bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mental-health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in adults with neurodevelopmental disorders
Authors: Shakeshaft Amy , Blakey Rachel , Kwong Alex S.F. , Riglin Lucy , Smith George Davey , Stergiakouli Evie , Tilling Kate , Thapar Anita 
Published: May 2022

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted mental health globally. Individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are at elevated risk of mental health difficulties. Therefore, we investigated the impact of the pandemic on anxiety, depression and mental wellbeing in adults with NDDs using longitudinal data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children study (n=3,058). Mental health data were collected pre-pandemic (age 21-25) and at three timepoints during the pandemic (ages 27-28) using the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment-7, and Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. ADHD and ASD were defined using validated cut-points of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and Autism Spectrum Quotient, self-reported at age 25. We used multi-level mixed-effects models to investigate changes in mental health in those with ADHD and ASD compared to those without. Prevalences of depression, anxiety and poor mental wellbeing were higher at all timepoints (pre-pandemic and during pandemic) in those with ADHD and ASD compared to those without. Anxiety increased to a greater extent in those with ADHD (β=0.8 [0.2,1.4], p=0.01) and ASD (β=1.2 [-0.1,2.5], p=0.07), while depression symptoms decreased, particularly in females with ASD (β=-3.1 [-4.6,-1.5], p=0.0001). On average, mental wellbeing decreased in all, but to a lesser extent in those with ADHD (β=1.3 [0.2,2.5], p=0.03) and females with ASD (β=3.0 [0.2,5.9], p=0.04). To conclude, anxiety disproportionately increased in adults with NDDs during the pandemic, however, the related lockdowns may have provided a protective environment for depressive symptoms in the same individuals.
Use of antihypertensive drugs and breast cancer risk: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zheng Guoqiao , Chattopadhyay Subhayan , Sundquist Jan , Sundquist Kristina , Ji Jianguang 
Published: May 2022

ABSTRACTBackgroundObservational studies regarding the correlation between the use of antihypertensive medication and the risk of breast cancer (BC) reported inconsistent findings. We performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization using instrumental variables to proxy changes in gene expressions of antihypertensive medication targets to interrogate this.MethodsWe assessed the association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and drug targetable gene expression with expression quantitative trait loci in blood. Further, we investigated association between the SNPs and BC risk with genome-wide association study summary statistics. We then confirmed the hits from Mendelian randomization with tissue-specific analyses along with additional sensitivity assessments (horizontal pleiotropy, colocalization, multiple tissue enrichment etc.).ResultsThe overall BC risk was decreased 16% with one standard deviation (SD) increase of SLC12A2 gene expression in blood (odds ratio, 0.86, 95% confidential interval, 0.78-0.94). This signal was further confirmed in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) BC (0.85, 0.78-0.94). In addition, one SD increase in expression of PDE1B in blood was associated with 7% increased risk of ER+ BC (1.07, 1.03-1.11). We detected no evidence of horizontal pleiotropy for these associations and the probability of the causal variants being shared between the gene expression and BC risk was 81.5%, 40.5% and 66.8%, respectively. We failed to observe any significant association between other targeted genes and BC risk.ConclusionsUse of antihypertensive medications that target SLC12A2 and PDE1B is associated with increased and decreased BC risk, respectively.FundingThis work was supported by the Swedish Research Council [2018-02400 to K.S., 2020-01175 to J.S., 2021-01187 to J.J.], Cancerfonden [2017 CAN2017/340 to J.J.], Crafoordska Stiftelsen [to J.J.], MAS Cancer [to J.J.], ALF funding from Region Skåne [to J.J. and K.S.]. The funding body was not involved in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript.
Health Economic Analysis of the Integrated Cognitive Assessment Tool to Aid Dementia Diagnosis in the United Kingdom
Authors: Shore Judith , Kalafatis Chris , Modarres Mohammad Hadi , Khaligh-Razavi Seyed-Mahdi 
Published: May 2022

AbstractObjectivesThe aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive economic evaluation of the Integrated Cognitive Assessment (ICA) tool compared with standard cognitive tests when used for dementia screening in primary care and for initial patient triage in memory clinics.MethodsICA was compared with standard of care comprising a mixture of cognitive assessment tools over a lifetime horizon and employing the UK health and social care perspective. The model combined a decision tree to capture the initial outcomes of the cognitive testing with a Markov structure that estimated long-term outcomes of people with dementia. Quality of life outcomes were quantified using quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Both costs and QALYs were discounted at 3.5% per annum and cost-effectiveness was assessed using a threshold of £20,000 per QALY gained.ResultsICA dominated standard cognitive assessment tools in both the primary care and memory clinic settings. Introduction of the ICA tool was estimated to result in a lifetime cost saving of approximately £147 and £283 per person in primary care and memory clinics, respectively. QALY gains associated with early diagnosis were modest (0.0019 in primary care and 0.0035 in memory clinic). The net monetary benefit of ICA introduction was estimated at £184 in the primary care and £368 in the memory clinic settings.ConclusionsIntroduction of ICA as a tool to screen primary care patients for dementia and perform initial triage in memory clinics could be cost saving to the UK public health and social care payer.
The impact of side effect framing on COVID-19 booster vaccine intentions in an Australian sample
Authors: Barnes K. , Faasse K. , Colagiuri B. 
Published: May 2022

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of presenting positively attribute-framed side effect information on COVID-19 booster vaccine intention relative to standard negatively-framed wording and a no-intervention control.Design setting and participantsA representative sample of Australian adults (N=1,204) were randomised to one of six conditions within a factorial design: Framing (Positive; Negative; Control) * Vaccine (Familiar (Pfizer); Unfamiliar (Moderna)).InterventionNegative Framing involved presenting the likelihood of experiencing side effects (e.g., heart inflammation is very rare, 1 in every 80,000 will be affected), whereas Positive Framing involved presenting the same information but as the likelihood of not experiencing side effects (e.g., 79,999 in every 80,000 will not be affected).Primary OutcomeBooster vaccine intention measured pre- and post-intervention.ResultsPositive Framing (M=75.7, SE=0.9, 95% CI[73.9, 77.4]) increased vaccine intention relative to Negative Framing (M=70.7, SE=0.9, 95% CI[68.9, 72.4]) overall (F(1, 1192)=4.68, p=.031, ηp2=.004). Framing interacted with Vaccine and Baseline Intention (F(2, 1192)=6.18, p=.002, ηp2=.01). Positive Framing was superior, or at least equal, to Negative Framing and Control at increasing Booster Intention, irrespective of the participants pre-intervention level of intent. Side effect worry and perceived severity mediated the effect of Positive vs. Negative Framing across vaccines.ConclusionPositive framing of side effect information appears superior for increasing vaccine intent relative to the standard negative wording currently used.Pre-registrationSee: aspredicted.org/LDX_2ZL
Epidemiology and determinants of vitamin D deficiency in Eastern Nepal: a community-based, cross-sectional study
Authors: Sherchand O , Baranwal J K , Gelal B 
Published: May 2022

AbstractObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the Eastern the part of Nepal and identify the sociodemographic factors associated with it.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 324 participants between the ages of 18 to 65 years from the Sunsari and Morang districts of Nepal. A semi-structured questionnaire helped obtain sociodemographic data followed by anthropometric measurements and blood sampling. 25(OH)D level was measured by Chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) via a fully automated Maglumi 1000 analyzer (SNIBE Co, Ltd, China). Serum 25(OH)D was classified as deficient, insufficient, and sufficient (<20 ng/ml, 20-29 ng/ml, and 30–100 ng/ml respectively). The Chi-square test was used to analyze the sociodemographic variables followed by a post-hoc analysis. Significant variables were subject to multivariate logistic regression.Result181(55.9%) of the study population had vitamin D deficiency. There was significant association between vitamin D status and time of maximum sun exposure (Chi-sq = 11.1, p=0.02), duration of sun exposure (Chi-sq = 15.1, p=0.004), type of meat intake (Fischer’s exact test is 16.4, p=0.01), frequency of fish intake (Fischer’s exact test is 19.3, p=0.001), frequency of dairy intake (Chi-sq=11.2, p=0.02). In multivariate regression, consumption of dairy products ≥3/week had lower OR (95% CI) [0.3(0.1-0.8) p:0.02] and weekly fish consumption had lower OR (95% CI) [0.06(0.008-0.6) p: 0.01] for vitamin D deficiency.ConclusionThe prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was relatively high in eastern Nepal. This highlights the need to create public awareness regarding the importance of bare skin sun exposure and other sources of vitamin D as well as the need to implement food fortification policies by the government.
High prescribing and state-level variation in z-drug use among Medicare patients
Authors: Anderson Kaitlin E. , Basting James L. , Gifeisman Rachel I. , Harris Donovan J. , Rajan Antonica R. , McCall Kenneth L. , Piper Brain J. 
Published: May 2022

AbstractBackgroundZ-drugs are nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics used for sleep initiation and maintenance that have been shown to increase the risk of fall-related injuries in patients aged 65 and older. The American Geriatrics Society Beers criteria classifies them as a high-risk medication and strongly recommends avoiding prescribing z-drugs to the elderly due to adverse effects. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Z-drug prescribing among Medicare patients.MethodsZ-drug prescription data was extracted from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services State Drug Utilization Data (CMS SDUD) for 2018. For all 50 states, the number of prescriptions per 100 Medicare enrollees and days-supply per prescription was determined. The percentage of total prescriptions prescribed by each specialty and the average number of prescriptions prescribed by providers within each specialty was also determined.ResultsZolpidem was the most prescribed z-drug, making up 95.0% of all z-drug prescriptions. Prescriptions per 100 enrollees were significantly elevated in Utah (28.2) and Arkansas (26.7) and significantly lower in Hawaii (9.3) relative to the national average (17.5). The specialties family medicine (32.1%), internal medicine (31.4%), and psychiatry (11.7%) made up the largest percentages of total prescriptions. The number of prescriptions per provider was significantly elevated for psychiatry relative to other specialties.ConclusionsContrary to the Beers criteria, z-drugs are being prescribed to Medicare enrollees over age 65 at high rates. While sleep disturbances in the elderly should not be ignored, alternative therapies must be considered to avoid the serious adverse effects of z-drugs.Key PointsMore than one-half million Medicare patients received z-drug prescriptions in 2018 that were inconsistent with the Beers criteria.Z-drug prescriptions per 100,000 Medicare patients were significantly elevated in Utah and Arkansas.Family Medicine had the highest number of prescriptions out of all medical specialties.Psychiatry had a significantly higher number of prescriptions per provider compared to all other specialties.
Chronodisruption during Pregnancy Mediates the Relationship between Social Disadvantage and Reduced Brain Maturation in Neonates
Authors: Hoyniak Caroline P. , Whalen Diana J. , Luby Joan L. , Barch Deanna M. , Miller J. Philip , Zhao Peinan , Triplett Regina L. , Ju Yo-El , Smyser Christopher D. , Warner Barbara , Rogers Cynthia E. , Herzog Erik D. , England Sarah K. 
Published: May 2022

AbstractPrenatal exposure to adversity profoundly impacts offspring development. Well-documented disparities in sleep and circadian health are known to be related, and exposure to disrupted maternal sleep and circadian rhythms during pregnancy may have an effect on offspring neurodevelopment. The current study explored the association between maternal sleep and circadian rhythm disruption during pregnancy and infant brain outcomes at birth, examining sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions as a possible mediator of the effect of adversity during pregnancy on infant structural brain outcomes in 148 mother-child dyads. Maternal sleep was quantified using actigraphy data collected during each trimester of pregnancy and quantified using a measure of chronodisruption (irregularity in the sleep schedule) and a measure of chronotype (sleep timing). Adversity was quantified using a latent factor of several metrics of social disadvantage (e.g., income-to-needs ratio). Infant structural brain outcomes at birth including cortical gray matter, subcortical gray matter, and white matter volumes along with a measure of cortical folding reflecting the total surface area of the cortex. Findings indicated that chronodisruption during pregnancy was associated with smaller infant cortical gray matter, subcortical gray matter, and white matter volumes and less cortical folding at birth, with infants of mothers with later chronotypes evidencing smaller subcortical gray matter volumes. Chronodisruption during pregnancy mediated the association between maternal social disadvantage and structural brain outcomes. Findings highlight the importance of regularity and rhythmicity in sleep schedules during pregnancy and highlight the role of chronodisruption as a mechanism of the deleterious neurodevelopmental effects of prenatal adversity.Significance StatementThis study examined the effect of exposure to maternal sleep and circadian rhythm disruptions during pregnancy on neonatal brain structure. Sleep and circadian disruptions were associated with global differences in neonatal brain structure. Mothers who had more irregular sleep schedules during pregnancy had infants who had smaller total cortical gray matter, subcortical gray matter, and white matter volumes and less cortical folding at birth. Irregular maternal sleep schedules during pregnancy mediated the association between adversity and structural brain outcomes, suggesting that sleep and daily rhythm disturbances may be one pathway through which adversity shapes offspring neurodevelopment. Findings imply that modifying the work schedules of pregnant women to avoid swing or night shifts might be beneficial for enhancing child neurodevelopment.
Temporal and frontal lobe contributions to neural synchronization dysfunction and auditory attention in Fragile X Syndrome
Authors: Pedapati Ernest V , Ethridge Lauren E. , DeStefano Lisa , Liu Yanchen , Miyakoshi Makoto , Sweeney John A , Schmitt Lauren M. , Gilbert Donald L. , Wu Steve W. , Liu Rui , Smith Elizabeth , Shaffer Rebecca C. , Dominick Kelli C. , Horn Paul S. , Binder Devin , Erickson Craig A. 
Published: May 2022

ABSTRACTFragile X syndrome (FXS) is a trinucleotide repeat disorder and the most common hereditary form of intellectual disability. Patients with FXS are commonly impaired by sensory hypersensitivity. Compared to cognition, neural correlates of sensory responses can be studied more objectively and across species. Alterations in auditory processing in FXS measured by scalp electroencephalography (EEG) are well documented. However, the orientation of the auditory cortex in humans introduces significant confounding between temporal and frontal sources. Herein, we conducted EEG source analysis in 36 participants with FXS and 39 matched controls to localize known alterations to the auditory chirp stimulus. The key findings in participants with FXS include 1) distinct contributions of frontal and temporal sources to the onset and intrastimulus neural synchronization, 2) moderation of abnormal neural responses in females with FXS, 3) evidence of deep brain sources contributing to impairments in synchronization, and 4) presence of robust region-specific clinical correlations. The synchronous and asynchronous gamma activity (SA ratio) ratio may further represent a clinically relevant biomarker of the efficiency of auditory processing in FXS. Findings from this study have implications for back translation and relevance for signal-to-noise conceptual frameworks in understanding neural activity in neurodevelopmental disorders.
A Deterministic Agent-based Model with Antibody Dynamics Information in COVID-19 Epidemic Simulation
Authors: Xu Zhaobin , Zhang Hongmei 
Published: May 2022

AbstractAccurate prediction of the temporal and spatial characteristics of COVID-19 infection can provide favorable guidance for epidemic prevention and control. We first introduce individual antibody dynamics into an agent-based model. Antibody dynamics model can well explain the antibody fading effects through time. Based on this model, we further developed an agent-based approach which considers the dynamic behaviors of each individual antibodies. The method can effectively reflect the dynamic interaction between the antibody and the virus in each host body in the overall population. Using this method, we can accurately predict the temporal and spatial characteristics of the epidemic. It can quantitatively calculate the number and spatial distribution of infected persons with different symptoms at different times. At the same time, our model can predict the prevention and control effect of different prevention and control measures. At present, China’s dynamic zero strategies mainly include large-scale nucleic acid test, isolation of positive infected persons and their close contacts. Our model demonstrates that for a less infectious and more virulent variant, this approach can achieve good preventive effect. The effect of reducing social contacts and quarantining only positive infected persons is relatively weaker on epidemic control. This can explain why China’s targeted epidemic-control measures had an excellent performance in 2020 and 2021. However, our model also warns that for the highly infectious and less virulent variant, targeted epidemic-control measures can no longer achieve effective control of the epidemic. Therefore, we must choose to quarantine potential infected groups in a wider range (such as the quarantine of secondary close contact and tertiary close contact) or coexist with the virus. Furthermore, our model has a strong traceability ability, which can effectively conduct epidemiological investigation to unearth patient number zero based on the early epidemic distribution. In the end, our model expands the traditional approaches of epidemiological simulation and provides an alternative in epidemic modeling.Major findingsFirst, a method was developed to integrate the characteristics of individual antibody dynamics into epidemic prediction;Second, this model can effectively predict the spatiotemporal characteristics of patients with different symptoms (including asymptomatic patients, mild and severe patients, etc.);Thirdly, this model proves that China’s dynamic zero strategy which include the quarantine of close contact people is more efficient than just isolating positive cases;Fourth: This model also reflects the limitations of targeted epidemic-control strategies and warns that for the highly infectious and less virulent variant, targeted epidemic-control measures can no longer achieve effective control of the epidemic;Fifth, this model can help epidemiological research and find out patient zero according to the early incidence of the epidemic.
Single center blind testing of a US multi-center validated diagnostic algorithm for Kawasaki disease in Asia
Authors: Kuo Ho-Chang , Hao Shiying , Jin Bo , Chou C. James , Han Zhi , Chang Ling-Sai , Huang Ying-Hsien , Hwa KuoYuan , Whitin John C. , Sylvester Karl G. , Reddy Charitha D. , Chubb Henry , Ceresnak Scott R. , Kanegaye John T. , Tremoulet Adriana H. , Burns Jane C. , McElhinney Doff , Cohen Harvey J. , Ling Xuefeng B. 
Published: May 2022

ABSTRACTKawasaki disease (KD) is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children. A key objective of research in KD is to reduce the risk of long-term cardiovascular sequelae by expediting timely diagnosis. The major challenge in KD diagnosis is that it shares clinical signs with other childhood febrile illnesses. Our previously single-center developed computer-based two-step algorithm was further tested by a five-center validation in US. This first blinded multi-center trial validated our approach, with sufficient sensitivity and positive predictive value, to identify most patients with KD diagnosed at centers across the US.We sought to determine if our algorithmic approach applied to an Asian cohort. This study involved 418 KD and 259 febrile controls (FC) from the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan. Our diagnostic algorithm retained sensitivity (379 of 418; 90.7%), specificity (223 of 259; 86.1%), PPV (379 of 409; 92.7%), and NPV (223 of 247; 90.3%) comparable to previous US 2016 single center and US 2020 fiver center results. Only 4.7% (15 of 418) of KD and 2.3% (6 of 259) of FC patients were identified as indeterminate. The algorithm identified 18 of 50 (36%) KD patients who presented 2 or 3 principal criteria. Of 418 KD patients, 157 were infants younger than one year and 89.2% (140 of 157) were classified correctly. Of the 44 patients with KD who had coronary artery abnormalities, our diagnostic algorithm correctly identified 43 (97.7%) including all patients with dilated coronary artery but one who found to resolve in 8 weeks.We assessed the performance of our KD diagnostic algorithm with a single center Asian cohort. This work demonstrates the applicability of our algorithmic approach and diagnostic portability, providing evidence to support the launch of an adequately powered, multicenter study for future Asian application in the emergency department setting. If deployed in Asia, our tool promises a cost-effective diagnostic approach to allow the timely management of Asian KD patients even in the absence of KD experts, to potentially enhance the outcome for KD patients and reduce the risk of coronary artery aneurysms.