bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Mental Health Related During Childhood, Preadolescence, and Adolescence? 11-Year Results From the German Motorik-Modul Longitudinal Study
Authors: Nigg Claudio R , Wunsch Kathrin , Nigg Carina , Niessner Claudia , Jekauc Darko , Schmidt Steffen C E , Woll Alexander
Published: August 2020

Mental health (MH) and behavioral health are fundamental to a good quality of life. Only a few studies have investigated the association between behavioral health (e.g., physical activity (PA), screen time (ST)) and MH from childhood to adolescence. Therefore, we investigated the relationships of PA and ST with MH by sex in an 11-year longitudinal cohort study of German schoolchildren during 2003–2017. A subsample (n = 686; 55.2% female) of participants from the German Motorik-Modul (MoMo) Longitudinal Study who participated in all 3 measurement phases (mean ages: time 1 (baseline; 2003–2006), 5.57 (standard deviation (SD), 1.00) years; time 2 (wave 1; 2009–2012), 11.85 (SD, 1.03) years; time 3 (wave 2; 2014–2017), 16.86 (SD, 1.04) years) were analyzed with regard to PA, ST, and MH (emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems, prosocial behavior, and overall strengths and difficulties). Path panel prediction models were fitted with time 1, time 2, and time 3 PA, ST, and MH indicators. PA predicted less television (TV)/video watching in females, and TV/video watching predicted personal computer (PC)/Internet use in both sexes. Behavior and MH results suggested that, for females, higher TV/video watching and PC/Internet use was related to higher MH challenges over the course of maturation. Some preadolescent males’ MH challenges increased ST (TV/video watching and PC/Internet use) in adolescence. Researchers should explore innovative and effective methods for reducing childhood ST, especially among females with early signs of MH issues, and addressing preadolescent males’ MH challenges.
Diffuse axonal injury predicts neurodegeneration after moderate–severe traumatic brain injury
Authors: Graham Neil S N , Jolly Amy , Zimmerman Karl , Bourke Niall J , Scott Gregory , Cole James H , Schott Jonathan M , Sharp David J
Published: August 2020

Traumatic brain injury is associated with elevated rates of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. In experimental models, diffuse axonal injury triggers post-traumatic neurodegeneration, with axonal damage leading to Wallerian degeneration and toxic proteinopathies of amyloid and hyperphosphorylated tau. However, in humans the link between diffuse axonal injury and subsequent neurodegeneration has yet to be established. Here we test the hypothesis that the severity and location of diffuse axonal injury predicts the degree of progressive post-traumatic neurodegeneration. We investigated longitudinal changes in 55 patients in the chronic phase after moderate–severe traumatic brain injury and 19 healthy control subjects. Fractional anisotropy was calculated from diffusion tensor imaging as a measure of diffuse axonal injury. Jacobian determinant atrophy rates were calculated from serial volumetric T1 scans as a measure of measure post-traumatic neurodegeneration. We explored a range of potential predictors of longitudinal post-traumatic neurodegeneration and compared the variance in brain atrophy that they explained. Patients showed widespread evidence of diffuse axonal injury, with reductions of fractional anisotropy at baseline and follow-up in large parts of the white matter. No significant changes in fractional anisotropy over time were observed. In contrast, abnormally high rates of brain atrophy were seen in both the grey and white matter. The location and extent of diffuse axonal injury predicted the degree of brain atrophy: fractional anisotropy predicted progressive atrophy in both whole-brain and voxelwise analyses. The strongest relationships were seen in central white matter tracts, including the body of the corpus callosum, which are most commonly affected by diffuse axonal injury. Diffuse axonal injury predicted substantially more variability in white matter atrophy than other putative clinical or imaging measures, including baseline brain volume, age, clinical measures of injury severity and microbleeds (>50% for fractional anisotropy versus <5% for other measures). Grey matter atrophy was not predicted by diffuse axonal injury at baseline. In summary, diffusion MRI measures of diffuse axonal injury are a strong predictor of post-traumatic neurodegeneration. This supports a causal link between axonal injury and the progressive neurodegeneration that is commonly seen after moderate/severe traumatic brain injury but has been of uncertain aetiology. The assessment of diffuse axonal injury with diffusion MRI is likely to improve prognostic accuracy and help identify those at greatest neurodegenerative risk for inclusion in clinical treatment trials.
Single Cortical Microinfarcts Lead to Widespread Microglia/Macrophage Migration Along the White Matter
Authors: Lubart Alisa , Benbenishty Amit , Har-Gil Hagai , Laufer Hadas , Gdalyahu Amos , Assaf Yaniv , Blinder Pablo
Published: August 2020

Loss of cognitive function with aging is a complex and poorly understood process. Recently, clinical research has linked the occurrence of cortical microinfarcts to cognitive decline. Cortical microinfarcts form following the occlusion of penetrating vessels and are considered to be restricted to the proximity of the occluded vessel. Whether and how such local events propagate and affect remote brain regions remain unknown. To this end, we combined histological analysis and longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), following the targeted-photothrombotic occlusion of single cortical penetrating vessels. Occlusions resulted in distant tissue reorganization across the mouse brain. This remodeling co-occurred with the formation of a microglia/macrophage migratory path along subcortical white matter tracts, reaching the contralateral hemisphere through the corpus callosum and leaving a microstructural signature detected by DTI-tractography. CX3CR1-deficient mice exhibited shorter trail lengths, differential remodeling, and only ipsilateral white matter tract changes. We concluded that microinfarcts lead to brain-wide remodeling in a microglial CX3CR1-dependent manner.
Deficient or Excess Folic Acid Supply During Pregnancy Alter Cortical Neurodevelopment in Mouse Offspring
Authors: Harlan De Crescenzo Angelo , Panoutsopoulos Alexios A , Tat Lyvin , Schaaf Zachary , Racherla Shailaja , Henderson Lyle , Leung Kit-Yi , Greene Nicholas D E , Green Ralph , Zarbalis Konstantinos S
Published: August 2020

Folate is an essential micronutrient required for both cellular proliferation through de novo nucleotide synthesis and epigenetic regulation of gene expression through methylation. This dual requirement places a particular demand on folate availability during pregnancy when both rapid cell generation and programmed differentiation of maternal, extraembryonic, and embryonic/fetal tissues are required. Accordingly, prenatal neurodevelopment is particularly susceptible to folate deficiency, which can predispose to neural tube defects, or when effective transport into the brain is impaired, cerebral folate deficiency. Consequently, adequate folate consumption, in the form of folic acid (FA) fortification and supplement use, is widely recommended and has led to a substantial increase in the amount of FA intake during pregnancy in some populations. Here, we show that either maternal folate deficiency or FA excess in mice results in disruptions in folate metabolism of the offspring, suggesting diversion of the folate cycle from methylation to DNA synthesis. Paradoxically, either intervention causes comparable neurodevelopmental changes by delaying prenatal cerebral cortical neurogenesis in favor of late-born neurons. These cytoarchitectural and biochemical alterations are accompanied by behavioral abnormalities in FA test groups compared with controls. Our findings point to overlooked potential neurodevelopmental risks associated with excessively high levels of prenatal FA intake.
Th17 associated cytokines in sputum samples from patients with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Oshalim Merna , Johansson Ewa , Rabe Hardis , Gilljam Marita , Lindblad Anders , Jönsson Bodil
Published: August 2020

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease leading to chronic bacterial airway infection and inflammation. T helper 17 (Th17) cells are identified by their production of interleukin (IL)-17A, which recruit neutrophils to the site of airway infection. IL-23 is an important inducer of IL-17 and IL-22 production. The aim of this study was to study the role of Th17 cells in CF airway infection by measuring the levels of Th17 associated cytokines in sputum from CF patients with or without airway infection and by comparison with non-CF-controls. In a cross-sectional screening study, cytokine levels were measured with a Th17 multiplex cytokine ELISA. Significantly lower levels of IL-17A and IL-23 were found in sputa from infected CF patients. The lowest levels of IL-17A were found in patients chronically infected with P. aeruginosa, which also had the lowest IL-17/IL-22 ratio, while children had a higher ratio. Children also had higher IL-23 levels than adults. IL-1ß and IL-10 were significantly lower in CF sputum compared to controls. Thus, in our study CF patients with chronic infections had a lower production of Th17 associated cytokines in sputum compared with non-infected CF patients and infected patient without CF.
Interdependence of Approach and Avoidance Goals in Romantic Couples Over Days and Months
Authors: Nikitin Jana , Wünsche Jenna , Bühler Janina L , Weidmann Rebekka , Burriss Robert P , Grob Alexander
Published: August 2020

Objectives

Despite the centrality of people’s approach goals (i.e., approach toward positive outcomes) and avoidance goals (i.e., avoidance of negative outcomes) in romantic relationships, little is known about the interdependence of approach and avoidance relationship goals between partners. Assuming that short-term, state-level goals accumulate into general goal tendencies, the present research tested whether partners’ daily (i.e., state level) and aggregated daily (i.e., trait level) approach and avoidance goals are mutually predictive in the short term (after one day) and the long term (after 10–12 months). In addition, we explored whether goal interdependence unfolds differently across adulthood and in relationships of different duration.

Method

Approach and avoidance goals were assessed daily on two 14-day measurement-burst occasions that were conducted 10–12 months apart. The sample consisted of N = 456 female–male couples (age: M = 33.6, SD = 13.8 years; relationship duration: M = 9.6, SD = 10.7 years).

Results

We observed significant short- and long-term partner effects in the prediction of couple members’ approach and avoidance goals. These partner effects were restricted to trait level and they did not emerge at the state level. Almost all effects were independent of age and relationship duration.

Discussion

The present research underscores the importance of disentangling state- and trait-level goal tendencies when investigating the interdependence of approach and avoidance goals within romantic relationships.
A reduced order approach for probabilistic inversions of 3-D magnetotelluric data I: general formulation
Authors: Manassero M C , Afonso J C , Zyserman F , Zlotnik S , Fomin I
Published: August 2020

Simulation-based probabilistic inversions of 3-D magnetotelluric (MT) data are arguably the best option to deal with the nonlinearity and non-uniqueness of the MT problem. However, the computational cost associated with the modelling of 3-D MT data has so far precluded the community from adopting and/or pursuing full probabilistic inversions of large MT data sets. In this contribution, we present a novel and general inversion framework, driven by Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms, which combines (i) an efficient parallel-in-parallel structure to solve the 3-D forward problem, (ii) a reduced order technique to create fast and accurate surrogate models of the forward problem and (iii) adaptive strategies for both the MCMC algorithm and the surrogate model. In particular, and contrary to traditional implementations, the adaptation of the surrogate is integrated into the MCMC inversion. This circumvents the need of costly offline stages to build the surrogate and further increases the overall efficiency of the method. We demonstrate the feasibility and performance of our approach to invert for large-scale conductivity structures with two numerical examples using different parametrizations and dimensionalities. In both cases, we report staggering gains in computational efficiency compared to traditional MCMC implementations. Our method finally removes the main bottleneck of probabilistic inversions of 3-D MT data and opens up new opportunities for both stand-alone MT inversions and multi-observable joint inversions for the physical state of the Earth’s interior.
The burden of cardiovascular diseases in Ethiopia from 1990 to 2017: evidence from the Global Burden of Disease Study
Authors: Ali Solomon , Misganaw Awoke , Worku Asnake , Destaw Zelalem , Negash Legesse , Bekele Abebe , Briant Paul S , Johnson Catherine O , Alam Tahiya , Odell Chris , Roth Gregory A , Naghavi Mohsen , Abate Ebba , Mirkuzie Alemnesh H
Published: August 2020

In Ethiopia, evidence on the national burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is limited. To address this gap, this systematic analysis estimated the burden of CVDs in Ethiopia using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 study data. The age-standardized CVD prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and mortality rates in Ethiopia were 5534 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 5310.09 - 5774.0), 3549.6 (95% UI 3229.0 - 3911.9) and 182.63 (95% UI 165.49 - 203.9) per 100 000 population, respectively. Compared with 1990, the age-standardized CVD prevalence rate in 2017 showed no change. But significant reductions were observed in CVD mortality (54.7%), CVD DALYs (57.7%) and all-cause mortality (53.4%). The top three prevalent CVDs were ischaemic heart disease, rheumatic heart disease and stroke in descending order. The reduction in the mortality rate due to CVDs is slower than for communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional disease mortalities. As a result, CVDs are the leading cause of mortality in Ethiopia. These findings urge Ethiopia to consider CVDs as a priority public health problem.
Optimizing Application Rates ofMetarhizium brunneum(Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) Microsclerotia for Infecting the Invasive Asian Longhorned Beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
Authors: Clifton Eric H , Gardescu Sana , Behle Robert W , Hajek Ann E
Published: August 2020

The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis [Motschulsky]) is an invasive wood-boring beetle that threatens urban trees and forests in North America and Europe. The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum Petch strain F52 can infect and kill A. glabripennis adults. Products containing this fungus were available for commercial use in the United States but not registered for Asian longhorned beetle. This study tested different formulations and application rates of M. brunneum F52 microsclerotial granules for their potential development for management of A. glabripennis adults. Three application rates of M. brunneum microsclerotial granules relative to a 1× formulation from previous experiments (0.03 g/cm2; 2× = 0.06 g/cm2 and 3× = 0.09 g/cm2) were exposed on tree trunks for 4-wk periods during May–September. Increased application rates had better retention (% of initial g applied) than the 1× rate, rather than greater weathering loss. Microsclerotia at the 2× application produced 5.05 × 106 conidia/cm2, which was 18 times more conidia than the 1× application. Since A. glabripennis is under active eradication, bioassays with adult beetles were carried out in a quarantine laboratory, using the formulation samples from field exposures. The 2× application resulted in faster beetle mortality. The 3× and 2× rates were not significantly different in retention of the formulation, conidial production, or mortality, but 2× produced the most conidia per gram applied (3.92 × 109 conidia/g). An augmented formulation containing 70% M. brunneum by weight, rather than 50%, produced significantly more conidia and faster beetle mortality than the 50% formulation.
Use of Digital Video Cameras to Determine the Efficacy of Two Trap Types for CapturingRhynchophorus palmarum(Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Authors: Milosavljević Ivan , Hoddle Christina D , Mafra-Neto Agenor , Gómez-Marco Francesc , Hoddle Mark S
Published: August 2020

The efficacies of two trap types, bucket and Picusan traps, for capturing and retaining Rhynchophorus palmarum (L.), an invasive palm pest responsible for killing thousands of ornamental Canary Islands date palms (Phoenix canariensis Chabaud [Arecales: Arecaceae]) in San Diego County, CA, were compared. Digital video data were analyzed to determine how R. palmarum behavior toward each trap type affected capture and retention rates. Videography was conducted 24 h/d, 7 d/wk, for more than 7 mo resulting in 20,211 h of digital data for analysis. Weevil attraction to traps was observed only during daylight hours and no patterns in diel activity were found. Neither trap type tested captured 100% of weevils attracted to traps. Bucket traps suspended 1.5 m above the ground attracted 30% more weevils than ground deployed Picusan traps. Of those weevils attracted to bucket traps, 89% entered, 82% escaped, and 18% that entered traps were retained. Weevils that were not retained spent an average of 19 min 20 s entering and exiting entry holes and walking and flying around the bucket trap. By contrast, Picusan traps captured 89% of weevils that entered the trap. The time between weevils arriving (via walking or flight) on the sides of the Picusan trap and retention in the trap ranged between 90 and 376 s. These visual observations suggest that Picusan traps are more efficient than bucket traps for R. palmarum capture.
The Wicked Problem of Diffuse Nutrient Pollution from Agriculture
Authors: Sharma Annabel
Published: August 2020

Diffuse nutrient pollution from agriculture has been the concern of policymakers for several decades, and yet it remains a persistent environmental issue. The current approach to mitigating the problem is predominantly via command and control regulation within the Nitrates Directive and the Water Framework Directive. This article will set out how diffuse pollution can be considered a wicked policy problem which acts as an explanation of how it has eluded the current regulatory regime. It will further establish that the traditional planning process overlooked the complexity of the problem. Finally, it will illustrate the ineffectiveness of the current regulatory framework to mitigate the problem. This will be exemplified through the legal framework of Northern Ireland.
Embryo-Like Features in Developing Bacillus subtilis Biofilms
Authors: Futo Momir , Opašić Luka , Koska Sara , Čorak Nina , Široki Tin , Ravikumar Vaishnavi , Thorsell Annika , Lenuzzi Maša , Kifer Domagoj , Domazet-Lošo Mirjana , Vlahoviček Kristian , Mijakovic Ivan , Domazet-Lošo Tomislav
Published: August 2020

Correspondence between evolution and development has been discussed for more than two centuries. Recent work reveals that phylogeny−ontogeny correlations are indeed present in developmental transcriptomes of eukaryotic clades with complex multicellularity. Nevertheless, it has been largely ignored that the pervasive presence of phylogeny−ontogeny correlations is a hallmark of development in eukaryotes. This perspective opens a possibility to look for similar parallelisms in biological settings where developmental logic and multicellular complexity are more obscure. For instance, it has been increasingly recognized that multicellular behavior underlies biofilm formation in bacteria. However, it remains unclear whether bacterial biofilm growth shares some basic principles with development in complex eukaryotes. Here we show that the ontogeny of growing Bacillus subtilis biofilms recapitulates phylogeny at the expression level. Using time-resolved transcriptome and proteome profiles, we found that biofilm ontogeny correlates with the evolutionary measures, in a way that evolutionary younger and more diverged genes were increasingly expressed toward later timepoints of biofilm growth. Molecular and morphological signatures also revealed that biofilm growth is highly regulated and organized into discrete ontogenetic stages, analogous to those of eukaryotic embryos. Together, this suggests that biofilm formation in Bacillus is a bona fide developmental process comparable to organismal development in animals, plants, and fungi. Given that most cells on Earth reside in the form of biofilms and that biofilms represent the oldest known fossils, we anticipate that the widely adopted vision of the first life as a single-cell and free-living organism needs rethinking.
IDDB: a comprehensive resource featuring genes, variants and characteristics associated with infertility
Authors: Wu Jing , Li Danjun , Liu Xinyi , Li Qian , He Xinheng , Wei Jiale , Li Xinyi , Li Mingyu , Rehman Ashfaq Ur , Xia Yujia , Wu Chengwei , Zhang Jian , Lu Xuefeng
Published: August 2020

Infertility is a complex multifactorial disease that affects up to 10% of couples across the world. However, many mechanisms of infertility remain unclear due to the lack of studies based on systematic knowledge, leading to ineffective treatment and/or transmission of genetic defects to offspring. Here, we developed an infertility disease database to provide a comprehensive resource featuring various factors involved in infertility. Features in the current IDDB version were manually curated as follows: (i) a total of 307 infertility-associated genes in human and 1348 genes associated with reproductive disorder in 9 model organisms; (ii) a total of 202 chromosomal abnormalities leading to human infertility, including aneuploidies and structural variants; and (iii) a total of 2078 pathogenic variants from infertility patients’ samples across 60 different diseases causing infertility. Additionally, the characteristics of clinically diagnosed infertility patients (i.e. causative variants, laboratory indexes and clinical manifestations) were collected. To the best of our knowledge, the IDDB is the first infertility database serving as a systematic resource for biologists to decipher infertility mechanisms and for clinicians to achieve better diagnosis/treatment of patients from disease phenotype to genetic factors. The IDDB is freely available at http://mdl.shsmu.edu.cn/IDDB/.
TERT and DNMT1 expression predict sensitivity to decitabine in gliomas
Authors: Park Jong-Whi , Sahm Felix , Steffl Bianca , Arrillaga-Romany Isabel , Cahill Daniel , Monje Michelle , Herold-Mende Christel , Wick Wolfgang , Turcan Şevin
Published: August 2020

Background

Decitabine (DAC) is an FDA-approved DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor that is used in the treatment of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. Previously, we showed that DAC marks antitumor activity against gliomas with isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutations. Based on promising preclinical results, a clinical trial has been launched to determine the effect of DAC in IDH-mutant gliomas. The next step is to comprehensively assess the efficacy and potential determinants of response to DAC in malignant gliomas.

Methods

The expression and activity of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and DNMT1 were manipulated in patient-derived IDH1-mutant and -wildtype glioma lines, followed by assessment of cell proliferation with DAC treatment alone or in combination with telomerase inhibitors. RNA sequencing, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment, and correlation analysis were performed.

Results

IDH1-mutant glioma tumorspheres with hemizygous codeletion of chromosome arms 1p/19q were particularly sensitive to DAC and showed significant inhibition of DNA replication genes. Our transcriptome analysis revealed that DAC induced expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A/p21 (CDKN1A), along with downregulation of TERT. These molecular changes were also observed following doxorubicin treatment, supporting the importance of DAC-induced DNA damage in contributing to this effect. We demonstrated that knockdown of p21 led to TERT upregulation. Strikingly, TERT overexpression increased DNMT1 levels and DAC sensitivity via a telomerase-independent mechanism. Furthermore, RNA inhibition (RNAi) targeting of DNMT1 abrogated DAC response in TERT-proficient glioma cells.

Conclusions

DAC downregulates TERT through p21 induction. Our data point to TERT and DNMT1 levels as potential determinants of response to DAC treatment.
Green Light Exposure Improves Pain and Quality of Life in Fibromyalgia Patients: A Preliminary One-Way Crossover Clinical Trial
Authors: Martin Laurent , Porreca Frank , Mata Elizabeth I , Salloum Michelle , Goel Vasudha , Gunnala Pooja , Killgore Wiliam D S , Jain Sejal , Jones-MacFarland Felesia N , Khanna Rajesh , Patwardhan Amol , Ibrahim Mohab M
Published: August 2020

Objective

Fibromyalgia is a functional pain disorder in which patients suffer from widespread pain and poor quality of life. Fibromyalgia pain and its impact on quality of life are not effectively managed with current therapeutics. Previously, in a preclinical rat study, we demonstrated that exposure to green light-emitting diodes (GLED) for 8 hours/day for 5 days resulted in antinociception and reversal of thermal and mechanical hypersensitivity associated with models of injury-related pain. Given the safety of GLED and the ease of its use, our objective is to administer GLED as a potential therapy to patients with fibromyalgia.

Design

One-way crossover clinical trial.

Setting

United States.

Method

We enrolled 21 adult patients with fibromyalgia recruited from the University of Arizona chronic pain clinic who were initially exposed to white light-emitting diodes and then were crossed over to GLED for 1 to 2 hours daily for 10 weeks. Data were collected by using paper surveys.

Results

When patients were exposed to GLED, but not white light-emitting diodes, they reported a significant reduction in average pain intensity on the 10-point numeric pain scale. Secondary outcomes were assessed by using the EQ-5D-5L survey, Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire and were also significantly improved in patients exposed to GLED. GLED therapy was not associated with any measured side effects in these patients.

Conclusion

Although the mechanism by which GLED elicits pain reduction is currently being studied, these results supporting its efficacy and safety merit a larger clinical trial.
High Mobility Group Protein 1 and Dickkopf-Related Protein 1 in Schizophrenia and Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia: Associations With Interleukin-6, Symptom Domains, and Neurocognitive Impairments
Authors: Al-Dujaili Arafat Hussein , Mousa Rana Fadhil , Al-Hakeim Hussein Kadhem , Maes Michael
Published: August 2020

Background

Schizophrenia (SCZ) and treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) are associated with aberrations in immune-inflammatory pathways. Increased high mobility group protein 1 (HMGB1), an inflammatory mediator, and Dickkopf-related protein (DKK1), a Wnt/β-catenin signaling antagonist, affect the blood-brain barrier and induce neurotoxic effects and neurocognitive deficits.

Aim

The present study aims to examine HMGB1 and DDK1 in nonresponders to treatments (NRTT) with antipsychotics (n = 60), partial RTT (PRTT, n = 55), and healthy controls (n = 43) in relation to established markers of SCZ, including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and CCL11 (eotaxin), and to delineate whether these proteins are associated with the SCZ symptom subdomains and neurocognitive impairments.

Results

HMGB1, DKK1, IL-6, and CCL11 were significantly higher in SCZ patients than in controls. DKK1 and IL-6 were significantly higher in NRTT than in PRTT and controls, while IL-10 was higher in NRTT than in controls. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that SCZ was best predicted by increased DDK1 and HMGB1, while NRTT (vs PRTT) was best predicted by increased IL-6 and CCL11 levels. A large part of the variance in psychosis, hostility, excitation, mannerism, and negative (PHEMN) symptoms and formal thought disorders was explained by HMGB1, IL-6, and CCL11, while most neurocognitive functions were predicted by HMGB1, DDK1, and CCL11.

Conclusions

The neurotoxic effects of HMGB1, DKK1, IL-6, and CCL11 including the effects on the blood-brain barrier and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway may cause impairments in executive functions and working, episodic, and semantic memory and explain, in part, PHEMN symptoms and a nonresponse to treatment with antipsychotic drugs.
Toward a Du Boisian Framework of Immigrant Incorporation: Racialized Contexts, Relational Identities, and Muslim American Collective Action
Authors: Yazdiha Hajar
Published: August 2020

Answering longstanding questions about the relationship between immigrant identity, collective action, and societal incorporation requires a dynamic theory that integrates these micro, meso, and macro levels of analysis. I propose a Du Boisian framework of immigrant incorporation that centers immigrants’ subjectivities, accounting for variation in immigrants’ perceptions of their relational social positions and subsequent strategies for shifting these positions. In this conceptualization of collective identity and collective action, macro-contexts enable and constrain collective identities through the process of ethnoracial formation, but immigrants negotiate competing perceptions of these identities and the political context, shaping divergent strategies to negotiate group position. I illustrate this framework by drawing on focus groups with Muslim American immigrants, identifying three central couplings of perceived identity and collective action strategy: 1) a perception of an integrating, “model citizen” collective identity that is aspirationally white, shaping assimilationist strategies for incorporation; 2) a perception of temporarily stigmatized identity with corresponding “identity-improvement” strategies for incorporation; and 3) a perception of racialized identity that rejects aspirational whiteness coupled with coalition-building with Black and Brown communities to target racialized systems altogether. Following Du Bois’ legacy, this framework expands our understanding of the dialectic between macro-contexts and micro-dynamics in immigrant incorporation and builds upon growing research that questions whether the quest for societal inclusion is necessarily a process of integration into the dominant category.
Nurse Counseling as Part of a Multicomponent Tobacco Treatment Intervention
Authors: Keller Kristin G. , Lach Helen W.
Published: August 2020

Introduction

Although tobacco use is widely recognized as a major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality, tobacco treatment remains challenging.

Purpose

The purpose of this integrative review is to synthesize the research findings regarding multicomponent tobacco treatment interventions combining nurse counseling and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

Methods

Published literature from 1990 through April 2019 was searched using the databases PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus. We extracted data into a literature matrix to facilitate comparison across primary sources and make conclusions about this body of literature as a whole.

Findings

This integrative review includes 21 publications that investigated the effects of tobacco treatment interventions incorporating both nurse counseling and NRT. Articles were reviewed for quality indicators.

Results

The evidence from this set of studies indicates that nurse counseling is an effective intervention when combined with NRT. The most successful interventions included long-term face-to-face counseling with a nurse. In addition, interventions in which longer courses of NRT were offered for free or at subsidized rates were most successful at engendering smoking cessation. Moreover, interventions that maximized social support for participants attempting to quit smoking resulted in favorable outcomes.

Discussion

The findings can provide useful guidance regarding the designing and implementation of effective tobacco treatment interventions that incorporate various components.

Conclusion

Nurse counseling augmented by additional effective tobacco treatment therapies including NRT leads to beneficial outcomes in smoking cessation. Future researchers should capitalize on this apparent synergistic relationship between multiple tobacco treatment components.
What You Need to Know
Authors: Palumbo Ruthanne , Protokowicz Jodi , Roberto Anka
Published: August 2020

Studies show a direct correlation between traumatic experiences and the development of substance abuse disorders (SUD). Some estimating 67-92% of the patients with a SUD reported having experienced at least one traumatic event (according to the DSMIV PTSD criterion A) in their lifetime (Carletto et al., 2018). Trauma is a contributing factor inhibiting the lifelong process of recovery and its long-term goal of abstinence. Without a focus on interventions that address both the SUD and underlying trauma, health care providers may not be providing the best possible evidence-based care and limiting the chance of recovery for patients (DiPirro, 2017). EMDR is a level A trauma treatment endorsed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) as an evidence-based approach in treating those who suffer from trauma and its related symptoms. Adding EMDR methodology to treatment as usual approach {TAU) can allow for adaptive information processing to take place while reprocessing traumatic memories that may trigger maladaptive coping strategies such as overuse, and misuse of substances.
Where do Brazilian dental students seek information about COVID-19?
Authors: Aragao Maria Gerusa Brito , Gomes Francisco Isaac Fernandes , Coelho Camila Siqueira Silva , Paixão de Melo Letícia Pinho Maia , Corona Silmara Aparecida Milori
Published: August 2020

Objective

We investigated where Brazilian dental students seek information about COVID-19 by a self-administered web-based questionnaire.

Methods

A social network campaign on Instagram was raised to approach the target population. The dental students responded to a multiple-response question asking where they get information about COVID-19. The possible answers were government official websites or health and education institutions websites, TV Programs, professors, social media, scientific articles, other health professionals, and family members. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and frequency distributions of responses were evaluated by gender, age, type of institution, and year of enrollment.

Results

A total of 833 valid responses were received. The main source of information used by the dental students were government official websites or health and education institutions websites (88.7%), other health professionals (57.3%), and scientific articles (56.2%). The use of social media was reported by 54.1% of the students, while TV programs were information sources used by 39.9% of the students. The least used information sources were professors (38.1%) and family members (7.8%).

Conclusions

The respondents seem to be acquainted to seek information in reliable sources and also use social media as a gateway to keep updated about the pandemics. Therefore, knowing where the dental students seek information about COVID-19 might facilitate dental school directors to approach such public continuously, providing them with trustable information on different platforms.
Capturing hand use of individuals with spinal cord injury at home using egocentric video: A feasibility study
Authors: Likitlersuang Jirapat , Visée Ryan J. , Kalsi-Ryan Sukhvinder , Zariffa José
Published: August 2020

Background

Measuring arm and hand function in the community is a critical unmet need of rehabilitation after cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). This information could provide clinicians and researchers with insight into an individual’s independence and reliance on care. Current techniques for monitoring upper limb function at home, including self-report and accelerometry, lack the necessary resolution to capture the performance of the hand in activities of daily living (ADLs). On the other hand, a wearable (egocentric) camera provides detailed video information about the hand and its interactions with the environment. Egocentric recordings at home have the potential to provide unbiased information captured directly in the user’s own living environment.

Purpose

To explore the feasibility of capturing egocentric video recordings in the home of individuals with SCI for hand function evaluation.

Study Design

Feasibility study

Methods

Three participants with SCI recorded ADLs at home without the presence of a researcher. Information regarding recording characteristics and compliance was obtained as well as structured and semi-structured interviews involving privacy, usefulness and usability. A video processing algorithm capable of detecting interactions between the hand and objects was applied to the home recordings.

Results

98.58±1.05 % of the obtained footage was usable and included 4 to 8 unique activities over a span of 3 to 7 days. The interaction detection algorithm yielded an F1-score of 0.75±0.15.

Conclusion

Capturing ADLs using an egocentric camera in the home environment after SCI is feasible. Considerations regarding privacy, ease of use of the devices and scheduling of recordings are provided.
A Behavioral Multispread Epidemic Model
Authors: Graziani Carlo
Published: August 2020

We introduce a class of epidemic models that represent multiple spread rates in terms of discrete behavior classes, rather than in terms of discrete compartments comprising individuals. The model is framed in terms of D behavior classes, each with its own spread rate. The population is represented as a density on the D-simplex, where each point is a D-vector f whose components sum to 1. Each component of f represents the fraction of time in which an individual spends engaging in the corresponding behavior. The evolution equation is an integro-differential equation on the D-simplex. The model is capable of describing the “superspreader” phenomenon in terms of behavior spread rates, as opposed to terms of individual infectivity. We show the existence of SIR-like separable solutions and discuss their stability. We explore the numeric properties of the model using a D = 3 case featuring a “safe” behavior, a moderate-spread behavior, and a superspread behavior.
PopART-IBM, a highly efficient stochastic individual-based simulation model of generalised HIV epidemics developed in the context of the HPTN 071 (PopART) trial
Authors: Pickles Michael , Cori Anne , Probert William , Sauter Rafael , Fidler Sarah , Ayles Helen , Bock Peter , Donnell Deborah , Wilson Ethan , Piwowar-Manning Estelle , Floyd Sian , Hayes Richard , Frase Christophe
Published: August 2020

Mathematical models are powerful tools in HIV epidemiology, producing quantitative projections of key indicators such as HIV incidence and prevalence. In order to improve the accuracy of predictions, such models need to incorporate a number of behavioural and biological heterogeneities, especially those related to the sexual network within which HIV transmission occurs. An individual-based model, which explicitly models sexual partnerships, is thus often the most natural type of model to choose. In this paper we present PopART-IBM, a computationally efficient individual-based model capable of simulating 50 years of an HIV epidemic in a large, high-prevalence community in under a minute. We show how the model calibrates within a Bayesian inference framework to detailed age- and sex-stratified data from multiple sources on HIV prevalence, awareness of HIV status, ART status, and viral suppression for an HPTN 071 (PopART) study community in Zambia, and present future projections of HIV prevalence and incidence for this community in the absence of trial intervention.
Seroprevalence and correlates of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies: Results from a population-based study in Bonn, Germany
Authors: Aziz N. Ahmad , Corman Victor M. , Echterhoff Antje K.C. , Richter Anja , Schmandke Antonio , Schmidt Marie Luisa , Schmidt Thomas H. , de Vries Folgerdiena M. , Drosten Christian , Breteler Monique M.B.
Published: August 2020

Background

Accurate estimates of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence are crucial for the implementation of effective public health measures, but are currently largely lacking in regions with low infection rates. This is further complicated by inadequate test performance of many widely used serological assays. We therefore aimed to assess SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in a region with low COVID-19 burden, especially focusing on neutralizing antibodies that presumably constitute a major component of acquired immunity.

Methods

We invited all individuals who were enrolled in the Rhineland Study, an ongoing community-based prospective cohort study in people aged 30 years and above in the city of Bonn, Germany (N=5427). Between April 24th and June 30th, 2020, 4771 (88%) of these individuals participated in the serosurvey. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were measured using an ELISA assay, and all positive or borderline results were subsequently examined through both a recombinant immunofluorescent assay and a plaque reduction neutralisation test (PRNT).

Findings

Seroprevalence was 0·97% (95% CI: 0·72–1·30) by ELISA and 0·36% (95% CI: 0·21–0·61) by PRNT, and did not vary with either age or sex. All PRNT+ individuals reported having experienced at least one symptom (odds ratio (OR) of PRNT+ for each additional symptom: 1·12 (95% CI: 1·04–1·21)). Apart from living in a household with a SARS-CoV-2 confirmed or suspected person, a recent history of reduced taste or smell, fever, chills/hot flashes, pain while breathing, pain in arms/legs, as well as muscle pain and weakness were significantly associated with the presence of neutralizing antibodies in those with mild to moderate infection (ORs 3·44 to 9·97, all p<0·018).

Interpretation

Our findings indicate a relatively low SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Bonn, Germany (until June 30th, 2020), with neutralizing antibodies detectable in only one third of those with a positive immunoassay result, implying that almost the entire population in this region remains susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Funding

The Rhineland Study is predominantly funded through the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Ministry of Culture and Science of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia. The National Consultant Laboratory for Coronaviruses is funded by the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG). No additional funding was received for this seroprevalence study.
Real-time, interactive website for US-county level Covid-19 event risk assessment
Authors: Chande Aroon , Lee Seolha , Harris Mallory , Hilley Troy , Andris Clio , Weitz Joshua S.
Published: August 2020

Large events and gatherings, particularly those taking place indoors, have been linked to multi-transmission events that have accelerated the pandemic spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). To provide real-time, geo-localized risk information, we developed an interactive online dashboard that estimates the risk that at least one individual with SARS-CoV-2 is present in gatherings of different sizes in the United States. The website combines documented case reports at the county level with ascertainment bias information obtained via population-wide serological surveys to estimate real time circulating, per-capita infection rates. These rates are updated daily as a means to visualize the risk associated with gatherings, including county maps and state-level plots. The website provides data-driven information to help individuals and policy-makers make prudent decisions (e.g., increasing mask wearing compliance and avoiding larger gatherings) that could help control the spread of SARS-CoV-2, particularly in hard-hit regions.
Fractal signatures of SARS-CoV2 coronavirus, the indicator matrix, the fractal dimension and the 2D directional wavelet transform: A comparative study with SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-like coronavirus
Authors: Ouadfeul Sid-Ali
Published: August 2020

The main goal of this paper is to show the 2D fractal signatures of SARS-CoV2 coronavirus, indicator matrixes maps showing the concentration of nucleotide acids are built form the RNA sequences, and then the fractal dimension and 2D Directional Wavelet Transform (DCWT) are calculated. Analysis of 21 RNA sequences downloaded from NCBI database shows that indicator matrixes and 2D DCWT exhibit the same patterns with different positions, while the fractal dimensions are oscillating around 1.60. A comparison with SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-like Coronavirus shows slightly different fractal dimensions, however the indicator matrix and 2D DCWT exhibit the same patterns for the couple (SARS-CoV2, SARS-CoV) and (MERS-CoV, SARS-like) Coronavirus. Obtained results show that SARS-CoV2 is probably a result of SARS-CoV mutation process.
Bundle-specific associations between white matter microstructure and Aβ and tau pathology at their connecting cortical endpoints in older adults at risk of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Binette Alexa Pichet , Theaud Guillaume , Rheault François , Roy Maggie , Collins D. Louis , Breitner John C.S. , Poirier Judes , Descoteaux Maxime , Villeneuve Sylvia ,   for the PREVENT-AD Research Group
Published: August 2020

Beta-amyloid (Aβ) and tau proteins, the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), are believed to spread through connected regions. Combining diffusion imaging and positron emission tomography, we investigated associations between Aβ, tau and white matter microstructure specifically in bundles connecting brain regions in which AD pathology accumulates. In 126 cognitively normal elderly at risk of AD, we focussed on free-water corrected diffusion measures in the cingulum, posterior cingulum, fornix and uncinate fasciculus. We found higher tissue fractional anisotropy and lower mean and radial diffusivity related to increased Aβ at the cortical endpoints of the cingulum and fornix. We observed similar but stronger associations in the uncinate fasciculus, but with increased Aβ and tau at the endpoints of this bundle. This consistent pattern of associations, with opposite directionality to the usual degeneration pattern in symptomatic individuals, suggests more restricted diffusion in bundles vulnerable to preclinical AD pathology.