial and ethnic groups; however, literature on assessing autistic Filipino-Americans is scarce. Therefore, multicultural assessment guidelines are imperative in the diagnostic process as there are specific cultural factors that should be considered such as perception on disabilities, cultural values, acculturation level, etc. We discuss the use of the ECLECTIC model in assessing a US-born Filipino-American child of immigrant parents.

Methods: In addition to commonly used assessment battery, the following theoretical constructs were implemented to asses this case: Education, Culture and Acculturation, Language and Language Proficiency, Economics, Communication, Testing Situation, Intelligence Concept, and Context of Immigration. For instance, the family’s cultural and educational backgrounds were taken into consideration. Additionally, the patient’s “fluency in Japanese,” which caregivers’ thought was evidence of multilingual skills, was in fact stereotyped speech.

Results: The evaluation revealed significant weakness in reasoning, academic skills, and adaptive skills. All autism-related measures indicated autism. Further, results revealed that his expressive communication was limited. Of note, what the family thought was functional communication in another language was actually delayed echolalia from videos.

Conclusions: Cultural factors significantly affected this family’s perception of the patient’s behaviors and social interactions. Using a cultural lens is essential in autism assessments because of the strong relationship between social cognition/behaviors and culture. Additionally, assessment will enhance clinical formulation and help identify potential biases that may interfere with appropriate autism diagnosis and effective recommendations, particularly in the Filipino-American community.
A-273 MRI White Matter Hyperintensities and Neuropsychological Performance in a Young Adult Clinical Sample
Authors: Paredes Jory , Daniel Michael
Published: August 2022

Objective: Investigate the association of white-matter hyperintensities (WMH) on routine clinical MRI and neuropsychological test performance in a young adult clinical sample referred for neuropsychological assessment.

Method: From a sample of 607 patients that underwent comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation, two groups were selected based on MRI results: 1) normal (n = 50 (30 females), Mage = 46.20, Medu = 15.16) and 2) WMH without other MRI abnormality (n = 35 (20 females), Mage = 47.83, Medu = 14.24). Exclusion criteria included dementia, other brain neuropathology (e.g. stroke, neurodegeneration, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, etc.), below normal scores on performance validity tests, and age > 59 years.

Results: Independent samples t-tests revealed statistically significant group differences for: Block Design (d=.55), Digit Span Backward (d=.49), Spatial Span Backward (d=.49), DKEFS Trails Number (d=.78), DKEFS Trails Letter (d=.59), and Matrix Reasoning (d=.52); although, means for both groups were within the average range for all neuropsychological tests. Using logistic regression analyses, odds ratios were calculated for a person with WMH having an impaired index score using two z-score cut-offs: -1.67 and -1.00. WMH were associated with an index z-score < -1.00 on Matrix Reasoning (OR = 8.44, 95% CI: 1.69-42.22). A trend was near statistical significance (p= .06) at the -1.00 z-score cut-off on attention/processing speed tests (OR = 3.19, 95% CI: .93-16.39). Results for -1.67 cut-off were not significant.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that even in younger adults, WMH are associated with increased probability of mild inefficiency/decline in problem-solving/reasoning, and may be associated with mild decline in attention/processing speed.
A-275 Distinguishing Regional Cerebral Blood Flow between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in the Child Population
Authors: Ramrattan Aruna , Metsky Jake , Arias Brittny , Golden Charles J , Willheumier Kristen , Amen Daniel
Published: August 2022

Objective: This study aimed to examine the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of several brain regions to evaluate differences between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Method: The sample consisted of PTSD patients (n=89) with a mean age of 12.10 years, SD=3.88, and ADHD patients (n=2568) with a mean age of 12.19 years, SD=3.39. To test the hypothesis that rCBF within these two disorders are distinguishable, one-way ANOVAs were run with all 17 brain regions in the SPECT Child Database.

Results: Tests revealed statistical significance (increased rCBF (p<.001)) for PTSD bilaterally in the limbic system (baseline and concentration), bilaterally in the basal ganglia (baseline and concentration), and in the vermis (baseline and concentration). Statistical significance (p<.001) was indicated for ADHD bilaterally in the cerebellum (concentration), right-hemisphere parietal (baseline and concentration), and right-hemisphere temporal (baseline and concentration).

Conclusions: While results indicated increased rCBF between various brain regions, this study also indicated two general regions that may significantly characterize each disorder to help us conceptualize neuropsychological functioning more meaningfully. Bilaterally, the limbic region generally produced greater rCBF in PTSD participants compared to ADHD; bilaterally, the cerebellum generally produced greater rCBF within ADHD participants. Literature correlates our limbic region with emotion, learning, memory, aggression and is particularly associated with anxiety disorders. The cerebellum is associated with refining fine movements initiated by the motor cortex. As impulsivity is a key criterion in ADHD, we may surmise that higher rCBF activity in the cerebellum results from increased efforts in controlling movements and coordination. Additional investigation is necessary.
A-278 Neuropsychological Profile of a Child with KCNQ2
Authors: Hershkovich Arielle , Weiss Erica F , McGinley John , Bronshteyn Diana , Masur David , Facchini Ronda
Published: August 2022

Objective: The KCNQ2 gene mutations (KCNQ2), a known cause of neuronal potassium channel dysfunction in brain cells, causes susceptibility to seizures beginning within the first days of life. Seizure semiology, severity and cognitive sequela can vary depending on the type of KCNQ2 mutation. Cognitive impact ranges from moderate to severe; no known consistent presentation. KCNQ2 affects approximately 2.8 in 100,000 births: over 3,000 annual cases worldwide. We describe the neuropsychological findings of an 11-year-old female with a monoallelic mutation of the KCNQ2 gene, and history of seizures. EEG indicated generalized epilepsy syndrome with a right occipital focal area of dysfunction. We highlight the importance of neuropsychological evaluation in medical and psychological management of children with KCNQ2.

Methods: Medical history includes multifocal seizures beginning at 2 days old and significant anxiety, both managed with medication, language delay, and a diagnosis of KCNQ2 at age 9. A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation was conducted to assess slower processing speed, behavioral concerns, and anxiety.

Results: Evaluation revealed low average overall cognition and average academic performances, with strengths in verbal comprehension, fluid reasoning, and written expression. Cognitive processing speed was atypical, with slow processing speed affecting her performance across multiple domains. Behavior assessment supports Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Conclusion: This case of a girl with KCNQ2 demonstrated an atypical cognitive and behavioral profile, contributing to our limited knowledge of how KCNQ2 presents. The patterns of her performances add to the literature of the KCNQ2 gene mutation and raise important questions regarding the role of KCNQ2 in manifestations of cognitive and behavioral symptoms.
A-279 Progressive Neuropsychological Deficits Secondary to an Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis Attack 11 Years Later Complicated by Possible New Pathology
Authors: Khan Mohammadi , Phillips Matthew S , Yang Jessica , Fink Joseph
Published: August 2022

Objective: Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) often presents as an abrupt, brief, and intense attack causing widespread inflammation and demyelination to the central nervous system. Most patients typically make a complete neurological recovery; however, a few demonstrate long-term, persistent impairments.

Method: A 64-year-old white female presented for a neuropsychological evaluation (2021) following a progressive one-year decline in her memory and motor abilities, which per family, reportedly overlay persisting residual deficits from an ADEM attack she had in 2010. Nearly 11 years following the attack, she reported continued reliance on her family in completing most of her instrumental, and even some basic activities of daily living since the attack. Initial neuroimaging following the attack (2010) revealed extensive bilateral white matter (WM) lesions, whereas current neuroimaging (2021) (despite not explicitly commenting on the resolution status of her lesions), continued to reveal widespread hyperintense signals in WM regions, progressing cerebral atrophy, and the possibility of superimposed normal pressure hydrocephalus (i.e., ventriculomegaly).

Results: Her neuropsychological profile (with no prior baseline) was marked by substantial impairments in immediate and delayed verbal/visual memory, attention, language, motor abilities, visuospatial skills, executive functions, along with mild anxiety.

Conclusions: This neurocognitive profile displayed atypical findings in patient recovery following an ADEM attack. Given the test results and the continued presence of extensive hyperintense signals in WM regions, it is possible her initial brain lesions (due to ADEM) remained unresolved. This, along with the possible intervening effects of new pathology (e.g., NPH and possible vascular changes) are likely exacerbating her existing deficits related to ADEM.
A-282 Verbal Fluencies are Differentially Associated with Processing Speed in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Stanek Kelly M , Park Yong D , Murro Anthony M , Moore-Hill Debra , Vale Fernando
Published: August 2022

Objective: The current study sought to better understand the impact of processing speed on pre-surgical assessment of verbal fluencies in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) by examining whether processing speed is differentially related to category and letter fluencies across patients with left and right unilateral TLE.

Method: The retrospective data sample included 36 adults aged 17-60 (56% female) with cryptogenic TLE and both video EEG evidence for unilateral seizure focus (right TLE n =16; left TLE n=20) and confirmed left hemisphere language dominance, who had undergone pre-surgical neuropsychological evaluation including assessment of category fluency (Animal Naming), letter fluency (FAS), and processing speed (Coding). Primary partial correlation analyses controlled for age and years of education.

Results: After controlling for demographic variables in each of the following analyses, there was a statistically significant relationship between Coding and Animal Naming (r=.47, p<.01) but not FAS in the full sample of TLE patients. Similarly in the left TLE group, there was a statistically significant relationship between Coding and Animal Naming (r=.47, p<.05) but not FAS. In the right TLE group, neither Animal Naming nor FAS were statistically significantly related to Coding.

Conclusion: Results suggest that processing speed may have a greater influence on measurement of category as opposed to letter fluency in individuals with left TLE but not right TLE. While further research in larger samples is indicated, a better understanding of these relationships is important in assessing the lateralizing/localizing value of semantic and phonemic fluencies in pre-surgical neurocognitive profiles of patients with unilateral TLE with impaired processing speed.
A-285 Malingering of Executive Function in Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Revels-Strother Olivia , Suhr Julie
Published: August 2022

Objective: The current study explored whether the Delis-Kaplin Executive Functioning System (D-KEFS) Stroop test and Barkley Deficits in Executive Function System (BDEFS) measure are vulnerable to malingering and whether cutoffs on each could be identified to detect malingering.

Method: Using a simulator design, students recruited from the psychology participant pool at Ohio University (Mage=21.20, SD=5.85; 77.3% white, 52% freshmen, 68% assigned female, 12% prior ADHD diagnosis, 20% history of mild TBI, and 38.7% current psychological diagnoses) were randomly assigned to either malinger (simulator condition) Traumatic Brain Injury or perform normally (control condition). Participants were virtually administered the Test of Pre-Morbid Functioning, the D-KEFS, Test of Memory Malingering, and BDEFS. They also completed Qualtrics adherence items. Participants were excluded based on their Qualtrics response and for insufficient data.

Results: As hypothesized, malingerers scored worse than controls on both measures. The Inhibition subtest (both raw and scaled scores) of the D-KEFS Stroop discriminated simulators from controls and a cutoff for the raw score was identified that detected 48% of simulators, with 90% specificity. The BDEFS total score also discriminated malingerers from controls, and a cutoff was identified that detected 56% of simulators, with 90% specificity. Supplemental chi square analysis showed poor congruence between the two measures, p=.262.

Conclusions: The present study provides support for the potential utility of the D-KEFS Inhibition raw scores and BDEFS total scores as indicators of malingered executive functioning in TBI. Overall, results support the need to include both Performance Validity Tests and Symptom Validity Tests in assessment.
A-286 How Far We’ve Come: Promoting Resilience Following Significant Early Life Neurological Insult
Authors: Manning Madeline C , Cap Caitlyn J , Naidoo Reshma B
Published: August 2022

Objective: Despite empirical data indicating continued and increased negative neurocognitive effects of neurological insult due to early life exposure to brain resections, refractory seizures, and chemoradiotherapy, it is possible for patients to rewrite their narratives and demonstrate resilience and terrific response to rehabilitation. A longitudinal, single case study demonstrating the positive impact of therapeutic intervention is presented here.

Method: Patient is a 14-year-old Hispanic female diagnosed with atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT) at age 2 was treated as per Dana Farber ATRT protocol, including brain resection and chemoradiation treatment. Neurological and cognitive complications due to treatment and late effects were observed. Patient also underwent a right temporal lobectomy (age 11) which controlled her refractory seizures and cognitive regression. Patient subsequently received intensive neurorehabilitation and serial neuropsychological assessments (age 4, 7, 10, 14).

Results: Early assessments (ages 4 and 7) indicated a decline in neurocognitive performance (exceptionally low range across domains). More recent assessments (ages 10 and 14), however, demonstrated a change in trajectory (ranging from low average to exceptionally low). The greatest growth was observed in verbal and quantitative reasoning, as well as executive functioning abilities.

Conclusions: Even for children who have had multiple, chronic, insidious early life neurocognitive insults, intensive and directive therapies can alter their trajectory and allow steady gains to be made. These findings highlight the importance of taking a biopsychosocial approach for informing therapy led by a strong treatment team. It is critical to integrate the strengths of the individual, family, treatment team, and environment in supporting the patient-family’s treatment goals.
A-287 Attention Shifting Individual Differences Moderate Attention Bias Modification Training Effects Among Formerly Depressed Persons
Authors: Tytler Caitlin , Yaroslavsky Ilya , Kiss Enikő , Kapornai Krisztina , Baji Ildikó , Kovacs Maria
Published: August 2022

Objective: Biased information processing towards negative content is associated with depressive disorders and may be reduced by training attention away from dysphoric stimuli (attention bias modification training, ABM). Empirical findings are mixed concerning ABM outcomes within depressed clinical and analog samples, which may reflect methodological differences (e.g., reaction time- vs. eye-tracking-based measurement), and individual attention-shifting differences. This study tests attention-shifting as a moderator of ABM outcomes among adults with depression histories via reaction-time and eye-tracking-based paradigms.

Method: Adults (N=197, Mage=26.83, 46% female, n=28 depressed) completed psychiatric interviews and received dot-probe-based ABM (n=126) or sham training (SHAM-ABM) (n=71) in 3 laboratory sessions. Across training conditions, respondents viewed sad-neutral same-actor face pairs with incongruent trials (probe following the neutral face) comprising 85% of the 288 session trials in ABM vs. 50% in SHAM-ABM. Training effects reflect pre-to-post-training change in average reaction times to incongruent (vs. congruent) image-probe trials via another dot-probe task and times to first visual fixation across same-actor sad-neutral face-pairs in response to visual prompts (i.e., a shape framing the target face) collected through E-prime 3.0 and the Tobii x2-60 system. Attention-shifting indexes time-to-first-fixation across neutral-neutral face-pair trials.

Results. Pre-training attention-shifting differences moderated training effects when shifting attention away (but not towards) sad faces (F=3.98, p=.047): slow attention-shifting predicted rapid sad-face disengagement for those in SHAM-ABM (ΔM=-61ms, F=7.96, p=.005), but not other conditions. No other training effects emerged for eye-tracking and reaction time indices.

Conclusion: Findings support the utility of measuring attention processes via eye-tracking methods, and the need to account for individual attention-shifting differences.
A-292 Graph Theoretical Analysis of Brain Functional Connectivity in Initiation and Inhibition Tasks
Authors: Davis Alexandra
Published: August 2022

Objective: Using graph theoretical analysis, the current study explores network properties of highly associated brain areas during initiation and inhibition.

Method: The current study utilized a publicly available dataset of functional connectivity matrices generated during initiation and inhibition (go/nogo paradigm) in 144 healthy adults between the age of 20 and 86 who were recruited from the greater Toronto area (Jenny R Rieck et. al, 2021). The researcher selected brain areas (ROIs) that showed high correlation (>0.75) from each participant's matrices and input high incidents of functional connectivity among all participants into an incidental matrix which was used to generate a network graph for each task. ROIs are presented as nodes (vertices) while their connections are edges. Core measures, such as degree distribution, mean distance, within module degree z score, and gateway coefficient, were analyzed.

Results: The analysis showed a disconnected network across several brain regions and several common connections among somatomotor, default A, and peripheral visual networks. For the initiation task, the medial prefrontal cortex on both hemispheres are more frequently activated. A high betweenness was found in different brain areas for the inhibition and initiation across visual and default networks. Further analysis showed the extra-striate cortex appears to be the “hub” for initiation while the extra-striate superior cortex appears to be the “hub” for inhibition.

Conclusion(s): The present study showed several common brain areas that are activated during both initiation and inhibition, highlighted differences in activation between the two tasks and explored several areas that could be a “hub” during each task.
A-298 Comparing the Use of the Automatized Sequences Task to the Rey-15 Item Test with an Inpatient Adolescent Population
Authors: Shoppell Stephanie , Michel Samson
Published: August 2022

Objective: In adult populations, performance validity indicators are well established, as they are efficient and can be a standalone to measure effort. There less known about the validity of effort testing with adolescents, especially when conducting neuropsychological evaluations on an inpatient unit.

Method: This study examined the performance of adolescents admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit on the Automatized Sequences Task (AST) (aged 13-19; n = 74) and Rey-15 Item Test (aged 13-19; n = 74).

Results: 86.5% of the adolescent passed the AST (M = .86; SD = .34) and 97.5% of adolescents passed the Rey-15 (M = 13.6 items correct, SD = 2.64).

Conclusion(s): Performance on both PVTs demonstrated the helpfulness in measuring effort with adolescents on an inpatient unit. Further research is needed to determine whether the adolescents who performed below recommended cutoffs on AST reflects genuine suboptimal effort, cognitive difficulties with these adolescents, and/or other factors.
A-299 Comparison in Regional Cerebral Blood Flow for Individuals with and without a History of Diagnosed Brain Trauma
Authors: Nunez Christina , Thompson Kayla , McDonald Bailey , Golden Charles , Amen Daniel , Willeumier Kristen
Published: August 2022

Objective: To identify regions of the brain with disrupted regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) resulting from brain trauma.

Method: Participants (N=15,365) were selected from a deidentified adult clinical outpatient database. Participants were divided into those with diagnosed brain trauma (n=6,736, 65.5% male, Mage=40.12, and 67.9% white) and those without diagnosed brain trauma (n=8,629, 57% male, Mage=39.74, and 63.5% white). Those with comorbid diagnosis were included. Groups differed significantly for gender (χ2(1)=118.322) and race (χ2(15)=47.994). ANCOVAs were utilized to test the difference between groups on rCBF during a concentration task controlling for significant covariates.

Results: Individuals with diagnosed brain trauma had significantly lower levels of rCBF in the left limbic region F(1,15365)=10.510, p=.001; frontal regions [left F(1,15365)=29.487, p<.001; right F(1, 15365)= 12.399, p<.001]; motor sensory regions [left F(1, 15365)= 15.286, p<.001; right F(1,15365)=11.485, p<.00] during the concentration task. Individuals with diagnosed brain trauma had significantly higher levels of rCBF in the cerebellum regions [left F(1,15365)=14.413, p<.001; right F(1,15365)=13.139, p<.001]; occipital regions [left F(1,15365)=7.388, p=.007; right F(1,15365)=8.074, p=.004] during the concentration task. No significant differences existed in right limbic region, the basal ganglia, parietal regions, temporal regions, nor vermis.

Conclusions: Individuals with brain trauma exhibited lower rCBF in frontal, motor, and left limbic regions. Lower rCBF in these regions are associated with an increase in difficulties with executive functioning, movement, planning, memory, sensory processing, and emotional regulation. Individuals with brain trauma may therefore struggle with aspects of daily living. Limitations include lack of information on mechanism of injury, location of injury, and time of injury and testing.
A-301 Differences in Regional Cerebral Blood Flow for Females and Males with Elevated Self-Reported PTSD Symptoms
Authors: Nunez Christina , Alshamsi Mohammed , Schapiro Stevie , McDonald Bailey , Golden Charles , Amen Daniel , Willeumier Kristen
Published: August 2022

Objective: Females and males may differ in stress responses which suggests different brain reactivity between genders in PTSD. This study compares baseline regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) between females and males with elevated PTSD symptoms.

Method: Females [n = 383; Mage=37.51; white (65%)] and males [n=389; Mage=36.37; white (65%)] with elevated self-reported PTSD symptoms (2SD over the mean) were selected from a deidentified adult clinical outpatient database. No significant differences existed between genders for race or age. ANOVAs were utilized to test the difference between females and males’ baseline rCBF levels. Those with comorbid diagnosis were included. Alpha was set at .001.

Results: Females had significantly lower bilateral perfusion in the frontal [left: F(1,770)=17.173; right: F(1,770)=49.496], occipital [left: F(1,770)=88.897; right: F(1,770)=144.190], temporal [left: F(1,770)=11.594; right: F(1,770)=58.005], cerebellum [left: F(1,770)=121.549 right: F(1,770)=138.506] and right parietal lobe [F(1,770)=42.303]. Males had significantly lower bilateral perfusion in limbic system [left: F(1,770)=228.628; right: F(1,770)=211.896], basal ganglia [left: F(1,770)=234.383; right: F(1,770)=138.506], left motor sensory [F(1,770)=31.459], and vermis region of the brain [F(1,770)=51.637]. No differences were found in right motor sensory or left parietal regions.

Conclusion: Given the large effects males exhibited in the limbic and basal ganglion regions, males may struggle with emotional regulation, memory, and motor control due to dysfunction in these regions. Females may struggle with dizziness, aspects of executive functioning, processing language and emotions, and difficulty processing visual information due to depravation in the frontal, temporal, occipital and cerebellum regions. Limitations included lack of specificity to trauma and the utilization of a self-report measure to define PTSD symptoms.
A-308 Coached Malingering Detection: Validity of an Online Adaptation of the Portland Digit Recognition Test
Authors: Huston Chloe , Poreh Amir
Published: August 2022

Objective: The prevalence of malingering following a personal injury is estimated to range from 1% (Hickling et al., 1999) to more than 50% (Resnick, 1997). Thus, it is imperative to have malingering measures that are well-validated (Janaski et al., 2011). Additionally, with the proliferation of telehealth and online neuropsychological assessment, a question is raised to whether the results of such measures are comparable to those used in person. Therefore, this study aimed to validate an online adaptation of the PDRT for detection of coached malingerers.

Methods: 282 participants were randomly assigned to the coached malingerers’ or control group and completed an online adaptation of the Portland Digit Recognition Test (PDRT). The coached malingerers’ group was instructed to perform as if they have a TBI and received a test-taking strategy. Sensitivity for the online PDRT were compared to in-person PDRT scores from published simulation studies (e.g. Rose et al., 1998; Gustad and Suhr, 2001).

Results: The online adaptation of the PDRT demonstrated a sensitivity of 94% when detecting coached malingerers. When compared to coached malingering detection rates of 47% and 25% from Rose et al. (1998) and Gustad and Suhr (2001), respectively, the online PDRT adaptation consistently had higher sensitivity.

Conclusions: These results helped demonstrate the validity of an online version of the PDRT for detection of coached malingering. When compared to the sensitivity of in-person PDRT scores, the online adaptation had higher sensitivity. Additional research and comparisons are needed to further validate the online version of the PDRT for detection of coached malingering.
A luciferase reporter assay for ecdysone agonists using HEK293T cells
Authors: Yokoi Taiyo , Nabe Taku , Ishizuka Chiharu , Hayashi Ken'ichiro , Ito-Harashima Sayoko , Yagi Takashi , Nakagawa Yoshiaki , Miyagawa Hisashi
Published: August 2022

Ecdysone agonists are a class of insecticides that activate the ecdysone receptor (EcR) heterodimerized with the ultraspiracle (USP). Here, we report a new luciferase reporter assay for ecdysone agonists. The assay employs mammalian HEK293T cells transiently transfected with the EcR and USP genes of Chilo suppressalis, along with the taiman (Tai) gene of Drosophila melanogaster that encodes a steroid receptor coactivator. This assay system gave results consistent with those of radioligand binding assays and showed sensitivity superior to that of the existing in vitro methods. In addition, use of the heterologous host cells precludes perturbation from intrinsic players of the ecdysone signaling, which is a potential drawback of insect cell-based methods. This reporter system is suitable for detailed structure-activity analysis of ecdysone agonists and will serve as a valuable tool for the rational design of novel insect growth regulators.
Clover: tree structure-based efficient DNA clustering for DNA-based data storage
Authors: Qu Guanjin , Yan Zihui , Wu Huaming
Published: August 2022

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-based data storage is a promising new storage technology which has the advantage of high storage capacity and long storage time compared with traditional storage media. However, the synthesis and sequencing process of DNA can randomly generate many types of errors, which makes it more difficult to cluster DNA sequences to recover DNA information. Currently, the available DNA clustering algorithms are targeted at DNA sequences in the biological domain, which not only cannot adapt to the characteristics of sequences in DNA storage, but also tend to be unacceptably time-consuming for billions of DNA sequences in DNA storage. In this paper, we propose an efficient DNA clustering method termed Clover for DNA storage with linear computational complexity and low memory. Clover avoids the computation of the Levenshtein distance by using a tree structure for interval-specific retrieval. We argue through theoretical proofs that Clover has standard linear computational complexity, low space complexity, etc. Experiments show that our method can cluster 10 million DNA sequences into 50 000 classes in 10 s and meet an accuracy rate of over 99%. Furthermore, we have successfully completed an unprecedented clustering of 10 billion DNA data on a single home computer and the time consumption still satisfies the linear relationship. Clover is freely available at https://github.com/Guanjinqu/Clover.
Correction of image distortion in large-field ssEM stitching by an unsupervised intermediate-space solving network
Authors: He Bintao , Zhang Yan , Zhang Fa , Han Renmin
Published: August 2022

Motivation

Serial-section electron microscopy (ssEM) is a powerful technique for cellular visualization, especially for large-scale specimens. Limited by the field of view, a megapixel image of whole-specimen is regularly captured by stitching several overlapping images. However, suffering from distortion by manual operations, lens distortion or electron impact, simple rigid transformations are not adequate for perfect mosaic generation. Non-linear deformation usually causes ‘ghosting’ phenomenon, especially with high magnification. To date, existing microscope image processing tools provide mature rigid stitching methods but have no idea with local distortion correction.

Results

In this article, following the development of unsupervised deep learning, we present a multi-scale network to predict the dense deformation fields of image pairs in ssEM and blend these images into a clear and seamless montage. The model is composed of two pyramidal backbones, sharing parameters and interacting with a set of registration modules, in which the pyramidal architecture could effectively capture large deformation according to multi-scale decomposition. A novel ‘intermediate-space solving’ paradigm is adopted in our model to treat inputted images equally and ensure nearly perfect stitching of the overlapping regions. Combining with the existing rigid transformation method, our model further improves the accuracy of sequential image stitching. Extensive experimental results well demonstrate the superiority of our method over the other traditional methods.

Availability and implementation

The code is available at https://github.com/HeracleBT/ssEM_stitching.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Newly Qualified Social Workers’ Careers: A Mix of Turbulence, Goals and Safety
Authors: Petersén Anna Charlotta
Published: August 2022

Extensive job turnover is a pressing concern in social work. This article reports the result of a mixed-methods study with newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) about their experiences during their first five years in the profession. What career patterns can be discerned and what are the NQSWs’ motives for staying in or leaving a particular job? The theoretical point of departure is that careers must be understood from several interacting perspectives, as individual motives and objectives meet and interact with contextual conditions. The findings from interviews and a questionnaire indicate that most NQSWs have changed employment three to eight times during a five-year period. Most quit because of bad working conditions, although some changed jobs as part of an incremental development towards achieving a particular position. Three different types of careers are found: turbulent, goal-oriented, and safe careers. NQSWs are only partially rational regarding career decisions, and most decisions are made pragmatically, especially for those with turbulent careers, which most of the respondents experienced.
Speaker–listener neural coupling reveals a right-lateralized mechanism for non-native speech-in-noise comprehension
Authors: Li Zhuoran , Hong Bo , Wang Daifa , Nolte Guido , Engel Andreas K , Zhang Dan
Published: August 2022

While the increasingly globalized world has brought more and more demands for non-native language communication, the prevalence of background noise in everyday life poses a great challenge to non-native speech comprehension. The present study employed an interbrain approach based on functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to explore how people adapt to comprehend non-native speech information in noise. A group of Korean participants who acquired Chinese as their non-native language was invited to listen to Chinese narratives at 4 noise levels (no noise, 2 dB, −6 dB, and − 9 dB). These narratives were real-life stories spoken by native Chinese speakers. Processing of the non-native speech was associated with significant fNIRS-based listener–speaker neural couplings mainly over the right hemisphere at both the listener’s and the speaker’s sides. More importantly, the neural couplings from the listener’s right superior temporal gyrus, the right middle temporal gyrus, as well as the right postcentral gyrus were found to be positively correlated with their individual comprehension performance at the strongest noise level (−9 dB). These results provide interbrain evidence in support of the right-lateralized mechanism for non-native speech processing and suggest that both an auditory-based and a sensorimotor-based mechanism contributed to the non-native speech-in-noise comprehension.
Evolution and Transmission of Cefiderocol-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii During an Outbreak in the Burn Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Smoke Steven M , Brophy Alison , Reveron Samuel , Iovleva Alina , Kline Ellen G , Marano Michael , Miller Lincoln P , Shields Ryan K
Published: August 2022

We report on 11 critically ill burn patients treated with cefiderocol for carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections. Clinical success was achieved in 36% and complicated by treatment-emergent resistance and interpatient transmission of cefiderocol-resistant A. baumannii. Resistant isolates harbored disrupted pirA and piuA genes that were not disrupted among susceptible isolates.