cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Adolescent Mental Health in Tanzania - Building a network to promote and accelerate nationwide research capacity strengthening, innovation and excellence
Creators: name: Seekles, Maaike
name: Obasi, Angela
Publisher: name: Open Science Framework
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Psychiatry and Psychology
subject: Medicine and Health Sciences
subject: Mental and Social Health

description: This project, led by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (UK) and the National Institute for Medical Research (Tanzania) aims: 1) to identify gaps and priorities in adolescent mental health (AMH) research in Tanzania which will inform the co-development of an evidence-based, stakeholder-driven research agenda; and 2) to identify gaps in capacity needed to deliver this research agenda. Starting in the spring of 2021, this eight-month mixed-methods study will adapt and merge the James Lind Alliance method for research priority setting, with a validated capacity strengthening methodology described by Bates and colleagues. Specifically, it will use online questionnaires, face-to-face interviews, focus groups, scoping reviews and a consensus meeting to consult expert and adolescent stakeholders. Key evidence-informed priorities will be collaboratively ranked and documented and an integrated strategy to address capacity gaps will be designed to align with the Tanzanian National Institute for Medical Research strategy and nationwide infrastructure.
Associations of common genetic risk variants of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M2 with cardiac autonomic dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia
Creators: name: Refisch, Alexander
name: Komatsuzaki, Shoko
name: Ungelenk, Martin
name: Chung, Ha-Yeun
name: Schumann, Andy
name: Schilling, Susann S.
name: Jantzen, Wibke
name: Schröder, Sabine
name: Mühleisen, Thomas W.
name: Nöthen, Markus M.
name: Hübner, Christian A.
name: Bär, Karl-Jürgen
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Cancer
subject: 111714 Mental Health
subject: FOS: Health sciences
subject: 110309 Infectious Diseases

description: Decreased vagal modulation, which has consistently been observed in schizophrenic patients, might contribute to increased cardiac mortality in schizophrenia. Previously, associations between CHRM2 (Cholinergic Receptor Muscarinic 2) and cardiac autonomic features have been reported. Here, we tested for possible associations between these polymorphisms and heart rate variability in patients with schizophrenia. A total of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CHRM2 (rs73158705 A>G, rs8191992 T>A and rs2350782 T>C) that achieved significance (p < 5 * 10−8) in genome-wide association studies for cardiac autonomic features were genotyped in 88 drug-naïve patients, 61 patients receiving antipsychotic medication and 144 healthy controls. Genotypes were analysed for associations with parameters of heart rate variability and complexity, in each diagnostic group. We observed a significantly altered heart rate variability in unmedicated patients with identified genetic risk status in rs73158705 A>G, rs8191992 T>A and rs2350782 T>C as compared to genotype non-risk status. In patients receiving antipsychotic medication and healthy controls, these associations were not observed. We report novel candidate genetic associations with cardiac autonomic dysfunction in schizophrenia, but larger cohorts are required for replication.
Estimating State-Specific Contributions to PM2.5- and O3-Related Health Burden from Residential Combustion and Electricity Generating Unit Emissions in the United States
Creators: name: Levy, Jonathan I.
name: Woody, Matthew
name: Penn, Stefani L.
name: Tripodis, Yorghos
name: Heiger-Bernays, Wendy
name: Arunachalam, Saravanan
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2017

description: BACKGROUND: Residential combustion (RC) and electricity generating unit (EGU) emissions adversely impact air quality and human health by increasing ambient concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3). Studies to date have not isolated contributing emissions by state of origin (source-state), which is necessary for policy makers to determine efficient strategies to decrease health impacts.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to estimate health impacts (premature mortalities) attributable to PM2.5 and O3 from RC and EGU emissions by precursor species, source sector, and source-state in the continental United States for 2005.

METHODS: We used the Community Multiscale Air Quality model employing the decoupled direct method to quantify changes in air quality and epidemiological evidence to determine concentration-response functions to calculate associated health impacts.

RESULTS: We estimated 21,000 premature mortalities per year from EGU emissions, driven by sulfur dioxide emissions forming PM2.5. More than half of EGU health impacts are attributable to emissions from eight states with significant coal combustion and large downwind populations. We estimate 10,000 premature mortalities per year from RC emissions, driven by primary PM2.5 emissions. States with large populations and significant residential wood combustion dominate RC health impacts. Annual mortality risk per thousand tons of precursor emissions (health damage functions) varied significantly across source-states for both source sectors and all precursor pollutants.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reinforce the importance of pollutant-specific, location-specific, and source-specific models of health impacts in design of health-risk minimizing emissions control policies. Citation: Penn SL, Arunachalam S, Woody M, Heiger-Bernays W, Tripodis Y, Levy JI. 2017. Estimating state-specific contributions to PM2.5- and O3-related health burden from residential combustion and electricity generating unit emissions in the United States. Environ Health Perspect 125:324-332; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP550.
title: Discrepancy Rates of Radiology Trainees Reporting Emergency MR Spine in On-Call Setting.
Creators: name: Lee, Sangoh
Publisher: name: European Congress of Radiology
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Musculoskeletal spine
subject: Musculoskeletal system
subject: MR
subject: Education
subject: Workforce
subject: Education and training

description: Aims and objectives Methods and materials Results Conclusion Personal information References
description: Aims and objectives: Magnetic Resonance (MR) Spine is an imaging modality that is increasingly encountered by radiology residentswhilst on-call out of hours[1]. In mostmedicalcentres that provide 24/7 MR service, radiology residents provide preliminary report, which are...
title: A modern time machine: travelling with CT into the prehystory.
Creators: name: Sartori, Paolo
Publisher: name: European Congress of Radiology
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Forensic / Necropsy studies
subject: Computer applications
subject: CT
subject: Image manipulation / Reconstruction
subject: Computer Applications-3D
subject: Forensics

description: Aims and objectives Methods and materials Results Conclusion Personal information References
description: Aims and objectives: Chapada do Araripe (fig. 1) is a plateau (800 m a.s.l.) of north-eastern Brazil (Cearà, Piaui and Pernambuco States). The Romualdo Formation is a fossil-bearing unit cropping out at the base of the Chapada do Araripe. Its age is Aptian or Albian...
Genome-wide Association Study of Susceptibility to Particulate Matter–Associated QT Prolongation
Creators: name: Avery, Christy L.
name: Reiner, Alexander P.
name: Stewart, James D.
name: Wilhelmsen, Kirk C.
name: Tinker, Lesley F.
name: Roach, Jeffrey
name: Liao, Duanping
name: Li, Yun
name: Yanosky, Jeff D.
name: Gondalia, Rahul
name: North, Kari E.
name: Méndez-Giráldez, Raúl
name: Napier, Melanie D.
name: Duan, Qing
name: Sitlani, Colleen M.
name: Zhang, Zhu-Ming
name: Whitsel, Eric A.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2017

description: BACKGROUND: Ambient particulate matter (PM) air pollution exposure has been associated with increases in QT interval duration (QT). However, innate susceptibility to PM-associated QT prolongation has not been characterized.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize genetic susceptibility to PM-associated QT prolongation in a multi-racial/ethnic, genome-wide association study (GWAS).

METHODS: Using repeated electrocardiograms (1986–2004), longitudinal data on PM<10 μm in diameter (PM10), and generalized estimating equations methods adapted for low-prevalence exposure, we estimated approximately 2.5×106 SNP×PM10 interactions among nine Women’s Health Initiative clinical trials and Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study subpopulations (n=22,158), then combined subpopulation-specific results in a fixed-effects, inverse variance-weighted meta-analysis.

RESULTS: A common variant (rs1619661; coded allele: T) significantly modified the QT-PM10 association (p=2.11×10−8). At PM10 concentrations >90th percentile, QT increased 7 ms across the CC and TT genotypes: 397 (95% confidence interval: 396, 399) to 404 (403, 404) ms. However, QT changed minimally across rs1619661 genotypes at lower PM10 concentrations. The rs1619661 variant is on chromosome 10, 132 kilobase (kb) downstream from CXCL12, which encodes a chemokine, stromal cell-derived factor 1, that is expressed in cardiomyocytes and decreases calcium influx across the L-type Ca2+ channel.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that biologically plausible genetic factors may alter susceptibility to PM10-associated QT prolongation in populations protected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Independent replication and functional characterization are necessary to validate our findings. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP347
Preregistration Amendment of Prosocial behaviour and psychological reactions to Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Bill Protests Experiment 2
Creators: name: Hu, Xiaoqing
name: Varma, Mohith
name: Chen, Danni
name: Xia, Tao
Publisher: name: Open Science Framework
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Social and Behavioral Sciences

description: This experiment is a follow-up of our first study on a similar topic (pre-registered on June 3rd and Aug 15th, data collected from Jun 3rd to Aug 27nd, 2020). Our Experiment 1 has found that prosocial behaviour (vs. proself behaviour) enhanced positive affect and reduced negative affect. In the current experiment, we are interested in replicating and extending these findings via examining prosocial (vs. proself) behaviours’ aftereffects on psychological reactions towards the protest.
Emulsification of waste cooking oils and fatty acid distillates as diesel engine fuels: An attractive alternative
Creators: name: Melo Espinosa, Eliezer Ahmed
name: Piloto Rodríguez, Ramón
name: Sierens, Roger
name: Verhelst, Sebastian
Publisher: name: International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management
Year: 2016

description: The scope of this paper is to analyze the possibility and feasibility of the use of emulsification method applied to waste cooking oils and fatty acid distillates as diesel engine fuels, compared with other commonly used methods. These waste products are obtained from the refining oil industry, food industry and service sector, mainly. They are rarely used as feedstock to produce biofuels and other things, in spite of constitute a potential source of environmental contamination. From the review of the state of arts, significant decreases in exhaust emissions of nitrogen oxides, cylinder pressure as well as increases of the ignition delay, brake specific fuel consumption, hydrocarbon, smoke opacity, carbon monoxide, particulate matters to emulsified waste cooking oils and fatty acid distillates compared with diesel fuel are reported. In some experiments the emulsified waste cooking oils achieved better performance than neat fatty acid distillates, neat waste cooking oils and their derivatives methyl esters.
description: International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management, Vol 9 (2016)
The white dwarf population of NGC 6397
Creators: name: Torres, S.
name: García-Berro, E.
name: Althaus, L. G.
name: Camisassa, M. E.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
subject: Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: NGC 6397 is one of the most interesting, well observed and theoretically studied globular clusters. The existing wealth of observations allows us to study the reliability of the theoretical white dwarf cooling sequences of low metallicity progenitors,to determine its age and the percentage of unresolved binaries, and to assess other important characteristics of the cluster, like the slope of the initial mass function, or the fraction of white dwarfs with hydrogen deficient atmospheres. We present a population synthesis study of the white dwarf population of NGC 6397. In particular, we study the shape of the color-magnitude diagram, and the corresponding magnitude and color distributions. We do this using an up-to-date Monte Carlo code that incorporates the most recent and reliable cooling sequences and an accurate modeling of the observational biases. We find a good agreement between our theoretical models and the observed data. In particular, we find that this agreement is best for those cooling sequences that take into account residual hydrogen burning. This result has important consequences for the evolution of progenitor stars during the thermally-pulsing asymptotic giant branch phase, since it implies that appreciable third dredge-up in low-mass, low-metallicity progenitors is not expected to occur. Using a standard burst duration of 1.0 Gyr, we obtain that the age of the cluster is 12.8+0.50-0.75 Gyr. Larger ages are also compatible with the observed data, but then realistic longer durations of the initial burst of star formation are needed to fit the luminosity function. We conclude that a correct modeling of the white dwarf opulation of globular clusters, used in combination with the number counts of main sequence stars provides an unique tool to model the properties of globular clusters.
description: 9 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in A&A
Learning words through listening: A systematic review on the effectiveness of implicit vocabulary intervention for preschool children with developmental language disorder or late talkers
Creators: name: Barrett, Elizabeth
name: Sen, Kan
name: Fong, Lee
name: Shiu, Ka
Publisher: name: Open Science Framework
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Medicine and Health Sciences
subject: Social and Behavioral Sciences

description: This systematic review will explore the following question: For late talkers and preschool children (i.e., 1;6-6;11) with Developmental Language Disorder/ Specific Language Impairment, is implicit vocabulary intervention associated with gains in receptive and expressive vocabulary, compared with other non-implicit vocabulary interventions or no intervention?
Reassessing the Link between Airborne Arsenic Exposure among Anaconda Copper Smelter Workers and Multiple Causes of Death Using the Parametric g-Formula
Creators: name: Richardson, David B.
name: Keil, Alexander P.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2017

description: BACKGROUND: Prior studies have indicated associations between ingestion of inorganic arsenic and ischemic heart disease, nonmalignant respiratory disease, and lung, skin, bladder, and kidney cancers. In contrast, inhaled arsenic has been consistently associated only with lung cancer. Evidence for health effects of inhaled arsenic derives mainly from occupational studies that are subject to unique biases that may attenuate or obscure such associations.

OBJECTIVES: We estimated the excess mortality from respiratory cancers, heart disease, and other causes resulting from occupational arsenic exposure while controlling for confounding using the parametric g-formula.

METHODS: Using a cohort of 8,014 male copper smelter workers who were hired between 1938 and 1955 and followed through 1990, we estimated the impacts of hypothetical workplace interventions on arsenic exposure on the risk of mortality from all causes, heart disease, and lung cancer using the parametric g-formula.

RESULTS: We estimate that eliminating arsenic exposure at work would have prevented 22 deaths by age 70 per 1,000 workers [95% confidence interval (CI): 10, 35]. Of those 22 excess deaths, we estimate that 7.2 (95% CI: -1.2, 15) would be due to heart disease, 4.0 (95% CI: -0.8, 8.2) due to respiratory cancers, and 11 (95% CI: 0.0, 23) due to other causes.

CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses suggest that the excess deaths from causes other than respiratory cancers comprise the majority of the excess deaths caused by inhaled arsenic exposure. Healthy worker survivor bias may have masked such associations in previous analyses. These results emphasize the need for consideration of all exposure routes for upcoming risk assessment by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The effectiveness of explicit grammar interventions in school-aged children with developmental language disorders: a systematic review
Creators: name: Barrett, Elizabeth
name: Tak, Yeung
name: To, Ze-to
name: Hugo, Lee
Publisher: name: Open Science Framework
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Medicine and Health Sciences
subject: Social and Behavioral Sciences

description: This systematic review aims to address the following question: Do school-aged children with DLD who receive explicit grammar intervention have better language outcomes compared with those who receive other non-explicit language interventions or no intervention? What are the features of interventions (e.g., intervention agent, intervention dosage) that are associated with larger treatment effect sizes?
Estimation of the Global Solar Energy Potential and Photovoltaic Cost with the use of Open Data
Creators: name: Korfiati, Athina
name: Gkonos, Charalampos
name: Veronesi, Fabio
name: Gaki, Ariadni
name: Grassi, Stefano
name: Schenkel, Roland
name: Volkwein, Stephan
name: Raubal, Martin
name: Hurni, Lorenz
Publisher: name: International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management
Year: 2016

description: There is an increasing demand for renewable electricity sources, due to the global efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. Despite the promising effects, only a limited amount of electricity is currently produced globally from solar power. In order to help countries realize the importance of tapping into solar energy, it is crucial to reveal the potential amount of electricity that could be thus produced. For this reason, open data were used to produce an interactive web map of the global solar energy potential. For the calculation of the potential, the top-down approach, generally used in the literature, was modified by introducing a better way of calculating rooftop areas, and accounting for temperature, which highly reduces PV panels’ efficiency. Mean annual temperature data were introduced to improve its accuracy, and an approach to estimate rooftop and façade areas as a function of GDP was developed. The current global solar potential technically available was estimated at about 613 PWh/y. Furthermore, the cost of photovoltaic generation was computed and extremely low values, 0.03 - 0.2 $/kWh, were derived.
description: International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management, Vol 9 (2016)
Long-term cortisol stress response in depression and comorbid anxiety is linked with reduced N-acetylaspartate in the anterior cingulate cortex
Creators: name: Bonnekoh, Linda M.
name: Seidenbecher, Stephanie
name: Knigge, Katrin
name: Hünecke, Anne-Kathrin
name: Metzger, Coraline D.
name: Tempelmann, Claus
name: Kanowski, Martin
name: Kaufmann, Jörn
name: Meyer-Lotz, Gabriela
name: Schlaaff, Konstantin
name: Dobrowolny, Henrik
name: Tozzi, Leonardo
name: Gescher, Dorothee M.
name: Steiner, Johann
name: Kirschbaum, Clemens
name: Frodl, Thomas
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Biochemistry
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Physiology
subject: 39999 Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Chemical sciences
subject: 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Science Policy
subject: 111714 Mental Health
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: Major Depression (MDD) and anxiety disorders are stress-related disorders that share pathophysiological mechanisms. There is evidence for alterations of glutamate-glutamine, N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and GABA in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a stress-sensitive region affected by hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA). The aim was to investigate metabolic alterations in the ACC and whether hair cortisol, current stress or early life adversity predict them. We investigated 22 patients with MDD and comorbid anxiety disorder and 23 healthy controls. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed with voxels placed in pregenual (pg) and dorsal (d) ACC in 3 T. Analysis of hair cortisol was performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The N-acetylaspartate/Creatin ratio (NAA/Cr) was reduced in patients in both pgACC (p = .040) and dACC (p = .016). A significant interactive effect of diagnosis and cortisol on both pg-NAA/Cr (F = 5.00, p = .033) and d-NAA/Cr (F = 7.86, p = .009) was detected, whereby in controls cortisol was positively correlated with d-NAA/Cr (r = 0.61, p = .004). Our results suggest a relationship between NAA metabolism in ACC and HPA axis activity as represented by long-term cortisol output.
Pentaquark states in a diquark-triquark model
Creators: name: Zhu, Ruilin
name: Qiao, Cong-Feng
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)
subject: High Energy Physics - Experiment (hep-ex)
subject: Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The diquark-triquark model is used to explain charmonium-pentaquark states, i.e., $P_c(4380)$ and $P_c(4450)$, which were observed recently by the LHCb collaboration. For the first time, we investigate the properties of the color attractive configuration of a triquark and we define a nonlocal light cone distribution amplitude for pentaquark states, where both diquark and triquark are not pointlike, but they have nonzero size. We establish an effective diquark-triquark Hamiltonian based on spin-orbital interaction. According to the Hamiltonian, we show that the minimum mass splitting between $\frac{5}{2}^+$ and $\frac{3}{2}^-$ is around $100$~MeV, which may naturally solve the challenging problem of small mass splitting between $P_c(4450)$ and $P_c(4380)$. This helps to understand the peculiarities of $P_c(4380)$ with a broad decay width whereas $P_c(4450)$ has a narrow decay width. Based on the diquark-triquark model, we predict more pentaquark states, which will hopefully be measured in future experiments.
description: 7 pages, 3 figures, 1 table; matches the version accepted in Phys.Lett.B
Kein Geld für die Dritte Welt?
Creators: name: Dams, Theodor
name: Sell, Friedrich L.
Publisher: name: Herder Korrespondenz
Year: 1970

description: Herder Korrespondenz, Bd. 35 Nr. 8 (1981): Herder Korrespondenz, Band 35, Heft 8
Parental playfulness and the emergence of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems in childhood and adolescence: a systematic review
Creators: name: Schneider, Mirjam
name: Berger, Philipp
name: Falkenberg, Irina
Publisher: name: Open Science Framework
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Developmental Psychology
subject: Child Psychology
subject: Social and Behavioral Sciences
subject: Psychology
subject: FOS: Psychology
subject: behavioral adjustment
subject: externalizing behavior problems
subject: father-child play
subject: internalizing behavior problems
subject: mother-child play
subject: parental playfulness
subject: parent-child play

description: It has widely been accepted that play has a major role in the process of human development. Not surprisingly, play research has mainly focused on children’s play as a key facet of emotional adjustment, such as self-confidence and creativity. However, recently, an increasing amount of research has demonstrated numerous positive effects of parental playfulness on children’s emotional functioning and behavioral adjustment. Parental playfulness is manifested in the ability to engage in spontaneous, amusing and creative parent-child interactions that potentially turn harsh situations into fun and reframe stressful situations in a playful manner. Parent-child play might make a significant contribution to the children’s ability of regulating emotions when faced with stressful events, potentially leading to better behavioral adjustment in later childhood and adolescence and therefore reducing the risk for the emergence of externalizing (e.g. physical aggression, impulsiveness) and internalizing (e.g. somatic complaints, social withdrawal) behavior problems. We aim to provide an up to date systematic review on parent-child play and its impact on the emergence of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems in childhood and adolescence, analyzing quantitative as well as qualitative research in this field.
Global distribution of grid connected electrical energy storage systems
Creators: name: Buss, Katja
name: Wrobel, Patrick
name: Doetsch, Christian
Publisher: name: International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management
Year: 2016

description: This article gives an overview of grid connected electrical energy storage systems worldwide, based on public available data. Technologies considered in this study are pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES), compressed air energy storage (CAES), sodium-sulfur batteries (NaS), lead-acid batteries, redox-flow batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries (NiCd) and lithium-ion batteries. As the research indicates, the worldwide installed capacity of grid connected electrical energy storage systems is approximately 154 GW. This corresponds to a share of 5.5 % of the worldwide installed generation capacity. Furthermore, the article gives an overview of the historical development of installed and used storage systems worldwide. Subsequently, the focus is on each considered technology concerning the current storage size, number of plants and location. In summary it can be stated, PHES is the most commonly used technology worldwide, whereas electrochemical technologies are increasingly gaining in importance. Regarding the distribution of grid connected storage systems reveals the share of installed storage capacity is in Europe and Eastern Asia twice as high as in North America.
description: International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management, Vol 9 (2016)
Circulating inflammatory markers, cell-free mitochondrial DNA, cortisol, endocannabinoids, and N-acylethanolamines in female depressed outpatients
Creators: name: Behnke, Alexander
name: Gumpp, Anja Maria
name: Rojas, Roberto
name: Sänger, Timo
name: Lutz-Bonengel, Sabine
name: Moser, Dirk
name: Schelling, Gustav
name: Krumbholz, Aniko
name: Kolassa, Iris-Tatjana
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Biochemistry
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Physiology
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Immunology
subject: FOS: Clinical medicine
subject: 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Cancer
subject: Science Policy
subject: 111714 Mental Health
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: Major depressive disorder (MDD) involves peripheral low-grade pro-inflammatory activity. This multi-biomarker case-control study characterises the proinflammatory status in MDD beyond C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin (IL)-6 levels through investigating concomitant alterations of immunoregulatory biomolecules. In 20 female MDD patients and 24 non-depressed women, circulating levels of CRP, IL-6, cortisol, selected endocannabinoids (ECs; anandamide [AEA], 2-arachidonylglycerol [2-AG]), and N-acylethanolamines (NAEs), as well as circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA (ccf-mtDNA) were measured. We found higher serum CRP and plasma AEA levels in MDD and a positive association of CRP and AEA levels with current depressive symptoms. Blood levels of cortisol, ccf-mtDNA, 2-AG, and NAEs did depend on MDD diagnosis nor correlated with the severity of current depressive symptoms. CRP correlated positively with AEA, and AEA showed positive associations with 2-AG and NAE levels. In this study, female MDD outpatients with mild to moderate disorder severity did not substantially differ from non-depressed controls in the resting levels of multiple immunoregulatory markers in peripheral blood. Instead of investigating resting levels, future research on the role of inflammatory activity in MDD should focus on investigating the reactivity of pathways modulating the immune system upon exposure to physical and psychosocial stressors.
Serum Metabolomic Profiles in Neonatal Mice following Oral Brominated Flame Retardant Exposures to Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) Alpha, Gamma, and Commercial Mixture
Creators: name: Sumner, Susan
name: Birnbaum, Linda S.
name: Szabo, David T.
name: Pathmasiri, Wimal
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2017

description: BACKGROUND: Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) is a high production volume brominated flame retardant added to building insulation foams, electronics, and textiles. HBCD is a commercial mixture (CM-HBCD) composed of three main stereoisomers: α-HBCD (10%), β-HBCD (10%), and γ-HBCD (80%). A shift from the dominant stereoisomer γ-HBCD to α-HBCD is detected in humans and wildlife.

OBJECTIVES: Considering CM-HBCD has been implicated in neurodevelopment and endocrine disruption, with expected metabolism perturbations, we performed metabolomics on mice serum obtained during a window-of-developmental neurotoxicity to draw correlations between early-life exposures and developmental outcomes and to predict health risks.

METHODS: Six female C57BL/6 mice at postnatal day (PND) 10 were administered a single gavage dose of α-, γ-, or CM-HBCD at 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg. Nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics was used to analyze 60 μL serum aliquots of blood collected 4 days post-oral exposure.

RESULTS: Infantile mice exposed to α-, γ-, or CM-HBCD demonstrated differences in endogenous metabolites by treatment and dose groups, including metabolites involved in glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, lipid metabolism, citric acid cycle, and neurodevelopment. Ketone bodies, 3-hydroxybutyrate, and acetoacetate, were nonstatistically elevated, when compared with mean control levels, in all treatment and dose groups, while glucose, pyruvate, and alanine varied. Acetoacetate was significantly increased in the 10 mg/kg α-HBCD and was nonsignificantly decreased with CM-HBCD. A third ketone body, acetone, was significantly lower in the 30 mg/kg α-HBCD group with significant increases in pyruvate at the same treatment and dose group. Metabolites significant in differentiating treatment and dose groups were also identified, including decreases in amino acids glutamate (excitatory neurotransmitter in learning and memory) and phenylalanine (neurotransmitter precursor) after α-HBCD and γ-HBCD exposure, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that 4 days following a single neonatal oral exposure to α-, γ-, and CM-HBCD resulted in different serum metabolomic profiles, indicating stereoisomer- and mixture-specific effects and possible mechanisms of action.
Prospective Memory Importance in Everyday Life
Creators: name: Rummel, Jan
Publisher: name: Open Science Framework
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Cognitive Psychology
subject: Social and Behavioral Sciences
subject: Psychology
subject: FOS: Psychology
subject: ambulatory assessment
subject: prospective memory

description: This is a preregistration of a first ambulatory assessment study we aim to run in July 2021 in this project.
Perceived time pressure in diagnosing written clinical cases
Creators: name: Hooftman, Jacky
name: Olson, Andrew
name: Mamede, Sílvia
name: Schmidt, Henk
name: Zwaan, Laura
Publisher: name: Open Science Framework
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Diagnosis
subject: Medicine and Health Sciences
subject: Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment
subject: diagnosis
subject: diagnostic error
subject: time pressure

description: In this experiment we ask participants to diagnose written clinical cases while we have manipulated the perceived time pressure and objective time limits.
Iterative reconstruction of the wavespeed for the wave equation with bounded frequency boundary data
Creators: name: Datchev, Kiril
name: de Hoop, Maarten V.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2015
Subjects: subject: Analysis of PDEs (math.AP)
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: We study the inverse boundary value problem for the wave equation using the single-layer potential operator as the data. We assume that the data have frequency content in a bounded interval. We prove how to choose classes of nonsmooth coefficient functions so that optimization formulations of inverse wave problems satisfy the prerequisites for application of steepest descent and Newton-type iterative methods.
description: 20 pages, 1 figure
Amended: Do Online Video Recommendation Algorithms Increase Polarization?
Creators: name: Liu, Naijia
name: Anastasopoulos, Jason
name: Baum, Matthew
name: berinsky, adam
name: Chaney, Allison
name: de Benedictis-Kessner, Justin
name: Guess, Andrew
name: Knox, Dean
name: Lucas, Christopher
name: Stewart, Brandon
Publisher: name: Open Science Framework
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Communication
subject: Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
subject: Political Science
subject: FOS: Political science
subject: Social and Behavioral Sciences
subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Polarization
subject: YouTube

description: Do personalization algorithms serve up ever more extreme videos to users, resulting in affective and issue polarization? Based in part on vivid anecdotes, a media narrative has taken hold ascribing worrisome power to hidden algorithms. Academic researchers have struggled to add evidence to this debate due to both data limitations and serious research design challenges. We propose a novel experimental approach that seeks to resolve the impasse on this critical question by randomizing the recommendations themselves. Using a custom-built interface that serves sequences of videos from YouTube's API, we create our own variations on the existing recommendation algorithm by manipulating the ideological balance of recommended video content to randomly assigned groups of subjects. This approach enables an attractive combination of experimental control and external validity without the need for reverse-engineering YouTube's blackbox recommendations. Subjects in our study will choose to watch a sequence of short videos and follow recommendations while the interface tracks watch time and other measures of engagement. After the viewing session, participants will be surveyed on issue opinions, affective polarization, and perceptions of media hostility. This pre-analysis plan describes a three-wave study focusing on the issue of gun control. Amendments on June 17th after sample recruitment but prior to randomization of the treatment.
Targeted sequencing approach: Comprehensive analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression across blood and brain regions in suicide victims
Creators: name: Kouter, Katarina
name: Zupanc, Tomaž
name: Paska, Alja Videtič
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Medicine
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Neuroscience
subject: 111714 Mental Health
subject: FOS: Health sciences
subject: Hematology

description: Epigenetic mechanisms are involved in regulation of many pathologies, including suicidal behaviour. However, the factors through which epigenetics affect suicidal behaviour are not fully understood. We analysed DNA methylation of eight neuropsychiatric genes (NR3C1, SLC6A4, HTR1A, TPH2, SKA2, MAOA, GABRA1, and NRIP3) in brain regions (hippocampus, insula, amygdala, Brodmann area 46) and blood of 25 male suicide victims and 28 male control subjects, using bisulphite next-generation sequencing. Comparing mean methylation values, notable changes were observed in NR3C1 (insula p-value = 0.05), HTR1A (insula p-value < 0.001, blood p-value = 0.001), SKA2 (insula p-value = 0.03, blood p-value = 0.016), MAOA (blood p-value < 0.001), GABRA1 (insula p-value = 0.05, blood p-value = 0.024) and NRIP3 (hippocampus p-value = 0.001, insula p-value = 0.002, amygdala p-value = 0.014). Comparing methylation pattern between blood and brain, similarity was observed between blood and insula for HTR1A. Gene expression analysis in hippocampus revealed changes in expression of NR3C1 (p-value = 0.049), SLC6A4 (p-value = 0.017) and HTR1A (p-value = 0.053). Results provide an insight into the altered state of DNA methylation in suicidal behaviour. Epigenetic differences could therefore affect suicidal behaviour in both previously known and in novel neuropsychiatric candidate genes.
Exploring the relation between communion and agency in social perception: a connectionist modeling approach
Creators: name: Dragon, Piotr
name: Szumowska, Ewa
Publisher: name: Open Science Framework
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Personality and Social Contexts
subject: Social Psychology
subject: Cognitive Psychology
subject: Social and Behavioral Sciences
subject: Psychology
subject: FOS: Psychology

description: This registration covers a follow-up study to the one described here: https://osf.io/btykp
Statistical Approaches for Estimating Sex-Specific Effects in Endocrine Disruptors Research
Creators: name: Doherty, Brett T.
name: Engel, Stephanie M.
name: Buckley, Jessie P.
name: Keil, Alexander P.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2017

description: BACKGROUND: When a biologic mechanism of interest is anticipated to operate differentially according to sex, as is often the case in endocrine disruptors research, investigators routinely estimate sex-specific associations. Less attention has been given to potential sexual heterogeneity of confounder associations with outcomes. When relationships of covariates with outcomes differ according to sex, commonly applied statistical approaches for estimating sex-specific endocrine disruptor effects may produce divergent estimates.

OBJECTIVES: We discuss underlying assumptions and evaluate the performance of two traditional approaches for estimating sex-specific effects, stratification and product terms, and introduce a simple modeling alternative: an augmented product term approach.

METHODS: We describe the impact of assumptions regarding sexual heterogeneity of confounder relationships on estimates of sex-specific effects of the exposure of interest for three approaches: stratification, traditional product terms, and augmented product terms. Using simulated and applied examples, we demonstrate properties of each approach under a range of scenarios.

RESULTS: In simulations, sex-specific exposure effects estimated using the traditional product term approach were biased when confounders had sex-dependent associations with the outcome. Sex-specific estimates from stratification and the augmented product term approach were unbiased but less precise. In the applied example, the three approaches yielded similar estimates, but resulted in some meaningful differences in conclusions based on statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS: Investigators should consider sexual heterogeneity of confounder associations when choosing an analytic approach to estimate sex-specific effects of endocrine disruptors on health. In the presence of sex-dependent confounding, our augmented product term approach may be advantageous over stratification when there is prior knowledge available to fit reduced models or when investigators seek an automated test for effect measure modification. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP334.
Strategies to Improve Private-Well Water Quality: A North Carolina Perspective
Creators: name: Gibson, Jacqueline MacDonald
name: Pieper, Kelsey J.
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2017

description: BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that the 44.5 million U.S. residents drawing their drinking water from private wells face higher risks of waterborne contaminant exposure than those served by regulated community water supplies. Among U.S. states, North Carolina (N.C.) has the second-largest population relying on private wells, making it a useful microcosm to study challenges to maintaining private-well water quality.

OBJECTIVES: This paper summarizes recommendations from a two-day summit to identify options to improve drinking-water quality for N.C. residents served by private wells.

METHODS: The Research Triangle Environmental Health Collaborative invited 111 participants with knowledge of private-well water challenges to attend the Summit. Participants worked in small groups that focused on specific aspects and reconvened in plenary sessions to formulate consensus recommendations.

DISCUSSION: Summit participants highlighted four main barriers to ensuring safe water for residents currently relying on private wells: (1) a database of private well locations is unavailable; (2) racial disparities have perpetuated reliance on private wells in some urbanized areas; (3) many private-well users lack information or resources to monitor and maintain their wells; and (4) private-well support programs are fragmented and lack sufficient resources. The Summit produced 10 consensus recommendations for ways to overcome these barriers.

CONCLUSIONS: The Summit recommendations, if undertaken, could improve the health of North Carolinians facing elevated risks of exposure to waterborne contaminants because of their reliance on inadequately monitored and maintained private wells. Because many of the challenges in N.C. are common nationwide, these recommendations could serve as models for other states. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP890.
BDNF blood levels after electroconvulsive therapy in patients with mood disorders: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis
Creators: name: Pelosof, Rebeca
name: dos Santos, Leonardo A.
name: Farhat, Luis C.
name: Gattaz, Wagner F.
name: Talib, Leda
name: Brunoni, André R.
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Biotechnology
subject: 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Cancer
subject: Science Policy
subject: 111714 Mental Health
subject: FOS: Health sciences

description: Studies have suggested Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factors (BDNF) increase after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) although they were methodologically limited and enrolled small sample sizes. We aimed at updating a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore BDNF changes after ECT for the treatment of depression. PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase and Global health were searched (March, 2021). Clinical trials that measured BDNF in the blood before and after ECT in adults (≥ 18 years old) with depression (major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder) were eligible. Data were pooled through random-effects meta-analyses. Twenty-eight studies involving 778 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed a significant increase in BDNF levels after ECT (Hedges’ g = 0.28; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.46) while there was evidence of significant heterogeneity (I2 = 67.64%) but not publication bias/small-study effect. Subgroup analyses and meta-regressions were underpowered to detect significant differences. Meta-analysis of depression severity scores demonstrated a considerable larger treatment effect in reducing depressive symptoms after ECT (Hedge’s g = −3.72 95% CI: −4.23, −3.21). This updated review showed that BDNF blood levels increased after ECT treatment. However, there was still evidence of substantial heterogeneity and there were limited sample sizes to investigate factors driving the variability of effects across studies. Importantly, the increase in BDNF levels was substantially smaller than the observed in depressive symptomatology, which could be indicative that the former was independent than the latter. Additional studies with larger sample sizes are currently required.
The Florence Statement on Triclosan and Triclocarban
Creators: name: Johnson, Paula I.
name: Zoeller, R. Thomas
name: McNeill, Kristopher
name: Blum, Arlene
name: Lohmann, Rainer
name: Sacks, Victoria P.
name: Geer, Laura A.
name: Halden, Rolf U.
name: Schettler, Ted
name: Arnold, William A.
name: Andrews, David
name: Fuoco, Rebecca E.
name: Aiello, Allison E.
name: Weber, Roland
name: Lindeman, Avery E.
name: Fair, Patricia
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2017

description: The Florence Statement on Triclosan and Triclocarban documents a consensus of more than 200 scientists and medical professionals on the hazards of and lack of demonstrated benefit from common uses of triclosan and triclocarban. These chemicals may be used in thousands of personal care and consumer products as well as in building materials. Based on extensive peer-reviewed research, this statement concludes that triclosan and triclocarban are environmentally persistent endocrine disruptors that bioaccumulate in and are toxic to aquatic and other organisms. Evidence of other hazards to humans and ecosystems from triclosan and triclocarban is presented along with recommendations intended to prevent future harm from triclosan, triclocarban, and antimicrobial substances with similar properties and effects. Because antimicrobials can have unintended adverse health and environmental impacts, they should only be used when they provide an evidence-based health benefit. Greater transparency is needed in product formulations, and before an antimicrobial is incorporated into a product, the long-term health and ecological impacts should be evaluated. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1788