bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Racialized experience, biomarkers of lead exposure, and later-life cognition: a mediation analysis
Authors: Jenson Tara E. , Bakulski Kelly M. , Wesp Linda , Dookeran Keith , Driscoll Ira , Kalkbrenner Amy E. 
Published: April 2023

AbstractWe evaluated the role of the neurotoxicant lead (Pb) in mediating racial disparities in later-life cognition in 1,085 non-Hispanic Black and 2,839 non-Hispanic white participants in NHANES (1999-2002, 2011-2014) 60+ years of age. We operationalized Black race as a marker for the experience of racialization and exposure to systemic racism. We estimated patella bone Pb via predictive models using blood Pb and demographics. Concurrent cognition (processing speed, sustained attention, working memory) was measured by the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and a global measure combining four cognitive tests. To obtain the portion mediated, we used regression coefficients (race on Pb * Pb on cognitive score)/(race on cognitive score), adjusting for age, NHANES cycle, and sample weights. Other confounder adjustment (education, poverty income ratio, smoking) was limited to the mediator-outcome (i.e., Pb-cognition) pathway because these factors do not lie upstream of race and so cannot confound associations with race. Pb was estimated to mediate 0.6% of the association between race and global cognition, and 4% of the DSST. Our results suggest that later-life cognitive health disparities may be impacted by avoidable lead exposure driven by environmental injustice, noting that a large proportion of the pathway of systemic racism harming cognition remains.
Chasing SARS-CoV-2 XBB.1.16 Recombinant Lineage in India and the Clinical Profile of XBB.1.16 cases in Maharashtra, India
Authors: Karyakarte Rajesh P. , Das Rashmita , Rajmane Mansi V. , Dudhate Sonali , Agarasen Jeanne , Pillai Praveena , Chandankhede Priyanka M. , Labhshetwar Rutika S. , Gadiyal Yogita , Kulkarni Preeti P. , Nizarudeen Safanah , Joshi Suvarna , Karmodiya Krishanpal , Potdar Varsha 
Published: April 2023

ABSTRACTBackgroundSARS-CoV-2 has evolved rapidly, resulting in emergence of lineages with competitive advantage over one another. Co-infections with different SARS-CoV-2 lineages can give rise to recombinant lineages. To date, XBB lineage is the most widespread recombinant lineage worldwide, with the recently named XBB.1.16 lineage causing a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in India.MethodologyThe present study involved retrieval of SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from India (between 1stDecember 2022 and 8thApril 2023) through GISAID; sequences were curated, followed by lineage and phylogenetic analysis. Demographic and clinical data from Maharashtra, India were collected telephonically, recorded in Microsoft® Excel, and analysed using IBM® SPSS statistics, version 29.0.0.0 (241).ResultsA total of 2,944 sequences were downloaded from the GISAID database, of which 2,856 were included in the study following data curation. The sequences from India were dominated by the XBB.1.16* lineage (36.17%) followed by XBB.2.3* (12.11%) and XBB.1.5* (10.36%). Of the 2,856 cases, 693 were from Maharashtra; 386 of these were included in the clinical study. The clinical features of COVID-19 cases with XBB.1.16* infection (XBB.1.16* cases, 276 in number) showed that 92% of those had a symptomatic disease, with fever (67%), cough (42%), rhinorrhoea (33.7%), body ache (14.5%) and fatigue (14.1%) being the most common symptoms. Presence of comorbidity was found in 17.7% of the XBB.1.16* cases. Among the XBB.1.16* cases, 91.7% were vaccinated with at least one dose of vaccine against COVID-19. While 74.3% of XBB.1.16* cases were home-isolated; 25.7% needed hospitalization/institutional quarantine, of these, 33.8% needed oxygen therapy. Out of 276 XBB.1.16* cases, seven (2.5%) cases succumbed to the disease. Majority of XBB.1.16* cases who died belonged to an elderly age group (60 years and above), had underlying comorbid condition/s, and needed supplemental oxygen therapy. The clinical features of COVID-19 cases infected with other co-circulating Omicron variants were similar to XBB.1.16* cases.ConclusionThe study reveals that XBB.1.16* lineage has become the most predominant SARS-CoV-2 lineage in India. The study also shows that the clinical features and outcome of XBB.1.16* cases were similar to those of other co-circulating Omicron lineage infected cases in Maharashtra, India.
Screening for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder following Childbirth using the Peritraumatic Distress Inventory
Authors: Jagodnik Kathleen M. , Ein-Dor Tsachi , Chan Sabrina J. , Ashkenazy Adi Titelman , Bartal Alon , Dekel Sharon 
Published: April 2023

AbstractBackgroundMaternal psychiatric morbidities include a range of psychopathologies; one condition is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that develops following a traumatic childbirth experience and may undermine maternal and infant health. Although assessment for maternal mental health problems is integrated in routine perinatal care, screening for maternal childbirth-related PTSD (CB-PTSD) remains lacking. Acute emotional distress in response to a traumatic event strongly associates with PTSD. The brief 13-item Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI) is a common tool to assess acute distress in non-postpartum individuals. How well the PDI specified to childbirth can classify women likely to endorse CB-PTSD is unknown.ObjectivesWe sought to determine the utility of the PDI to detect CB-PTSD in the early postpartum period. This involved examining the psychometric properties of the PDI specified to childbirth, pertaining to its factorial structure, and establishing an optimal cutoff point for the classification of women with high vs. low likelihood of endorsing CB-PTSD.Study DesignA sample of 3,039 eligible women who had recently given birth provided information about their mental health and childbirth experience. They completed the PDI regarding their recent childbirth event, and a PTSD symptom screen to determine CB-PTSD. We employed Exploratory Graph Analysis (EGA) and bootstrapping analysis to reveal the factorial structure of the PDI and the optimal PDI cutoff value for CB-PTSD classification.ResultsFactor analysis of the PDI shows two strongly correlated stable factors based on a modified 12-item version of the PDI consisting of (1) negative emotions and (2) bodily arousal and threat appraisal in regard to recent childbirth. This structure largely accords with prior studies of individuals who experienced acute distress resulting from other forms of trauma. We report that a score of 15 or higher on the modified PDI produces strong sensitivity and specificity. 88% of women with a positive CB-PTSD screen in the first postpartum months and 93% with a negative screen are identified as such using the established cutoff.ConclusionsOur work reveals that a brief self-report screening concerning a woman’s immediate emotional reactions to childbirth that uses our modified PDI tool can detect women likely to endorse CB-PTSD in the early postpartum period. This form of maternal mental health assessment may serve as the initial step of managing symptoms to ultimately prevent chronic symptom manifestation. Future research is needed to examine the utility of employing the PDI as an assessment performed during maternity hospitalization stay in women following complicated deliveries to further guide recommendations to implement maternal mental health screening for women at high risk for developing CB-PTSD.
Comparison of three bioinformatics tools in the detection of ASD candidate variants from whole exome sequencing data
Authors: Shil Apurba , Levin Liron , Golan Hava , Meiri Gal , Michaelovski Analya , Tsadaka Yair , Aran Adi , Dinstein Ilan , Menashe Idan 
Published: April 2023

AbstractBackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogenous multifactorial neurodevelopmental condition with a significant genetic susceptibility component. Thus, identifying genetic variations associated with ASD is a complex task. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) is an effective approach for detecting extremely rare protein-coding single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and short insertions/deletions (INDELs). However, interpreting these variants’ functional and clinical consequences requires integrating multifaceted genomic information.MethodsWe compared the concordance and effectiveness of three bioinformatics tools in detecting ASD candidate variants (SNVs and short INDELs) from WES data of 220 ASD family trios registered in the National Autism Database of Israel. We studied only rare (<1% population frequency) proband-specific variants. According to the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) guidelines, the pathogenicity of variants was evaluated by theInterVarandTAPEStools. In addition, likely gene-disrupting (LGD) variants were detected based on an in-house bioinformatics tool,Psi-Variant, that integrates results from seven in-silico prediction tools.ResultsOverall, 605 variants in 499 genes distributed in 193 probands were detected by these tools. The overlap between the tools was 64.1%, 17.0%, and 21.6% forInterVar–TAPES,InterVar–Psi-Variant, andTAPES–Psi-Variant, respectively. The intersection betweenInterVarandPsi-Variant(I∩P) was the most effective approach in detecting variants in known ASD genes (OR = 5.38, 95% C.I. = 3.25–8.53), while the union ofInterVarandPsi-Variant(IUP) achieved the highest diagnostic yield (30.9%).ConclusionsOur results suggest that integrating different variant interpretation approaches in detecting ASD candidate variants from WES data is superior to each approach alone. The inclusion of additional criteria could further improve the detection of ASD candidate variants.
Perceived norms about male circumcision and personal circumcision status: a cross-sectional, population-based study in rural Uganda
Authors: Perkins Jessica M. , Kakuhikire Bernard , Baguma Charles , Jeon Sehee , Walker Sarah F. , Dongre Rohit , Kyokunda Viola , Juliet Mercy , Satinsky Emily N. , Comfort Alison B. , Siedner Mark , Ashaba Scholastic , Tsai Alexander C. 
Published: April 2023

ABSTRACTIntroductionOver the past decade, 15 high-priority countries in eastern and southern Africa have promoted voluntary medical male circucmsion for HIV and STI prevention. Despite male circumcision prevalence in Uganda nearly doubling from 26% in 2011 to 43% in 2016, it remained below the target level by 2020. Little is known about perceived norms of male circumcision and their association with circumcision uptake among men.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study targeting all adult residents across eight villages in Rwampara District, southwestern Uganda in 2020-2022. We compared what men and women reported as the adult male circumcision prevalence within their village (perceived norm: >50% (most), 10% to <50% (some), <10%, (few), or do not know) to the aggregated prevalence of circumcision as reported by men aged <50 years. We used a modified multivariable Poisson regression model to estimate the association between perceived norms about male circumcision uptake and personal circumcision status among men.ResultsOverall, 167 (38%) men < 50 years old were circumcised (and 27% of all men were circumcised). Among all 1566 participants (91% response rate), 189 (27%) men and 177 (20%) women underestimated the male circumcision prevalence, thinking that few men in their own village had been circumcised. Additionally, 10% of men and 25% of women reported not knowing the prevalence. Men who underestimated the prevalence were less likely to be circumcised (aRR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.83) compared to those who thought that some village men were circumcised, adjusting for perceived personal risk of HIV, whether any same-household women thought most men were circumcised, and other sociodemographic factors.ConclusionsAcross eight villages, a quarter of the population underestimated the local prevalence of male circumcision. Men who underestimated circumcision uptake were less likely to be circumcised. Future research should evaluate norms-based approaches to promoting male circumcision uptake. Strategies may include disseminating messages about the increasing prevalence of adult male circumcision uptake in Uganda and providing personalized normative feedback to men who underestimated local rates about how uptake is greater than they thought.
Potential hiddenPlasmodium vivaxmalaria reservoirs from low parasitemia Duffy-negative Ethiopians: molecular evidence
Authors: Abebe Abnet , Bouyssou Isabelle , Mabilotte Solenne , Dugassa Sisay , Assefa Ashenafi , Juliano Jonathan J. , Lo Eugenia , Menard Didier , Golassa Lemu 
Published: April 2023

AbstractBackgroundThe interaction between thePlasmodium vivaxDuffy-binding protein and the corresponding Duffy Antigen Receptor for Chemokines (DARC) is primarily responsible for the invasion of reticulocytes byP. vivax. The Duffy-negative host phenotype, highly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, is caused by a single point mutation in the GATA-1 transcription factor binding site of the DARC gene promoter. The aim of this study was to assess the Duffy status of patients withP. vivaxinfection from different study sites in Ethiopia.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2021 to September 2022 at five varying eco-epidemiological malaria endemic sites in Ethiopia. Outpatients who were diagnosed withP. vivaxinfection (pure and mixedP. vivax/P. falciparum) by microscopy were subjected to qPCR genotyping at the DARC promoter. The associations betweenP. vivaxinfection, host genotypes and other factors were evaluated.ResultIn total, 361 patients withP. vivaxinfection were included in the study. Patients with pureP. vivaxinfections accounted for 89.8% (324/361), while the remaining 10.2% (37/361) had mixedP. vivax/P. falciparuminfections. About 95.6% (345/361) of the participants were Duffy-positives (21.2% homozygous and 78.8%, heterozygous) and 4.4% (16/361) were Duffy-negatives. The mean asexual parasite density in homozygous and heterozygous Duffy-positives was 12,165 p/µl (IQR25-75: 1,640-24,234 p/µl) and11,655 p/µl (IQR25-75: 1,676-14,065 p/µl), respectively, significantly higher than that in Duffy-negatives (1,227p/µl; IQR25-75: 539-1,732p/µl).ConclusionThis study confirms that Duffy-negativity does not provide complete protection againstP. vivaxinfection. The development ofP. vivax-specific elimination strategies, including alternative antimalarial vaccines should be facilitated by a better understanding of the epidemiological landscape ofvivaxmalaria in Africa. More importantly, low parasitemia associated withP. vivaxinfections in Duffy-negative patients may represent hidden reservoirs of transmission in Ethiopia.Author SummaryPlasmodium vivaxgenerally receives less attention thanP. falciparumand was neglected in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the characteristics ofP. vivaxinfection in Duffy-negative individuals, and the distribution of Duffy blood group in different eco-epidemiological zones and ethnic groups of Ethiopia are not well documented. Here, we determined the Duffy genotypes ofP. vivaxinfected patients across broad regions of Ethiopia. It is clear that Duffy negative individuals in Ethiopia are not fully protected againstP. vivaxinfection, and that these infections in Duffy negatives are often associated with low parasitemia. Our findings lend support to the notion thatP. vivaxmay have developed a Duffy-independent erythrocyte invasion pathway and/or evolution in host immune responses.
Geospatial Patterns of Progress towards UNAIDS “95-95-95” Targets and Community Vulnerability in Zambia
Authors: Cuadros Diego F , Chowdhury Tuhin , Milali Masabho , Citron Daniel , Nyimbili Sulani , Vlahakis Natalie , Savory Theodora , Mulenga Lloyd , Sivile Suilanji , Zyambo Khozya , Bershteyn Anna 
Published: April 2023

AbstractIn sub-Saharan Africa, HIV/AIDS remains a leading cause of death. The UNAIDS established the “95-95-95” targets to improve HIV care continuum outcomes. Using geospatial data from the Zambia Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (ZAMPHIA), this study aims to investigate geospatial patterns in the “95-95-95” indicators and individual-level determinants that impede HIV care continuum in vulnerable communities, providing insights into the factors associated with gaps. This study used data from the 2016 ZAMPHIA to investigate the geospatial distribution and individual-level determinants of engagement across the HIV care continuum in Zambia. Gaussian kernel interpolation and optimized hotspot analysis were used to identify geospatial patterns in the HIV care continuum, while geospatial k-means clustering was used to partition areas into clusters. The study also assessed healthcare availability, access, and social determinants of healthcare utilization. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the association between selected sociodemographic and behavioral covariates and the three main outcomes of study. Varied progress towards the “95-95-95” targets were observed in different regions of Zambia. Each “95” displayed a unique geographic pattern, independent of HIV prevalence, resulting in four distinct geographic clusters. Factors associated with gaps in the “95s” include younger age, male sex, and low wealth, with younger individuals having higher odds of not being on ART and having detectable viral loads. Our study revealed significant spatial heterogeneity in the HIV care continuum in Zambia, with different regions exhibiting unique geographic patterns and levels of performance in the “95-95-95” targets, highlighting the need for geospatial tailored interventions to address the specific needs of different subnational regions. These findings underscore the importance of addressing differential regional gaps in HIV diagnosis, enhancing community-level factors, and developing innovative strategies to improve local HIV care continuum outcomes.
An unbiasedde novonetwork analysis uncovering causal genes and the developmental intersection between autism and co-occurring traits
Authors: Miller Catriona J. , Golovina Evgeniia , Wicker Joerg S , Jacobsen Jessie C , O’Sullivan Justin M. 
Published: April 2023

AbstractAutism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that manifests in various ways. Autism is often accompanied by other neurological disorders, such as ADHD, anxiety, and schizophrenia, which can complicate diagnosis and management. While research has investigated the role of specific genes in autism, their relationship with co-occurring traits is not fully understood.To address this gap, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian Randomisation analysis and identified four genes located at the 17q21.31 locus that are causally linked to autism in fetal cortical tissue (i.e.LINC02210, LRRC37A4P, RP11-259G18.1, RP11-798G7.6). LINC02210was also identified as being causally related to autism in adult cortical tissue. By integrating data from expression quantitative trait loci [eQTLs], genes, and protein interactions we identified that the 17q21.31 locus contributes to the intersection between autism and other neurological traits and conditions in fetal cortical tissue. We also identified an additional distinct cluster of co-occurring traits, including cognition and worry, linked to genetic loci at 3p21.1.Our results support the hypothesis that an individual’s autism phenotype is partially determined by their genetic risk for co-occurring conditions. Overall, our findings provide insights into the complex relationship between autism and co-occurring conditions, which could be used to develop predictive models for more accurate diagnosis and better clinical management.
Trends in Cardiac Arrest Outcomes & Management in Children with Cardiac Disease: An Analysis from the AHA Get With The Guidelines®-Resuscitation Registry
Authors: Gardner Monique M. , Morgan Ryan W. , Reeder Ron , Ghaffari Kimia , Ortmann Laura , Raymond Tia , Lasa Javier J. , Fowler Jessica , Dewan Maya , Nadkarni Vinay , Berg Robert A. , Sutton Robert , Topjian Alexis ,   the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Resuscitation Investigators
Published: April 2023

ABSTRACTIntroductionContemporary rates of survival after pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) and trends in survival over the last 20 years have not been compared based on illness category. We hypothesized that survival to hospital discharge for surgical-cardiac category is higher than the non-cardiac category, and rates of survival after IHCA increased over time in all categories.MethodsThe AHA Get With The Guidelines®-Resuscitation registry was queried for index IHCA events in children <18 years of age from 2000-2021. Categories were surgical-cardiac (IHCA following cardiac surgery); medical-cardiac (IHCA in non-surgical cardiac disease); and non-cardiac (IHCA in patients without cardiac disease). The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. We compared eras 2000-2004, 2005-2009, 2010-2014, and 2015-2021 with mixed logistic regression models, including event year as a continuous predictor and site as a random effect.ResultsOf 17,696 index events, IHCA rates by illness category were: 18% surgical-cardiac, 18% medical-cardiac, and 64% non-cardiac. Surgical-cardiac category had the highest rate of survival to discharge compared to medical-cardiac and non-cardiac categories (56% vs. 43% vs. 46%; p<0.001). After controlling for age, location of event, and hospital size, the odds of survival were highest for surgical-cardiac category (aOR 1.28, 95% CI 1.16-1.40) and lower for medical-cardiac category (aOR 0.87, 0.80-0.95), compared to the non-cardiac category. Odds of survival increased for all illness categories from the 2000-2004 era to the 2015-2021 era. Rates of improvement differed among illness categories with medical-cardiac having the lowest increased odds per era. Surgical-cardiac patients had the highest rates of extracorporeal resuscitation (ECPR) (20% across the cohort), though the greatest increase in ECPR utilization was in the non-cardiac population (44% increased odds per era).ConclusionsOver the last 20 years, both survival to hospital discharge and ECPR use has increased in all IHCA illness categories. Children with surgical-cardiac IHCA have higher odds of survival to hospital discharge compared to non-cardiac IHCA categories, whereas odds of survival were lowest with medical-cardiac IHCA.