bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Faster post-malnutrition weight gain during childhood is associated with risk of non-communicable disease in adult survivors of severe malnutrition
Authors: Thompson Debbie S. , McKenzie Kimberley , Opondo Charles , Boyne Michael S. , Lelijveld Natasha , Wells Jonathan , Cole Tim J. , Anujuo Kenneth , Abera Mubarek , Berhane Melkamu , Kerac Marko ,   CHANGE Study Collaborators Group, Badaloo Asha 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundNutritional rehabilitation during severe malnutrition (SM) aims to rapidly restore body size and minimize poor short-term outcomes. We hypothesized that too rapid weight gain during and after treatment might however predispose to cardiometabolic risk in adult life.MethodsWeight and height during hospitalization and one year post-hospitalization were abstracted from hospital records of children who survived SM. Six definitions of post-malnutrition weight gain/growth were analysed as continuous variables, quintiles and latent classes in age-sex and minimum weight-for-age z-scores-adjusted regression models against adult anthropometry, body composition (DEXA), blood pressure, blood glucose, insulin, and lipids.Results60% of 278 participants were male, mean (SD) age 28.2 (7.7) years, mean (SD) BMI 23.6 (5.2) kg/m2. Mean admission age for SM was 10.9 months (range 0.3-36.3 months) and 207/270 (77%) were wasted (weight-for-height z-score<-2). During childhood, mean rehabilitation weight gain (SD) was 10.1(3.8) g/kg/day and 0.8(0.5) g/kg/day in the first year post-hospitalization. Rehabilitation weight gain >12.9 g/kg/day was associated with higher adult BMI (difference=0.5kg/m2, 95%CI: 0.1-0.9,p= 0.02), waist circumference (difference=1.4cm, 95%CI: 0.4-2.4,p=0.005), fat mass (difference = 1.1kg, 95%CI: 0.2-2,p=0.02), fat mass index (difference=0.32, 95%CI: -0.0001-0,p=0.05), and android fat mass (difference=0.09 kg, 95%CI: 0.01-0.2,p=0.03). Rehabilitation (g/month) and post-hospitalization (g/kg/month) weight gain were associated with greater lean mass (difference = 0.7 kg, 95% CI: 0.1, 1.3,p= 0.02) (difference=1.3kg, 95% CI: 0.3-2.4,p=0.015) respectively.ConclusionRehabilitation weight gain exceeding 13g/kg/day was associated with adult adiposity in young, normal-weight adult SM survivors. This raises questions around existing malnutrition weight gain targets and warrants further studies exploring optimal post-malnutrition growth.
Serum levels of the novel adipokine isthmin-1 are associated with obesity in pubertal boys
Authors: Ruiz-Ojeda Francisco Javier , Anguita-Ruiz Augusto , Rico Maria C. , Leis Rosaura , Bueno Gloria , Gil-Campos Mercedes , Gil Ángel , Aguilera Concepción M 
Published: March 2022

AbstractPurposeThe aims of this study were; 1) to evaluate if there is an association between the serum levels of the novel insulin-like adipokine isthmin-1 (ISM1) and obesity-related phenotypes in a population of Spanish children, 2) to investigate the plausible molecular alterations behind the alteration of the serum levels of this protein in children with obesity.MethodsThe study population is a sub-cohort of the PUBMEP research project, consisting of a cross-sectional population of 119 pubertal children with overweight (17 boys, 19 girls), obesity (20 boys, 25 girls) and normal weight (17 boys, 21 girls). All subjects were classified into experimental groups according to their sex, obesity and insulin resistance (IR) status. They counted on anthropometry, glucose, and lipid metabolism, inflammation and cardiovascular biomarkers as well as ISM1 serum levels measured. This population was intended as a discovery population in which to elucidate the relationship between obesity and ISM1 levels in children. Furthermore, the study population had blood whole-genome DNA methylation allowing deepening into the obesity-ISM1 molecular relationship.ResultsHigher serum levels of ISM1 were observed in boys with obesity when compared with normal-weight (P=0.004), and overweight (P=0.007). ISM1 serum levels were positively associated with BMI Z-score (P=0.005), and negatively with myeloperoxidase (MPO) (p=0.043) in boys. Nevertheless, we did not find associations between ISM1 serum levels and metabolic outcomes in girls, indicating a putative sexual dimorphism. DNA methylation levels in two-enhancer-related CpG sites of ISM1 (cg03304641 and cg14269097) were associated with serum levels of ISM1 in children.DiscussionWe report an unprecedented study that provides a major step forward showing that ISM1 is robustly associated with obesity in pubertal boys, elucidating how this protein might be of special relevance as a new biomarker of obesity in children.
Evidence of co-infection during Delta and Omicron variants of concern co-circulation, weeks 49-2021 to 02-2022, France
Authors: Combes Patricia , Bisseux Maxime , Bal Antonin , Marin Pierre , Archimbaud Christine , Brebion Amélie , Chabrolles Hélène , Regagnon Christel , Lafolie Jérémy , Destras Gregory , Simon Bruno , Josset Laurence , Henquell Cécile , Mirand Audrey 
Published: March 2022

AbstractWe report evidence of Delta/Omicron SARS-CoV-2 co-infections during the fifth wave of COVID-19 pandemics in France for 7 immunocompetent and epidemiologically unrelated patients. These co-infections were detected by PCR assays targeting SARS-CoV-2 S-gene mutations K417N and L452R and confirmed by whole genome sequencing which allowed the proportion estimation of each subpopulation. For 2 patients, the analyses of longitudinal samples collected 7 to 11 days apart showed that Delta or Omicron can outcompete the other variant during dual infection.
Daily tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine and hydroxychloroquine for pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19: a double-blind placebo controlled randomized trial in healthcare workers
Authors: Polo R , García-Albéniz X , Terán C , Morales M , Rial-Crestelo D , Garcinuño MA , García del Toro M , Hita C , Gómez-Sirvent JL , Buzón L , Díaz de Santiago A , Pérez Arellano JL , Sanz J , Bachiller P , Martínez Alfaro E , Díaz-Brito V , Masiá M , Hernández-Torres A , Guerra J , Santos J , Arazo P , Muñoz L , Arribas JR , Martínez de Salazar P , Moreno S , Hernán MA , Del Amo J 
Published: March 2022

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the effect of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/Emtricitabine (TDF/FTC), and their combination as pre-exposure prophylaxis on the risk of symptomatic COVID-19.MethodsEPICOS is a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial conducted in 51 hospitals in Spain, Bolivia, and Venezuela. Healthcare workers with negative SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG test were randomly assigned to: daily TDF/FTC plus HCQ for 12 weeks, TDF/FTC plus HCQ placebo, HCQ plus TDF/FTC placebo and TDF/FTC placebo plus HCQ placebo. The primary outcome was laboratory-confirmed, symptomatic COVID-19. We also studied any (symptomatic or asymptomatic) COVID-19 infection. We compared group-specific 14-week risks via differences and ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsOf 1002 individuals screened, 926 (92.4%) were eligible; 64.2% recruited in Spain, 22.3% in Bolivia, and 13.6% in Venezuela. Median age was 38 years (range 18 - 68), 62.5% were female, 62.3% worked at inpatient care, and comorbidities were rare. Compared with the placebo group, 14-week risk ratios (95% CI) of symptomatic COVID-19 were 0.39 (0.00, 1.98) for TDF+HCQ, 0.34 (0.00, 2.06) for TDF, and 0.49 (0.00, 2.29) for HCQ. Corresponding risk ratios of any COVID-19 were 0.51 (0.21, 1.00) for TDF+HCQ, 0.81 (0.44, 1.49) for TDF, and 0.73 (0.41, 1.38) for HCQ. Adverse events were generally mild.ConclusionA beneficial effect of TDF/FTC and HCQ, alone or in combination, as pre-exposure prophylaxis for COVID-19 cannot be ruled out but effect estimates are imprecise because the target sample size was not met. These findings support launching randomized trials of TDF/FTC for the early treatment of COVID-19.
Vaccine Breakthrough Infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta or Omicron (BA.1) Variant Leads to Distinct Profiles of Neutralizing Antibody Responses
Authors: Seaman Michael S. , Siedner Mark J. , Boucau Julie , Lavine Christy L. , Ghantous Fadi , Liew May Y. , Mathews Josh , Singh Arshdeep , Marino Caitlin , Regan James , Uddin Rockib , Choudhary Manish C. , Flynn James P. , Chen Geoffrey , Stuckwisch Ashley M. , Lipiner Taryn , Kittilson Autumn , Melberg Meghan , Gilbert Rebecca F. , Reynolds Zahra , Iyer Surabhi L. , Chamberlin Grace C. , Vyas Tammy D. , Vyas Jatin M. , Goldberg Marcia B. , Luban Jeremy , Li Jonathan Z. , Barczak Amy K. , Lemieux Jacob E. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThere is increasing evidence that the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among vaccinated individuals is variant-specific, suggesting that protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 may differ by variant. We enrolled vaccinated (n = 39) and unvaccinated (n = 11) individuals with acute, symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Delta or Omicron infection and performed SARS-CoV-2 viral load quantification, whole-genome sequencing, and variant-specific antibody characterization at the time of acute illness and convalescence. Viral load at the time of infection was inversely correlated with antibody binding and neutralizing antibody responses. Increases in antibody titers and neutralizing activity occurred at convalescence in a variant-specific manner. Across all variants tested, convalescent neutralization titers in unvaccinated individuals were markedly lower than in vaccinated individuals. For individuals infected with the Delta variant, neutralizing antibody responses were weakest against BA.2, whereas infection with Omicron BA.1 variant generated a broader response against all tested variants, including BA.2.
Quantifying the Effect Size of Exposure-Outcome Association Using δ-score: Application to Environmental Chemical Mixture studies
Authors: Midya Vishal , Liao Jiangang , Gennings Chris , Colicino Elena , Teitelbaum Susan L. , Wright Robert O. , Valvi Damaskini 
Published: March 2022

AbstractEpidemiologists often study the associations between a set of exposures and multiple biologically relevant outcomes. Frequently used scale and context dependent regression coefficients may not offer practically meaningful comparison and can further complicate the interpretation when these outcomes do not have similar units. Additionally, while scaling up a hypothesis driven study based on preliminary data, epidemiologists face a major uncertainty of how large the sample size should be. Frequently used p-value based sample size calculation emphasizes on precision and might lead to very large sample size for small or moderate effect sizes. This is not only costly but also might allow detection of irrelevant effects. Here we introduced a new concept “δ-score” by modifying Cohen’s f2. δ-score is scale independent and under a new hypothesis testing framework quantifies the maximum Cohen’s f2 with certain optimal properties. We also introduced “Sufficient sample size”, which is the sample size required to attain the δ-score. Finally, we demonstrated the utility of δ-score and sufficient sample size using data on adults from 2017–2018 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for association between mixture of Per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances and metals with serum high-density and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterols.
An observational study of the association between COVID-19 vaccination rates and entry into the Australian ‘Million Dollar Vax’ competition
Authors: Jun Dajung , Scott Anthony 
Published: March 2022

AbstractObjectivesTo examine the association between financial incentives from entry into a vaccine competition with the probability of vaccination for COVID-19.DesignA cross-sectional study with adjustment for covariates using logistic regressionSettingOctober and November 2021, Australia.Participants2,375 respondents of the Taking the Pulse of the Nation SurveyPrimary and secondary outcome measuresThe proportion of respondents who had any vaccination, a first dose only, or second dose after the competition opened.ResultsThose who entered the competition were 2.27 (95% CI 1.73 to 2.99) times more likely to be vaccinated after the competition opened on October 1st than those who did not enter—an increase in the probability of having any dose of 0.16 (95 % CI 0.10 to 0.21) percentage points. This increase was mostly driven by those receiving second doses. Entrants were 2.39 (95% CI 1.80 to 3.17) times more likely to receive their second dose after the competition opened.ConclusionsThose who entered the Million Dollar Vax competition were more likely to receive a vaccination after the competition opened compared to those who did not enter the competition, with this effect dominated by those receiving second doses.Strengths and limitations of this studyWe use a nationally representative sample of individual self-reported vaccination status and timings.We distinguish between the association between competition entry and first and second doses.We adjust for a rich set of individual characteristics associated with vaccination status, and examine the factors influencing competition entryThe strong association for second dose vaccinations may reflect some individuals who had already scheduled their second dose after the competition opened, potentially leading to an overestimate of the association.
Introducing riskCommunicator: an R package to obtain interpretable effect estimates for public health
Authors: Grembi Jessica A. , Rogawski McQuade Elizabeth T. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractCommon statistical modeling methods do not necessarily produce the most relevant or interpretable effect estimates to communicate risk. Overreliance on the odds ratio and relative effect measures limit the potential impact of epidemiologic and public health research. We created a straightforward R package, calledriskCommunicator, to facilitate the presentation of a variety of effect measures, including risk differences and ratios, number needed to treat, incidence rate differences and ratios, and mean differences. TheriskCommunicatorpackage uses g-computation with parametric regression models and bootstrapping for confidence intervals to estimate effect measures in time-fixed data. We demonstrate the utility of the package using data from the Framingham Heart Study to estimate the effect of prevalent diabetes on the 24-year risk of cardiovascular disease or death.The absolute 24-year risk of cardiovascular disease or death was 30% (95% confidence interval (CI): 22, 38) higher among subjects with diabetes compared to subjects without diabetes at baseline. The relative 24-year risk was 55% (95% CI: 40, 70) higher. Because the outcome was common (41.8%), the odds ratio (4.55) is highly inflated compared to the risk ratio (1.55). An expected 4 additional persons would need to have diabetes at baseline to observe an increase in the number of cases of cardiovascular disease or death by 1 over 24 years of follow-up.The package promotes the communication of public-health relevant effects and is accessible to a broad range of epidemiologists and health researchers with little to no expertise in causal inference methods or advanced coding.
Self-Care, Health Literacy and Their Associations Amongst Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Primary Care
Authors: Ho Han-Kwee , Koh Eileen Yi-Ling , Chua Wan-Ching , S/O Meyappan Meykkumar , Chung Ray Ern , Marie-Pamerlyn Pereira Emma , Zhai Chenlu , Lim Leon Jian-Ying , Abdullah Adina , Tan Ngiap-Chuan 
Published: March 2022

ABSTRACTAimThe study objective was to determine the levels of self-care (including domains of behaviour, motivation, self-efficacy) and health literacy, and study their associations amongst patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in primary care setting in Singapore.MethodA cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted in one public-sector primary care clinic. Participants aged 21 to 80 years with hypertension were recruited from the clinic CKD register with 5,500 patients. Self-care profile (including behaviour, motivation and self-efficacy) were measured using Hypertension Self-Care Profile (HTN-SCP, range 0-240, domain range 0-80). Health literacy was measured using Short-Form Health Literacy Scale (HLS-SF12, range 0-50, limited literacy ≤33).ResultsA total of 347 out of 354 randomly selected patients consented to participate in the study. Two hundred and eighty-nine fully-completed responses were analysed. The mean self-care (HTN-SCP) score was 182.7 (SD 23.2), while mean scores were 55.3 (SD 8.6), 63.3 (SD 8.7), 64.0 (SD 9.3), for behaviour, self-efficacy and motivation domains respectively. The mean health literacy score was 36.1 (SD 7.7), and 31.1% of participants had limited health literacy. Limited health literacy was associated with self-efficacy (OR= −7.2, 95%CI=−9.1 to −5.2, p<0.001), motivation (OR= −6.1, 95%CI=−8.3 to −3.9, p<0.001) and behaviour (OR= −4.5, 95%CI=−6.6 to −2.4, p<0.001). Self-care was not associated with age, CKD status, household income and education but was associated with gender and limited health literacy. In the final regression model only limited health literacy was associated with self-care scores (Adjusted beta −17.4, p<0.001).ConclusionOne-third of the patients with CKD in primary care had limited health literacy. Self-care was not associated with age, gender, CKD status, household income or education. Limited health literacy was associated with self-care, with strongest association with self-efficacy, followed by motivation and behaviour. More targeted approach can be adopted to improve self-care and health literacy amongst patients with CKD.
Estimating relative generation times and relative reproduction numbers of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 with respect to Delta in Denmark
Authors: Ito Kimihito , Piantham Chayada , Nishiura Hiroshi 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe Omicron variant is the most transmissible variant of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) we had so far. The BA.1 and BA.2 sublineages of Omicron are circulating in Europe and it is urgent to evaluate the transmissibility of these sub-lineages. Using a mathematical model describing trajectories of variant frequencies that assumes a constant ratio in generation times and a constant ratio in effective reproduction numbers among variants, trajectories of variant frequencies in Denmark from November 22, 2021 to February 26, 2022 were analyzed. We found that the generation times of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 are 0.60 (95%CI: 0.59–0.62) and 0.51 (95%CI: 0.50–0.52) of the length of that of Delta, respectively. We also found that the effective reproduction number of Omicron BA.1 is 1.99 (95% CI: 1.98–2.02) times and that of Omicron BA.2 is 2.51 (95% CI: 2.48– 2.55) times larger than the effective reproduction number of Delta. The generation times of Omicron BA.2 is 0.85 (95% CI:0.84–0.86) the length of that of BA.1 and that the effective reproduction number of Omicron BA.2 is 1.26 (95% CI:1.25–1.26) times larger than that of Omicron BA.1. These estimates on the ratio of generation times and the ratio of effective reproduction numbers has epidemiologically important implications. The duration of quarantine for people who contacted with an Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 patient can be reduced to 60% and 51% of that for Delta, respectively. The control measures against Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 need to reduce contacts between infectious and susceptible people respectively by 50% (95% CI: 49–50%) and 60% (95% CI: 60–61%) compared to that against Delta to achieve the same effect on their control.
Monitoring and understanding household clustering of SARS-CoV-2 cases using surveillance data in Fulton County, Georgia
Authors: Liu Carol Y. , Smith Sasha , Chamberlain Allison T. , Gandhi Neel R. , Khan Fazle , Williams Steve , Shah Sarita 
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundHouseholds are important for SARS-CoV-2 transmission due to high intensity exposure in enclosed living spaces over prolonged durations. Using contact tracing, the secondary attack rate in households is estimated at 18-20%, yet no studies have examined COVID-19 clustering within households to inform testing and prevention strategies. We sought to quantify and characterize household clustering of COVID-19 cases in Fulton County, Georgia and further explore age-specific patterns in household clusters.MethodsWe used state surveillance data to identify all PCR- or antigen-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Fulton County, Georgia. Household clustered cases were defined as cases with matching residential address with positive sample collection dates within 28 days of one another. We described proportion of COVID-19 cases that were clustered, stratified by age and over time and explored trends in age of first diagnosed case within clusters and age patterns between first diagnosed case and subsequent household cases.ResultsBetween 6/1/20–10/31/21, there were 106,233 COVID-19 cases with available address reported in Fulton County. Of these, 31,449 (37%) were from 12,955 household clusters. Children were more likely to be in household clusters than any other age group and children increasingly accounted for the first diagnosed household case, rising from 11% in February 2021 to a high of 31% in August 2021. Bubble plot density of age of first diagnosed case and subsequent household cases mirror age-specific patterns in household social mixing.DiscussionOne-third of COVID-19 cases in Fulton County were part of a household cluster. High proportion of children in household clusters reflects higher probability of living in larger homes with caregivers or other children. Increasing probability of children as the first diagnosed case coincide with temporal trends in vaccine roll-out among the elderly in March 2021 and the return to in-person schooling for the Fall 2021 semester. While vaccination remains the most effective intervention at reducing household clustering, other household-level interventions should also be emphasized such as timely testing for household members to prevent ongoing transmission.
Large haploblocks underlie rapid adaptation in an invasive weed
Authors: Battlay Paul , Wilson Jonathan , Bieker Vanessa C. , Lee Christopher , Prapas Diana , Petersen Bent , Craig Sam , van Boheemen Lotte , Scalone Romain , de Silva Nissanka P. , Sharma Amit , Konstantinović Bojan , Nurkowski Kristin A. , Rieseberg Loren H. , Connallon Tim , Martin Michael D. , Hodgins Kathryn A. 
Published: March 2022

ABSTRACTAdaptation is the central feature and leading explanation for the evolutionary diversification of life. Adaptation is also notoriously difficult to study in nature, owing to its complexity and logistically prohibitive timescale. We leverage extensive contemporary and historical collections ofAmbrosia artemisiifolia—an aggressively invasive weed and primary cause of pollen-induced hayfever—to track the phenotypic and genetic causes of recent local adaptation across its native and invasive ranges in North America and Europe, respectively. Large haploblocks— indicative of chromosomal inversions—contain a disproportionate share (26%) of genomic regions conferring parallel adaptation to local climates between ranges, are associated with rapidly adapting traits, and exhibit dramatic frequency shifts over space and time. These results highlight the importance of large-effect standing variants in rapid adaptation, which have been critical toA. artemisiifolia’s global spread across vast climatic gradients.