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Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on symptoms and interoception in trauma-related disorders and exposure to traumatic events: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Molteni L, Gosling CJ, Fagan HA, Hyde J, Benatti B, Dell'Osso B, Cortese S, Baldwin DS and Huneke NTM
Interoception is defined as the sense of the internal state of the body. Dysfunctions in interoception are found in several mental disorders, including trauma-related conditions. Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) have been shown to influence interoceptive processes. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have investigated whether MBIs impact symptoms and interoception in patients with trauma-related disorders. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize these data. We included RCTs with an MBI arm which enrolled adult patients with trauma related-disorders or exposure to a traumatic experience, and addressed changes in interoception and trauma-related symptoms. A random-effects multivariate meta-analytic model was performed to quantify group differences in score change from baseline to follow-up. Twelve studies were included in the systematic review, and eleven in the meta-analysis. Overall, MBIs showed small to moderate positive effects on both interoception and symptoms. Despite a high heterogeneity in results, sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings. We conclude that the efficacy of MBIs on trauma-related symptoms and interoception is supported by randomised evidence. However, further research is needed to understand whether changes in interoception might underpin the effectiveness of MBIs in trauma-related disorders.
Meta-Analytic Review of Temperamental Correlates of the Five-Factor Model and Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology Domains
Hemmati A, Rezaei F, Rahmani K, Komasi S, Miettunen J, Amianto F and Clark LA
There is little and heterogeneous knowledge on the links between the temperamental predispositions of psychopathology and the contemporary dimensional models of psychopathology, such as the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) classification system, which can be aligned with the five-factor model (FFM) of personality. This meta-analysis seeks to expand the temperamental theoretical basis of the HiTOP model by incorporating associations of temperament traits of two temperamental theories measured, respectively, by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) with (a) the FFM's personality domains and (b) HiTOP's five psychopathological spectra.
Connectome reorganization associated with temporal lobe pathology and its surgical resection
Larivière S, Park BY, Royer J, DeKraker J, Ngo A, Sahlas E, Chen J, Rodríguez-Cruces R, Weng Y, Frauscher B, Liu R, Wang Z, Shafiei G, Mišić B, Bernasconi A, Bernasconi N, Fox MD, Zhang Z and Bernhardt BC
Network neuroscience offers a unique framework to understand the organizational principles of the human brain. Despite recent progress, our understanding of how the brain is modulated by focal lesions remains incomplete. Resection of the temporal lobe is the most effective treatment to control seizures in pharmaco-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), making this syndrome a powerful model to study lesional effects on network organization in young and middle-aged adults. Here, we assessed the downstream consequences of a focal lesion and its surgical resection on the brain's structural connectome, and explored how this reorganization relates to clinical variables at the individual patient level. We included adults with pharmaco-resistant TLE (n = 37) who underwent anterior temporal lobectomy between two imaging time points, as well as age- and sex-matched healthy controls who underwent comparable imaging (n = 31). Core to our analysis was the projection of high-dimensional structural connectome data-derived from diffusion MRI tractography from each subject-into lower-dimensional gradients. We then compared connectome gradients in patients relative to controls before surgery, tracked surgically-induced connectome reconfiguration from pre- to postoperative time points, and examined associations to patient-specific clinical and imaging phenotypes. Before surgery, individuals with TLE presented with marked connectome changes in bilateral temporo-parietal regions, reflecting an increased segregation of the ipsilateral anterior temporal lobe from the rest of the brain. Surgery-induced connectome reorganization was localized to this temporo-parietal subnetwork, but primarily involved postoperative integration of contralateral regions with the rest of the brain. Using a partial least-squares analysis, we uncovered a latent clinical-imaging signature underlying this pre- to postoperative connectome reorganization, showing that patients who displayed postoperative integration in bilateral fronto-occipital cortices also had greater preoperative ipsilateral hippocampal atrophy, lower seizure frequency, and secondarily generalized seizures. Our results bridge the effects of focal brain lesions and their surgical resections with large-scale network reorganization and inter-individual clinical variability, thus offering new avenues to examine the fundamental malleability of the human brain.
Patent Foramen Ovale Closure in Older Patients With Stroke: Patient Selection for Trial Feasibility
Wang AY, Rothwell PM, Nelson J, Saver JL, Kasner SE, Carroll J, Mas JL, Derumeaux G, Chatellier G, Furlan AJ, Herrmann HC, Jüni P, Kim JS, Koethe B, Lee PH, Lefebvre B, Mattle HP, Meier B, Reisman M, Smalling RW, Sondergaard L, Song JK, Di Angelantonio E, DiTullio M, Elkind MSV, Homma S, Jaigobin C, Michel P, Mono ML, Nedeltchev K, Papetti F, Serena J, Weimar C, Li L, Mazzucco S, Silver LE, van Klaveren D, Thaler DE and Kent DM
Whether patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure benefits older patients with PFO and cryptogenic stroke is unknown because randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have predominantly enrolled patients younger than 60 years of age. Our objective was to estimate anticipated effects of PFO closure in older patients to predict the numbers needed to plan an RCT.
Retraction notice to "A feasibility study of the combination of intranasal insulin with dulaglutide for cognition in older adults with metabolic syndrome at high dementia risk- Study rationale and design" [Mech. Ageing Dev. 213 (2023) 111825]
Davidy T, Yore I, Cukierman-Yaffe T, Ravona-Springer R, Livny A, Lesman-Segev OH, Azuri Y, Carmichael O, Kapogiannis D, Zetterberg H, Lin H, Sano M and Beeri MS
Increased regional body fat is associated with depressive symptoms: a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES data obtained during 2011-2018
Zhang G, Wang S, Ma P, Li S, Sun X, Zhao Y and Pan J
The findings from previous epidemiological studies of the association between regional body fat and depressive symptoms have been unclear. We aimed to determine the association between the body fat in different regions and depressive symptoms based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Multi-family Therapy for Eating Disorders Across the Lifespan
Baudinet J and Eisler I
This review aims to report on recent evidence for multi-family therapy for eating disorders (MFT) across the lifespan. It is a narrative update of recent systematic, scoping and meta-analytic reviews.
The Within-Subject Association of Physical Behavior and Affective Well-Being in Everyday Life: A Systematic Literature Review
Timm I, Giurgiu M, Ebner-Priemer U and Reichert M
The interplay of physical activity (PA) with affective well-being (AWB) is highly critical to both health behaviors and health outcomes. Current prominent theories presume AWB to be crucial for PA maintenance, and PA is evidenced to foster mental health. However, thus far, PA-AWB associations have mainly been researched in laboratory settings and with interventional designs, but the everyday life perspective had not been focused on, mostly due to technological limitations. In the course of digitization, the number of studies using device-based methods to research the within-subject association of physical activity and affective well-being (PA-AWB) under ecological valid conditions increased rapidly, but a recent comprehensive systematic review of evidence across populations, age groups, and distinct AWB components remained inconclusive.
Pediatric Cancer Communication on Twitter: Natural Language Processing and Qualitative Content Analysis
Lau N, Zhao X, O'Daffer A, Weissman H and Barton K
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Twitter (recently rebranded as "X") was the most widely used social media platform with over 2 million cancer-related tweets. The increasing use of social media among patients and family members, providers, and organizations has allowed for novel methods of studying cancer communication.
Neurophysiological and neuroimaging markers of repetitive transcranial stimulation treatment response in major depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of predictive modeling studies
Jin MX, Qin PP, Xia AWL, Di Kan RL, Zhang BBB, Tang AHP, Li ASM, Lin TTZ, Giron CG, Jie PJ and Kranz GS
Predicting repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment outcomes in major depressive disorder (MDD) could reduce the financial and psychological risks of treatment failure. We systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed studies that leveraged neurophysiological and neuroimaging markers to predict rTMS response in MDD. Five databases were searched from inception to May 25, 2023. The primary meta-analytic outcome was predictive accuracy pooled from classification models. Regression models were summarized qualitatively. A promising marker was identified if it showed a sensitivity and specificity of 80% or higher in at least two independent studies. Searching yielded 36 studies. Twenty-two classification modeling studies produced an estimated area under the summary receiver operator curve of 0.87 (95% CI = 0.83 to 0.92), with 86.8% sensitivity (95% CI = 80.6 to 91.2%) and 81.9% specificity (95% CI = 76.1 to 86.4%). Frontal theta cordance measured by electroencephalography is closest to proof of concept. Predicting rTMS response using neurophysiological and neuroimaging markers is promising for clinical decision-making. However, replications by different research groups are needed to establish rigorous markers.
Burden of Mental Disorders and Suicide Attributable to Childhood Maltreatment
Grummitt L, Baldwin JR, Lafoa'i J, Keyes KM and Barrett EL
The proportion of mental disorders and burden causally attributable to childhood maltreatment is unknown.
Spontaneous persistent activity and inactivity in vivo reveals differential cortico-entorhinal functional connectivity
Choudhary K, Berberich S, Hahn TTG, McFarland JM and Mehta MR
Understanding the functional connectivity between brain regions and its emergent dynamics is a central challenge. Here we present a theory-experiment hybrid approach involving iteration between a minimal computational model and in vivo electrophysiological measurements. Our model not only predicted spontaneous persistent activity (SPA) during Up-Down-State oscillations, but also inactivity (SPI), which has never been reported. These were confirmed in vivo in the membrane potential of neurons, especially from layer 3 of the medial and lateral entorhinal cortices. The data was then used to constrain two free parameters, yielding a unique, experimentally determined model for each neuron. Analytic and computational analysis of the model generated a dozen quantitative predictions about network dynamics, which were all confirmed in vivo to high accuracy. Our technique predicted functional connectivity; e. g. the recurrent excitation is stronger in the medial than lateral entorhinal cortex. This too was confirmed with connectomics data. This technique uncovers how differential cortico-entorhinal dialogue generates SPA and SPI, which could form an energetically efficient working-memory substrate and influence the consolidation of memories during sleep. More broadly, our procedure can reveal the functional connectivity of large networks and a theory of their emergent dynamics.
Factors contributing to readmission in patients with psychotic disorders, with a special reference to first follow-up visit in outpatient care
Suokas K, Lindgren M, Gissler M, Liukko E, Schildt L, Salokangas RKR, Rissanen P, Gauffin T, Näätänen P, Holm M and Suvisaari J
Timely outpatient follow-up and readmission after discharge are common quality indicators in psychiatric care, but their association varies in previous research. We aimed to examine whether the impact of outpatient follow-up and other factors on readmission risk evolves over time in people with non-affective psychotic disorder (NAP).
Neurofilaments as biomarkers in neurological disorders - towards clinical application
Khalil M, Teunissen CE, Lehmann S, Otto M, Piehl F, Ziemssen T, Bittner S, Sormani MP, Gattringer T, Abu-Rumeileh S, Thebault S, Abdelhak A, Green A, Benkert P, Kappos L, Comabella M, Tumani H, Freedman MS, Petzold A, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Leppert D and Kuhle J
Neurofilament proteins have been validated as specific body fluid biomarkers of neuro-axonal injury. The advent of highly sensitive analytical platforms that enable reliable quantification of neurofilaments in blood samples and simplify longitudinal follow-up has paved the way for the development of neurofilaments as a biomarker in clinical practice. Potential applications include assessment of disease activity, monitoring of treatment responses, and determining prognosis in many acute and chronic neurological disorders as well as their use as an outcome measure in trials of novel therapies. Progress has now moved the measurement of neurofilaments to the doorstep of routine clinical practice for the evaluation of individuals. In this Review, we first outline current knowledge on the structure and function of neurofilaments. We then discuss analytical and statistical approaches and challenges in determining neurofilament levels in different clinical contexts and assess the implications of neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels in normal ageing and the confounding factors that need to be considered when interpreting NfL measures. In addition, we summarize the current value and potential clinical applications of neurofilaments as a biomarker of neuro-axonal damage in a range of neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer disease, frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke and cerebrovascular disease, traumatic brain injury, and Parkinson disease. We also consider the steps needed to complete the translation of neurofilaments from the laboratory to the management of neurological diseases in clinical practice.
Sexual and gender minority content in undergraduate medical education in the United States and Canada: current state and changes since 2011
Streed CG, Michals A, Quinn E, Davis JA, Blume K, Dalke KB, Fetterman D, Garcia G, Goldsmith E, Greene RE, Halem J, Hedian HF, Moring I, Navarra M, Potter J, Siegel J, White W, Lunn MR and Obedin-Maliver J
To characterize current lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI +) health-related undergraduate medical education (UME) curricular content and associated changes since a 2011 study and to determine the frequency and extent of institutional instruction in 17 LGBTQI + health-related topics, strategies for increasing LGBTQI + health-related content, and faculty development opportunities.
Proteome analysis, genetic characterization, and antibiotic resistance patterns of Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates
Marzouk E, Abalkhail A, ALqahtani J, Alsowat K, Alanazi M, Alzaben F, Alnasser A, Alasmari A, Rawway M, Draz A, Abu-Okail A, Altwijery A, Moussa I, Alsughayyir S, Alamri S, Althagafi M, Almaliki A, Elmanssury AE and Elbehiry A
Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) is a member of the ESKAPE group and is responsible for severe community and healthcare-associated infections. Certain Klebsiella species have very similar phenotypes, which presents a challenge in identifying K. pneumoniae. Multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae is also a serious global problem that needs to be addressed. A total of 190 isolates were isolated from urine (n = 69), respiratory (n = 52), wound (n = 48) and blood (n = 21) samples collected from various hospitals in the Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia, between March 2021 and October 2022. Our study aimed to rapidly and accurately detect K. pneumoniae using the Peptide Mass Fingerprinting (PMF) technique, confirmed by real-time PCR. Additionally, screening for antibiotic susceptibility and resistance was conducted. The primary methods for identifying K. pneumoniae isolates were culture, Gram staining, and the Vitek® 2 ID Compact system. An automated MALDI Biotyper (MBT) instrument was used for proteome identification, which was subsequently confirmed using SYBR green real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) and microfluidic electrophoresis assays. Vitek® 2 AST-GN66 cards were utilized to evaluate the antimicrobial sensitivity of K. pneumoniae isolates. According to our results, Vitek® 2 Compact accurately identified 178 out of 190 (93.68%) K. pneumoniae isolates, while the PMF technique correctly detected 188 out of 190 (98.95%) isolates with a score value of 2.00 or higher. Principal component analysis was conducted using MBT Compass software to classify K. pneumoniae isolates based on their structure. Based on the analysis of the single peak intensities generated by MBT, the highest peak values were found at 3444, 5022, 5525, 6847, and 7537 m/z. K. pneumoniae gene testing confirmed the PMF results, with 90.53% detecting entrobactin, 70% detecting 16 S rRNA, and 32.63% detecting ferric iron uptake. The resistance of the K. pneumoniae isolates to antibiotics was as follows: 64.75% for cefazolin, 62.63% for trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 59.45% for ampicillin, 58.42% for cefoxitin, 57.37% for ceftriaxone, 53.68% for cefepime, 52.11% for ampicillin-sulbactam, 50.53% for ceftazidime, 52.11% for ertapenem, and 49.47% for imipenem. Based on the results of the double-disk synergy test, 93 out of 190 (48.95%) K. pneumoniae isolates were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase. In conclusion, PMF is a powerful analytical technique used to identify K. pneumoniae isolates from clinical samples based on their proteomic characteristics. K. pneumoniae isolates have shown increasing resistance to antibiotics from different classes, including carbapenem, which poses a significant threat to human health as these infections may become difficult to treat.
A daily diary study of discrimination and distress in Mexican-origin adolescents: Testing mediating mechanisms
Park IJK, Wang L, Li R, Yip T, Valentino K, Cruz-Gonzalez M, Giraldo-Santiago N, Lorenzo K, Zhen-Duan J, Alvarez K and Alegría M
The present 21-day daily diary study (conducted 2021-2022) tested anger and racism-related vigilance as potential transdiagnostic mediators linking exposure to racial and ethnic discrimination (RED) to distress (negative affect and stress, respectively). The data analytic sample included N = 317 Mexican-origin adolescents (M = 13.5 years; 50.8% male, 46.7% female; 2.5% non-binary) from the Midwestern United States. Results from longitudinal mediation models revealed significant mediation effects through anger and racism-related vigilance, respectively, in the association between daily RED and daily distress, both within and across adolescents. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed so that future work can leverage these novel findings toward promoting the well-being of Mexican-origin adolescents, especially those who live in contexts of ethnoracial adversity.
Barriers to Esketamine Nasal Spray Treatment Among Adults With Treatment-Resistant Depression
Joshi K, Liberman JN, Parab P, Darer JD and Harding L
Under a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy program, esketamine nasal spray CIII requires self administration at a certified treatment center. Our objective was to identify factors associated with esketamine initiation and continuation. A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted among US adults who met treatment-resistant depression (TRD) criteria. Cases (n = 966) initiated esketamine between October 11, 2019, and February 28, 2022, and were compared to controls (n = 39,219) with TRD but no esketamine use. Outcomes included initiation, induction (8 administrations within 45 days), and interruptions (30-day treatment gap). Comorbid psychiatric conditions were identified using codes. Cases resided significantly closer to treatment centers (8.9 vs 20.3 miles). Compared to 0-9 miles, initiation rate decreased by 11.9%, 50.8%, 68.1%, 75.9%, and 92.8% for individuals residing 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50+ miles from a center. After adjustment, factors associated with increased likelihood of initiation were posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder with suicidal ideation, and male sex, while increasing distance, substance use disorder, Medicaid, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and older age were associated with lower likelihood. Factors associated with lower likelihood of completing induction were Medicaid, low socioeconomic status (SES), CCI, and Hispanic communities. Factors associated with increased likelihood of interruption were alcohol use disorder, distance, and minority communities, while generalized anxiety disorder and Medicaid were associated with lower likelihood. Travel distance, insurance, low SES, and minority communities are potential barriers to treatment. Alternative care models may be needed to ensure adequate access to care. .
Lifestyle for brain health and cognitive functioning in midlife to early late-life New Zealanders: Utility of the LIBRA index
Röhr S, Stephens C and Alpass F
There is enormous potential to improve brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia based on modifiable risk factors. The Lifestyle for Brain Health (LIBRA) index was developed to quantify modifiable dementia risk or room for brain health improvement. The objective of the study was to investigate the utility of the LIBRA index in relation to cognitive functioning in a midlife to early late-life sample of New Zealanders.
A review on side effect management of second-generation antipsychotics to treat schizophrenia: a drug safety perspective
Strube W, Wagner E, Luykx JJ and Hasan A
Effective side effects management present a challenge in antipsychotic treatment with second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs). In recent years, most of the commonly used SGAs, except for clozapine, have been shown to differ only slightly in their effectiveness, but considerably regarding perceived side effects, safety profiles, and compatibility to preexisting medical conditions.
Use of Electronic Health Record-Based Measures to Assess Quality of Care for Pediatric Agitation
Hoffmann JA, Corboy JB, Liu L, Cieslak K, Pergjika A, Patel TR, Bardach NS and Alpern ER
Acute agitation during pediatric mental health emergency department (ED) visits presents safety risks to patients and staff. We previously convened multidisciplinary stakeholders who prioritized 20 proposed quality measures for pediatric acute agitation management. Our objectives were to assess feasibility of evaluating performance on these quality measures using electronic health record (EHR) data and to examine performance variation across 3 EDs.
Intersectionality as a tool for clinical ethics consultation in mental healthcare
Faissner M, Brünig L, Gaillard AS, Jieman AT, Gather J and Hempeler C
Bioethics increasingly recognizes the impact of discriminatory practices based on social categories such as race, gender, sexual orientation or ability on clinical practice. Accordingly, major bioethics associations have stressed that identifying and countering structural discrimination in clinical ethics consultations is a professional obligation of clinical ethics consultants. Yet, it is still unclear how clinical ethics consultants can fulfill this obligation. More specifically, clinical ethics needs both theoretical tools to analyze and practical strategies to address structural discrimination within clinical ethics consultations. Intersectionality, a concept developed in Black feminist scholarship, is increasingly considered in bioethical theory. It stresses how social structures and practices determine social positions of privilege and disadvantage in multiple, mutually co-constitutive systems of oppression. This article aims to investigate how intersectionality can contribute to addressing structural discrimination in clinical ethics consultations with a particular focus on mental healthcare. To this end, we critically review existing approaches for clinical ethics consultants to address structural racism in clinical ethics consultations and extend them by intersectional considerations. We argue that intersectionality is a suitable tool to address structural discrimination within clinical ethics consultations and show that it can be practically implemented in two complementary ways: 1) as an analytic approach and 2) as a critical practice.
Identifying dementia from cognitive footprints in hospital records among Chinese older adults: a machine-learning study
Zhou J, Liu W, Zhou H, Lau KK, Wong GHY, Chan WC, Zhang Q, Knapp M, Wong ICK and Luo H
By combining theory-driven and data-driven methods, this study aimed to develop dementia predictive algorithms among Chinese older adults guided by the cognitive footprint theory.
Inflammation as a mediator between adverse childhood experiences and adult depression: A meta-analytic structural equation model
Zagaria A, Fiori V, Vacca M, Lombardo C, Pariante CM and Ballesio A
Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) confers a higher risk of developing depression in adulthood, yet the mediation of inflammation remains under debate. To test this model, we conducted a systematic review and two-stage structural equation modelling meta-analysis of studies reporting correlations between ACEs before age 18, inflammatory markers and depression severity in adulthood. Scopus, Pubmed, Medline, PsycInfo, and CINAHL were searched up to 2 October 2023. Twenty-two studies reporting data on C-reactive protein (CRP, n = 12,935), interleukin-6 (IL-6, n = 4108), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, n = 2256) and composite measures of inflammation (n = 1674) were included. Unadjusted models revealed that CRP (β = 0.003, 95 % LBCI 0.0002 to 0.0068), IL-6 (β = 0.003, 95 % LBCI 0.001 to 0.006), and composite inflammation (β = 0.009, 95 % LBCI 0.004 to 0.018) significantly mediated the association between ACEs and adult depression. The mediation effects no longer survived after adjusting for BMI; however, a serial mediation model revealed that BMI and IL-6 sequentially mediated the association between ACEs and depression (β = 0.002, 95 % LBCI 0.0005 to 0.0046), accounting for 14.59 % and 9.94 % of the variance of IL-6 and depressive symptoms, respectively. Due to the cross-sectional nature of assessment of inflammation and depression findings should be approached with caution; however, results suggest that complex interactions of psychoneuroimmunological and metabolic factors underlie the association between ACEs and adulthood depression.
Respiratory symptoms and outcomes among cigar smokers: findings from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study waves 2-5 (2014-2019)
Sharma E, Lauten K, Zebrak KA, Edwards KC, VanEtten S, Benson AF, Delnevo CD, Marshall D, Kimmel HL, Taylor KA, Bansal-Travers M, Hyland A and Cummings KM
The mechanisms by which cigarette smoking increases the risk of respiratory disease have been studied. However, less is known about risks of respiratory symptoms and outcomes associated with smoking cigars, and risks by cigar types have not been previously explored. The aim of this study was to examine associations between cigar use, including traditional cigars, cigarillos, filtered cigars, and dual cigar and cigarette use, and functionally important respiratory symptoms (FIRS), lifetime asthma diagnosis, uncontrolled asthma, and new cases of FIRS.
Factors associated with anxiety-related symptoms in children and adolescents during COVID-19 in Oman: a cross-sectional study
Al-Shekaili M, Al-Huseini S, Al-Kalbani Y, Mirza H, Chan MF, Hassan W, Al-Sulimani F, Al-Ghafri GS, Al-Sumri HS, Amer AB, Ganesh A, Al-Saadoon M and Al-Adawi S
Reports from different parts of the world suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown and social distancing measures have heralded unprecedented mental health challenges among children and adolescents. To date, there is a dearth of studies emerging from the Arabian Gulf, where the majority of its population are children and adolescents. The study aims to examine the prevalence of anxiety-related symptoms and their covariates among children and adolescents in an Arabian Gulf country, Oman. This is a cross-sectional analytic study carried out over two weeks (1st to 15th of August 2020) during the COVID-19 pandemic across Oman. Parents were asked to complete the online survey, which consisted of the parent version of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) instrument and questions regarding basic socio-demographic information. Logistic regression was used to identify the contributing variables associated with anxiety-related symptoms. A total of 790 valid responses were received. Among the 790 children, 33.3% (n = 263) were diagnosed with anxiety-related symptoms by the SCARED instrument. Logistic regression analysis suggested that anxiety-related symptoms in children and adolescents were significantly associated with three demographic variables. The model shows that children with divorced or separated parents were 1.9 times more likely to have anxiety-related symptoms than children of married couples (OR = 1.93, p = 0.035). Children living in families with an income below USD 1000/month, were 1.8 times more likely to have anxiety-related symptoms than a family with an income of USD 4000/month (OR = 1.833, p = 0.018). Children in grades 3-6 were 1.8 times more likely to have anxiety-related symptoms than those in grades 1-2 (OR = 1.79, p = 0.024). Anxiety-related symptoms are common among Omani children and adolescents. They are more likely to be reported in middle scholastic grade levels and children from families with marital discord and low socioeconomic status. It is not clear whether the presently observed rates of anxiety exceed the prevalence that would have been observed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. More studies are therefore warranted using children and adolescents' self-reported scales.
Prevalence and Correlates of the Concurrence of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Aymerich C, Pacho M, Catalan A, Yousaf N, Pérez-Rodríguez V, Hollocks MJ, Parellada M, Krebs G, Clark B and Salazar de Pablo G
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are two common and impairing neurodevelopmental conditions with partial symptomatic overlap. The aim of this study is to systematically and meta-analytically examine the following: (i) the prevalence of an OCD diagnosis among young people with ASD, (ii) the prevalence of an ASD diagnosis among young people with OCD, and (iii) the clinical and therapeutic implications of such comorbidity.
Can Compounds of Natural Origin Be Important in Chemoprevention? Anticancer Properties of Quercetin, Resveratrol, and Curcumin-A Comprehensive Review
Cecerska-Heryć E, Wiśniewska Z, Serwin N, Polikowska A, Goszka M, Engwert W, Michałów J, Pękała M, Budkowska M, Michalczyk A and Dołęgowska B
Malignant tumors are the second most common cause of death worldwide. More attention is being paid to the link between the body's impaired oxidoreductive balance and cancer incidence. Much attention is being paid to polyphenols derived from plants, as one of their properties is an antioxidant character: the ability to eliminate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, chelate specific metal ions, modulate signaling pathways affecting inflammation, and raise the level and activity of antioxidant enzymes while lowering those with oxidative effects. The following three compounds, resveratrol, quercetin, and curcumin, are polyphenols modulating multiple molecular targets, or increasing pro-apoptotic protein expression levels and decreasing anti-apoptotic protein expression levels. Experiments conducted in vitro and in vivo on animals and humans suggest using them as chemopreventive agents based on antioxidant properties. The advantage of these natural polyphenols is low toxicity and weak adverse effects at higher doses. However, the compounds discussed are characterized by low bioavailability and solubility, which may make achieving the blood concentrations needed for the desired effect challenging. The solution may lie in derivatives of naturally occurring polyphenols subjected to structural modifications that enhance their beneficial effects or work on implementing new ways of delivering antioxidants that improve their solubility and bioavailability.
The National Sleep Research Resource: making data findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable and promoting sleep science
Zhang Y, Kim M, Prerau M, Mobley D, Rueschman M, Sparks K, Tully M, Purcell S and Redline S
This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the National Sleep Research Resource (NSRR), a National Heart Lung and Blood Institute-supported repository developed to share data from clinical studies focused on the evaluation of sleep disorders. The NSRR addresses challenges presented by the heterogeneity of sleep-related data, leveraging innovative strategies to optimize the quality and accessibility of available datasets. It provides authorized users with secure centralized access to a large quantity of sleep-related data including polysomnography, actigraphy, demographics, patient-reported outcomes, and other data. In developing the NSRR, we have implemented data processing protocols that ensure de-identification and compliance with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles. Heterogeneity stemming from intrinsic variation in the collection, annotation, definition, and interpretation of data has proven to be one of the primary obstacles to efficient sharing of datasets. Approaches employed by the NSRR to address this heterogeneity include (1) development of standardized sleep terminologies utilizing a compositional coding scheme, (2) specification of comprehensive metadata, (3) harmonization of commonly used variables, and (3) computational tools developed to standardize signal processing. We have also leveraged external resources to engineer a domain-specific approach to data harmonization. We describe the scope of data within the NSRR, its role in promoting sleep and circadian research through data sharing, and harmonization of large datasets and analytical tools. Finally, we identify opportunities for approaches for the field of sleep medicine to further support data standardization and sharing.
Not missing at random: Missing data are associated with clinical status and trajectories in an electronic monitoring longitudinal study of bipolar disorder
Halabi R, Mulsant BH, Alda M, DeShaw A, Hintze A, Husain MI, O'Donovan C, Patterson R and Ortiz A
There is limited information on the association between participants' clinical status or trajectories and missing data in electronic monitoring studies of bipolar disorder (BD). We collected self-ratings scales and sensor data in 145 adults with BD. Using a new metric, Missing Data Ratio (MDR), we assessed missing self-rating data and sensor data monitoring activity and sleep. Missing data were lowest for participants in the midst of a depressive episode, intermediate for participants with subsyndromal symptoms, and highest for participants who were euthymic. Over a mean ± SD follow-up of 246 ± 181 days, missing data remained unchanged for participants whose clinical status did not change throughout the study (i.e., those who entered the study in a depressive episode and did not improve, or those who entered the study euthymic and remained euthymic). Conversely, when participants' clinical status changed during the study (e.g., those who entered the study euthymic and experienced the occurrence of a depressive episode), missing data for self-rating scales increased, but not for sensor data. Overall missing data were associated with participants' clinical status and its changes, suggesting that these are not missing at random.
Adverse Childhood Experiences and Chronic Low Back Pain In Adulthood: The Role of Emotion Regulation
Thomas PA, Goodin BR, Meints SM, Owens MA, Wiggins AM, Quinn T, Long L, Aroke EN, Morris MC, Sorge RE and Overstreet DS
Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is characterized by biopsychosocial determinants that collectively result in substantial burden at the individual, community, and healthcare system levels. A growing body of literature suggests that childhood adversity is longitudinally associated with the development and maintenance of various chronic pain conditions in adulthood. Little research has investigated the psychological processes that might underlie the association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and cLBP. Emotion regulation comprises a substantive part of the subjective experience of pain and may be a potential mechanism through which ACEs contribute to cLBP etiology and maintenance. Thus, the current study examined the extent to which emotion dysregulation mediated the relationship between ACEs and pain severity (pain at rest and movement-evoked pain) in adults with cLBP. Participants included 183 adults (53.0% female, 62.5% non-Hispanic Black) between the ages of 18 and 85 with cLBP. Participants self-reported on ACEs, pain, difficulties in emotion regulation, depression, and completed brief physical function tasks. In data analytic models, sociodemographic variables were included as covariates. Mediation analyses revealed that emotion regulation mediated the relationship between ACEs and cLBP severity at rest (indirect effect = 0.15 (95% CI [0.06 to 0.25]) and with movement (indirect effect = 1.50 (95% CI [0.69 to 2.57]). Findings suggest ACEs are linked to cLBP severity in adulthood though difficulties in emotion regulation. This aligns with research demonstrating that childhood maltreatment can lead to difficulties in emotion regulation which perpetuate over the lifespan to impact adult health outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study utilized baseline data collected as part of a parent trial titled "Examining Racial and SocioEconomic Disparities in Chronic Low Back Pain" (ERASED - ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03338192). PERSPECTIVE: This study presents emotion dysregulation as a psychological pathway through which childhood adversity may contribute to chronic low back pain in adulthood. This work may bolster our understanding of social experiences as risk factors for chronic pain, while identifying targets for clinical intervention.
Phosphene and motor transcranial magnetic stimulation thresholds are correlated: A meta-analytic investigation
Phylactou P, Pham TNM, Narskhani N, Diya N, Seminowicz DA and Schabrun SM
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is commonly delivered at an intensity defined by the resting motor threshold (rMT), which is thought to represent cortical excitability, even if the TMS target area falls outside of the motor cortex. This approach rests on the assumption that cortical excitability, as measured through the motor cortex, represents a 'global' measure of excitability. Another common approach to measure cortical excitability relies on the phosphene threshold (PT), measured through the visual cortex of the brain. However, it remains unclear whether either estimate can serve as a singular measure to infer cortical excitability across different brain regions. If PT and rMT can indeed be used to infer cortical excitability across brain regions, they should be correlated. To test this, we systematically identified previous studies that measured PT and rMT to calculate an overall correlation between the two estimates. Our results, based on 16 effect sizes from eight studies, indicated that PT and rMT are correlated (ρ = 0.4), and thus one measure could potentially serve as a measure to infer cortical excitability across brain regions. Three exploratory meta-analyses revealed that the strength of the correlation is affected by different methodologies, and that PT intensities are higher than rMT. Evidence for a PT-rMT correlation remained robust across all analyses. Further research is necessary for an in-depth understanding of how cortical excitability is reflected through TMS.
Synthesis of weak cation exchange/C bifunctional magnetic polymers for pretreatment and determination of glufosinate and its two metabolites in plasma samples
Sun D, Gao G, Wen L and Xu Z
This study focuses on the purification and detection of glufosinate (GLUF) and its metabolites N-acetyl GLUF and MPP in plasma samples. A Dikma Polyamino HILIC column was used for the effective retention and separation of GLUF and its metabolites, and the innovative addition of a low concentration of ammonium fluoride solution to the mobile phase effectively improved the detection sensitivity of the target analytes. Monodisperse core-shell weak cation exchange (WCX)/C bifunctional magnetic polymer composites (FeO@WCX/C) were prepared in a controllable manner, and their morphology and composition were fully characterized. The FeO@WCX/C microspheres were used as a magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) adsorbent for the sample purification and detection of GLUF and its metabolites in plasma samples combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The purification conditions of FeO@WCX/C microspheres for GLUF and its metabolites in spiked plasma samples were optimized to achieve the best MSPE efficiency. The purification mechanisms of the target analytes in plasma samples include electrostatic attraction and hydrophobic interactions. Furthermore, the effect of the molar ratio of the two functional monomers 4-VBA and 1-octadecene in the adsorbent was optimized and it shows that the bifunctional components WCX/C have a synergistic effect on the determination of GLUF and its metabolites in plasma samples. In addition, the present study compared the purification performance of the FeO@WCX/C microsphere-based MSPE method with that of the commercial Oasis WCX SPE method, and the results showed that the FeO@WCX/C microsphere-based MSPE method established in this work had a stronger ability to remove matrix interferences. Under optimal purification conditions, the recoveries of GLUF and its metabolites in plasma were 87.6-111 % with relative standard deviations (RSDs) ranging from 0.2 % to 4.8 %. The limits of detection (LODs, S/N≥3) and limits of quantification (LOQs, S/N≥10) were 0.10-0.18 μg/L and 0.30-0.54 μg/L, respectively. The MSPE-LC-MS/MS method developed in this study is fast, simple, accurate and sensitive and can be used to confirm GLUF intoxication based not only on the detection of the GLUF prototype but also on the detection of its two metabolites.
Topological Perturbations in the Functional Connectome Support the Deficit/Non-deficit Distinction in Antipsychotic Medication-Naïve First Episode Psychosis Patients
Teles M, Maximo JO, Lahti AC and Kraguljac NV
Heterogeneity in the etiology, pathophysiology, and clinical features of schizophrenia challenges clinicians and researchers. A helpful approach could be stratifying patients according to the presence or absence of clinical features of the deficit syndrome (DS). DS is characterized by enduring and primary negative symptoms, a clinically less heterogeneous subtype of the illness, and patients with features of DS are thought to present abnormal brain network characteristics, however, this idea has received limited attention. We investigated functional brain network topology in patients displaying deficit features and those who do not.
Interventions to prevent and treat delirium: An umbrella review of randomized controlled trials
Veronese N, Solimando L, Bolzetta F, Maggi S, Fiedorowicz JG, Gupta A, Fabiano N, Wong S, Boyer L, Fond G, Dragioti E, Dominguez LJ, Barbagallo M, Romagnoli S, Bellelli G and Solmi M
Delirium is a common condition across different settings and populations. The interventions for preventing and managing this condition are still poorly known. The aim of this umbrella review is to synthesize and grade all preventative and therapeutic interventions for delirium. We searched five databases from database inception up to March 15th, 2023 and we included meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to decrease the risk of/the severity of delirium. From 1959 records after deduplication, we included 59 systematic reviews with meta-analyses, providing 110 meta-analytic estimates across populations, interventions, outcomes, settings, and age groups (485 unique RCTs, 172,045 participants). In surgery setting, for preventing delirium, high GRADE evidence supported dexmedetomidine (RR=0.53; 95%CI: 0.46-0.67, k=13, N=3988) and comprehensive geriatric assessment (OR=0.46; 95%CI=0.32-0.67, k=3, N=496) in older adults, dexmedetomidine in adults (RR=0.33, 95%CI=0.24-0.45, k=7, N=1974), A2-adrenergic agonists after induction of anesthesia (OR= 0.28, 95%CI= 0.19-0.40, k=10, N=669) in children. High certainty evidence did not support melatonergic agents in older adults for delirium prevention. Moderate certainty supported the effect of dexmedetomidine in adults and children (k=4), various non-pharmacological interventions in adults and older people (k=4), second-generation antipsychotics in adults and mixed age groups (k=3), EEG-guided anesthesia in adults (k=2), mixed pharmacological interventions (k=1), five other specific pharmacological interventions in children (k=1 each). In conclusion, our work indicates that effective treatments to prevent delirium differ across populations, settings, and age groups. Results inform future guidelines to prevent or treat delirium, accounting for safety and costs of interventions. More research is needed in non-surgical settings.
Childhood maltreatment, parenting style and anxiety in Chinese youths: A case-control study
Chen L, Lu J, Li Q, Shi Y, Liu S, He Y, Zheng G, Xiang Y and Xiao Y
Although evidence in supporting the associations between childhood maltreatment (CM), parenting style and anxiety in children and adolescents exists, few high-quality analytical epidemiological studies which focusing on clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders (AD) had been published.
[Disclosure of Own Crisis And Treatment Experiences By Staff Of Psychiatric Institutions In BerLin And Brandenburg - An Underused Resource For Reducing Stigma?]
von Peter S, Ponew A, Strelen A, Lust C, Speerforck S and Stützle S
This article is part of the EKB-study which explores lived crisis and treatment experiences of mental health professionals in Berlin and Brandenburg. It addresses the disclosure of mental health workers' lived experiences in their workplace.
Neurofilaments in Sporadic and Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Shahim P, Norato G, Sinaii N, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Chan L and Grunseich C
Neurofilament proteins have been implicated to be altered in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The objectives of this study were to assess the diagnostic and prognostic utility of neurofilaments in ALS.
Contribution of autosomal rare and variants to sex differences in autism
Koko M, Kyle Satterstrom F, , , Warrier V and Martin H
Autism is four times more prevalent in males than females. To study whether this reflects a difference in genetic predisposition attributed to autosomal rare variants, we evaluated the sex differences in effect size of damaging protein-truncating and missense variants on autism predisposition in 47,061 autistic individuals, then compared effect sizes between individuals with and without cognitive impairment or motor delay. Although these variants mediated differential likelihood of autism with versus without motor or cognitive impairment, their effect sizes on the liability scale did not differ significantly by sex exome-wide or in genes sex-differentially expressed in the cortex. Although de novo mutations were enriched in genes with male-biased expression in the fetal cortex, the liability they conferred did not differ significantly from other genes with similar loss-of-function intolerance and sex-averaged cortical expression. In summary, autosomal rare coding variants confer similar liability for autism in females and males.
Computational Retinal Microvascular Biomarkers from an OCTA Image in Clinical Investigation
Lu B, Li Y, Xie L, Chiu K, Hao X, Xu J, Luo J and Sham PC
Retinal structural and functional changes in humans can be manifestations of different physiological or pathological conditions. Retinal imaging is the only way to directly inspect blood vessels and their pathological changes throughout the whole body non-invasively. Various quantitative analysis metrics have been used to measure the abnormalities of retinal microvasculature in the context of different retinal, cerebral and systemic disorders. Recently developed optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a non-invasive imaging tool that allows high-resolution three-dimensional mapping of the retinal microvasculature. The identification of retinal biomarkers from OCTA images could facilitate clinical investigation in various scenarios. We provide a framework for extracting computational retinal microvasculature biomarkers (CRMBs) from OCTA images through a knowledge-driven computerized automatic analytical system. Our method allows for improved identification of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and introduces a novel definition of vessel dispersion in the macular region. Furthermore, retinal large vessels and capillaries of the superficial and deep plexus can be differentiated, correlating with retinal pathology. The diagnostic value of OCTA CRMBs was demonstrated by a cross-sectional study with 30 healthy subjects and 43 retinal vein occlusion (RVO) patients, which identified strong correlations between OCTA CRMBs and retinal function in RVO patients. These OCTA CRMBs generated through this "all-in-one" pipeline may provide clinicians with insights about disease severity, treatment response and prognosis, aiding in the management and early detection of various disorders.
Effectiveness of a smartphone app (Drink Less) versus usual digital care for reducing alcohol consumption among increasing-and-higher-risk adult drinkers in the UK: a two-arm, parallel-group, double-blind, randomised controlled trial
Oldham M, Beard E, Loebenberg G, Dinu L, Angus C, Burton R, Field M, Greaves F, Hickman M, Kaner E, Michie S, Munafò M, Pizzo E, Brown J and Garnett C
Digital interventions, including apps and websites, can be effective for reducing alcohol consumption. However, many are not evidence- or theory-informed and have not been evaluated. We tested the effectiveness of the Drink Less app for reducing alcohol consumption compared with usual digital care in the UK.
Creating a Palliative Care Clinic for Patients with Cancer Pain and Substance Use Disorder
Kale SS, Tosto GD, Rush LJ, Kullgren J, Russell D, Fried M, Igboeli B, Teater J, Jones KF, Check DK, Merlin J and McAlearney AS
Opioids are a first-line treatment for severe cancer pain. However, clinicians may be reluctant to prescribe opioids for patients with concurrent substance use disorders (SUD) or clinical concerns about non-prescribed substance use.
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Paternal Anxiety and the Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes in Their Offspring
Zecchinato F, Ahmadzadeh YI, Kreppner JM and Lawrence PJ
Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent worldwide; however, the literature lacks a meta-analytic quantification of the risk posed by fathers' anxiety for offspring development. Here, we aimed to provide a comprehensive estimate of the magnitude of the association between paternal anxiety and offspring emotional and behavioral problems.
Digital Health Interventions and Patient Safety in Abdominal Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Grygorian A, Montano D, Shojaa M, Ferencak M and Schmitz N
Over the past 2 decades, several digital technology applications have been used to improve clinical outcomes after abdominal surgery. The extent to which these telemedicine interventions are associated with improved patient safety outcomes has not been assessed in systematic and meta-analytic reviews.
CWAS-Plus: Estimating category-wide association of rare noncoding variation from whole-genome sequencing data with cell-type-specific functional data
Kim Y, Jeong M, Koh IG, Kim C, Lee H, Kim JH, Yurko R, Kim IB, Park J, Werling DM, Sanders SJ and An JY
Variants in cis-regulatory elements link the noncoding genome to human brain pathology; however, detailed analytic tools for understanding the association between cell-level brain pathology and noncoding variants are lacking. CWAS-Plus, adapted from a Python package for category-wide association testing (CWAS) employs both whole-genome sequencing and user-provided functional data to enhance noncoding variant analysis, with a faster and more efficient execution of the CWAS workflow. Here, we used single-nuclei assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing to facilitate CWAS-guided noncoding variant analysis at cell-type specific enhancers and promoters. Examining autism spectrum disorder whole-genome sequencing data (n = 7,280), CWAS-Plus identified noncoding variant associations in transcription factor binding sites within conserved loci. Independently, in Alzheimer's disease whole-genome sequencing data (n = 1,087), CWAS-Plus detected rare noncoding variant associations in microglia-specific regulatory elements. These findings highlight CWAS-Plus's utility in genomic disorders and scalability for processing large-scale whole-genome sequencing data and in multiple-testing corrections. CWAS-Plus and its user manual are available at https://github.com/joonan-lab/cwas/ and https://cwas-plus.readthedocs.io/en/latest/, respectively.
Reliability of the TMS-evoked potential in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Gogulski J, Cline CC, Ross JM, Parmigiani S and Keller CJ
We currently lack a reliable method to probe cortical excitability noninvasively from the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). We recently found that the strength of early and local dlPFC transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-evoked potentials (EL-TEPs) varied widely across dlPFC subregions. Despite these differences in response amplitude, reliability at each target is unknown. Here we quantified within-session reliability of dlPFC EL-TEPs after TMS to six left dlPFC subregions in 15 healthy subjects. We evaluated reliability (concordance correlation coefficient [CCC]) across targets, time windows, quantification methods, regions of interest, sensor- vs. source-space, and number of trials. On average, the medial target was most reliable (CCC = 0.78) and the most anterior target was least reliable (CCC = 0.24). However, all targets except the most anterior were reliable (CCC > 0.7) using at least one combination of the analytical parameters tested. Longer (20 to 60 ms) and later (30 to 60 ms) windows increased reliability compared to earlier and shorter windows. Reliable EL-TEPs (CCC up to 0.86) were observed using only 25 TMS trials at a medial dlPFC target. Overall, medial dlPFC targeting, wider windows, and peak-to-peak quantification improved reliability. With careful selection of target and analytic parameters, highly reliable EL-TEPs can be extracted from the dlPFC after only a small number of trials.
Functional connectivity development along the sensorimotor-association axis enhances the cortical hierarchy
Luo AC, Sydnor VJ, Pines A, Larsen B, Alexander-Bloch AF, Cieslak M, Covitz S, Chen AA, Esper NB, Feczko E, Franco AR, Gur RE, Gur RC, Houghton A, Hu F, Keller AS, Kiar G, Mehta K, Salum GA, Tapera T, Xu T, Zhao C, Salo T, Fair DA, Shinohara RT, Milham MP and Satterthwaite TD
Human cortical maturation has been posited to be organized along the sensorimotor-association axis, a hierarchical axis of brain organization that spans from unimodal sensorimotor cortices to transmodal association cortices. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that the development of functional connectivity during childhood through adolescence conforms to the cortical hierarchy defined by the sensorimotor-association axis. We tested this pre-registered hypothesis in four large-scale, independent datasets (total n = 3355; ages 5-23 years): the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (n = 1207), Nathan Kline Institute-Rockland Sample (n = 397), Human Connectome Project: Development (n = 625), and Healthy Brain Network (n = 1126). Across datasets, the development of functional connectivity systematically varied along the sensorimotor-association axis. Connectivity in sensorimotor regions increased, whereas connectivity in association cortices declined, refining and reinforcing the cortical hierarchy. These consistent and generalizable results establish that the sensorimotor-association axis of cortical organization encodes the dominant pattern of functional connectivity development.
Parkinsonism, Psychomotor Slowing, Negative and Depressive Symptoms in Schizophrenia Spectrum and Mood Disorders: Exploring Their Intricate Nexus Using a Network Analytic Approach
Fritze S, Brandt GA, Benedyk A, Moldavski A, Volkmer S, Daub J, Krayem M, Kukovic J, Schwarz E, Braun U, Wolf RC, Kubera KM, Northoff G, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Tost H and Hirjak D
Parkinsonism, psychomotor slowing, negative and depressive symptoms show evident phenomenological similarities across different mental disorders. However, the extent to which they interact with each other is currently unclear. Here, we hypothesized that parkinsonism is an independent motor abnormality showing limited associations with psychomotor slowing, negative and depressive symptoms in schizophrenia spectrum (SSD), and mood disorders (MOD).
"We'll deal with it as it comes": A Qualitative Analysis of Romantic Partners' Dyadic Coping in Cystic Fibrosis
Lau N, Ramos KJ, Aitken ML, Goss CH, Barton KS, Kross EK and Engelberg RA
Although cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive, life-limiting, genetic disease, recent advances have extended survival, allowing persons with CF the time and physical and mental health to form romantic relationships. Previous studies have shown the importance of dyadic coping to positive psychosocial functioning and relationship satisfaction for people with serious chronic illness and their romantic partners, but little work has been done with persons with CF and their partners. The present study examines dyadic coping processes in persons with CF and their romantic partners.
Preference for Competitive Employment in People with Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Proportions
Adamus C, Richter D, Sutor K, Zürcher SJ and Mötteli S
The inclusion of people with mental disorders (MD) into competitive employment has become an important political and therapeutic goal. The present paper investigates meta-analytically to which extent people with MD who were unemployed or on sick leave due to MD prefer to work in a competitive job environment.
Classification of substances by health hazard using deep neural networks and molecular electron densities
Singh S, Zeh G, Freiherr J, Bauer T, Türkmen I and Grasskamp AT
In this paper we present a method that allows leveraging 3D electron density information to train a deep neural network pipeline to segment regions of high, medium and low electronegativity and classify substances as health hazardous or non-hazardous. We show that this can be used for use-cases such as cosmetics and food products. For this purpose, we first generate 3D electron density cubes using semiempirical molecular calculations for a custom European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) subset consisting of substances labelled as hazardous and non-hazardous for cosmetic usage. Together with their 3-class electronegativity maps we train a modified 3D-UNet with electron density cubes to segment reactive sites in molecules and classify substances with an accuracy of 78.1%. We perform the same process on a custom food dataset (CompFood) consisting of hazardous and non-hazardous substances compiled from European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) OpenFoodTox, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) and FooDB datasets to achieve a classification accuracy of 64.1%. Our results show that 3D electron densities and particularly masked electron densities, calculated by taking a product of original electron densities and regions of high and low electronegativity can be used to classify molecules for different use-cases and thus serve not only to guide safe-by-design product development but also aid in regulatory decisions. SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION: We aim to contribute to the diverse 3D molecular representations used for training machine learning algorithms by showing that a deep learning network can be trained on 3D electron density representation of molecules. This approach has previously not been used to train machine learning models and it allows utilization of the true spatial domain of the molecule for prediction of properties such as their suitability for usage in cosmetics and food products and in future, to other molecular properties. The data and code used for training is accessible at https://github.com/s-singh-ivv/eDen-Substances .
Higher paracetamol levels are associated with elevated glucocorticoid concentrations in hair: findings from a large cohort of young adults
Johnson-Ferguson L, Shanahan L, Loher M, Bechtiger L, Binz TM, Baumgartner M, Ribeaud D, Eisner M and Quednow BB
Paracetamol is one of the most commonly used over-the-counter medications. Experimental studies suggest a possible stress-suppressing effect of paracetamol in humans facing experimental stress-inducing paradigms. However, no study has investigated whether paracetamol and steroid hormones covary over longer time frames and under real-life conditions. This study addresses this gap by investigating associations between steroid hormones (cortisol, cortisone, and testosterone) and paracetamol concentrations measured in human hair, indexing a timeframe of approximately three months. The data came from a large community sample of young adults (N = 1002). Hair data were assayed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Multiple regression models tested associations between paracetamol and  steroid hormones, while adjusting for a wide range of potential confounders, such as sex, stressful live events, psychoactive substance use, hair colour, and body mass index. Almost one in four young adults from the community had detectable paracetamol in their hair (23%). Higher paracetamol hair concentrations were robustly associated with more cortisol (β = 0.13, η = 0.016, p < 0.001) and cortisone (β = 0.16, η = 0.025, p < 0.001) in hair. Paracetamol and testosterone hair concentrations were not associated. Paracetamol use intensity positively correlated with corticosteroid functioning across several months. However, a potential corticosteroid-inducing effect of chronic paracetamol use has yet to be tested in future experimental designs.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on depression incidence and healthcare service use among patients with depression: an interrupted time-series analysis from a 9-year population-based study
Chan VKY, Chai Y, Chan SSM, Luo H, Jit M, Knapp M, Bishai DM, Ni MY, Wong ICK and Li X
Most studies on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression burden focused on the earlier pandemic phase specific to lockdowns, but the longer-term impact of the pandemic is less well-studied. In this population-based cohort study, we examined the short-term and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on depression incidence and healthcare service use among patients with depression.
Trick or treat? It's time to rethink the role of placebo in clinical trial
Tseng PT, Liang CS, Zeng BS, Hsu CW and Tu YK
Speech based natural language profile before, during and after the onset of psychosis: A cluster analysis
Dalal TC, Liang L, Silva AM, Mackinley M, Voppel A and Palaniyappan L
Speech markers are digitally acquired, computationally derived, quantifiable set of measures that reflect the state of neurocognitive processes relevant for social functioning. "Oddities" in language and communication have historically been seen as a core feature of schizophrenia. The application of natural language processing (NLP) to speech samples can elucidate even the most subtle deviations in language. We aim to determine if NLP based profiles that are distinctive of schizophrenia can be observed across the various clinical phases of psychosis.
Inpatient opioid withdrawal: a qualitative study of the patient perspective
Babbel DM, Liu P, Chen DR, Vaughn VM, Zickmund S, Bloomquist K, Zickmund T, Howell EF and Johnson SA
Opioid withdrawal is common among hospitalized patients. Those with substance use disorders exhibit higher rates of patient-directed discharge. The literature lacks information regarding the patient perspective on opioid withdrawal in the hospital setting. In this study, we aimed to capture the patient-reported experience of opioid withdrawal during hospitalization and its impact on the desire to continue treatment for opioid use disorder after discharge. We performed a single-center qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews of hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) experiencing opioid withdrawal. Investigators conducted in-person interviews utilizing a combination of open-ended and dichotomous questions. Interview transcripts were then analyzed with open coding for emergent themes. Nineteen interviews were performed. All participants were linked to either buprenorphine (79%) or methadone (21%) at discharge. Eight of nineteen patients (42%) reported a patient-directed discharge during prior hospitalizations. Themes identified from the interviews included: (1) opioid withdrawal was well-managed in the hospital; (2) patients appreciated receiving medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for withdrawal symptoms; (3) patients valued and felt cared for by healthcare providers; and (4) most patients had plans to follow-up for opioid use disorder treatment after hospitalization. In this population with historically high rates of patient-directed discharge, patients reported having a positive experience with opioid withdrawal management during hospitalization. Amongst our hospitalized patients, we observed several different individualized MOUD induction strategies. All participants were offered MOUD at discharge and most planned to follow-up for further treatment.
Efficacy and acceptability of noninvasive brain stimulation for treating posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Tseng PT, Zeng BY, Wang HY, Zeng BS, Liang CS, Chen YB, Stubbs B, Carvalho AF, Brunoni AR, Su KP, Tu YK, Wu YC, Chen TY, Li DJ, Lin PY, Chen YW, Hsu CW, Hung KC, Shiue YL and Li CT
Despite its high lifetime prevalence rate and the elevated disability caused by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), treatments exhibit modest efficacy. In consideration of the abnormal connectivity between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and amygdala in PTSD, several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) addressing the efficacy of different noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) modalities for PTSD management have been undertaken. However, previous RCTs have reported inconsistent results. The current network meta-analysis (NMA) aimed to compare the efficacy and acceptability of various NIBS protocols in PTSD management.
Obstructive sleep apnea and mental disorders: a bidirectional mendelian randomization study
Liu H, Wang X, Feng H, Zhou S, Pan J, Ouyang C and Hu X
Previous studies have reported associations between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and several mental disorders. However, further research is required to determine whether these associations are causal. Therefore, we evaluated the bidirectional causality between the genetic liability for OSA and nine mental disorders by using Mendelian randomization (MR).
The anxiety response of patients with severe psychiatric disorders to the recent public health crisis
Khalkhali M, Zarvandi P, Mohammadpour M, Alavi SMK, Khalkhali P and Farrahi H
The devastating health, economic, and social consequences of COVID-19 may harm the already vulnerable groups, particularly people with severe psychiatric disorders (SPDs). The present study was conducted to investigate the anxiety response of patients with SPDs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The psychoanalytic setting: José Bleger's
Churcher J
José Bleger's paper on the setting () is integral to his 1967 book . Relevant concepts from the book are summarised before examining his view of the setting as a "non-process" consisting of "constants", complementing the "variables" of the analytic process. Process and setting are related as figure and ground in Gestalt psychology. The ideally maintained setting is studied as a thought experiment, uniting the categories of institution, personality, body schema, and body. Deposited in the setting, the psychotic part of the personality, or "agglutinated nucleus", is a remnant of early symbiosis with the mother. Bleger distinguishes two settings: the analyst's and the patient's. The latter can only be analysed by strictly maintaining the former. Ritualisation of the setting denies temporal reality. De-symbiotisation is not always possible. A concept of "internal" setting is suggested, but Bleger nowhere mentions this and the concept is problematic, leaving open the question of how to listen to the silence of the setting. Bleger's concept of can be applied to constants (invariants) in the wider world, the psychotic part of the personality being deposited in everything that is familiar and felt to be constant, including technology, which creates a "platform" for human activity.
Leveraging meta-regression to test if medication effects on cue-induced craving are associated with clinical efficacy
Nieto SJ, Du H, Meredith LR, Donato S, Magill M and Ray LA
The alcohol cue exposure paradigm is a common method for evaluating new treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD); however, it is unclear if medication-related reductions in cue-induced craving in the human laboratory can predict the clinical success of those medications in reducing alcohol consumption during clinical trials.
On the question of the internal frame
Levine HB
This paper attempts to expand José Bleger's classic, metapsychological descriptions of the psychoanalytic frame to formulate and emphasize the role of the analyst's internal frame in establishing a psychoanalytic observational perspective in the analytic situation. The rationale for doing so follows from clinical necessity, especially when working with patients and psychic organizations that are 'beyond neurosis' and in non-traditional settings such as distance and telemetric analyses. Clinically speaking, in its most effective state, the analyst's internal frame can inform the possibility of an observational vertex aimed at the intuitive grasp of psychic reality rather than a sense-based, empirical observation of parameters denoted by the elements of a consensually validatable social reality.
How stigma unfolds for patients with Functional Neurological Disorder
McLoughlin C, McGhie-Fraser B, Carson A, Olde-Hartman T and Stone J
The aim of this study was to explore experiences of stigma in Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) from the perspective of the patient as it manifests from the onset of symptoms, up to diagnosis and subsequently.
Socioeconomic Status and CD4 Count Among People with HIV Who Inject Drugs in St. Petersburg, Russia
Idrisov B, Van Draanen J, Lodi S, Lunze K, Kimmel SD, Quinn EK, Truong V, Blokhina E, Gnatienko N, Krupitsky E, Samet JH and Williams EC
Lack of access to resources is a "fundamental cause" of poor HIV outcomes across the care cascade globally and may have the greatest impact on groups with co-existing marginalized identities. In a sample of people living with HIV (PWH) who inject drugs and were not on antiretroviral therapy (ART), we explored associations between access to resources and HIV severity. Fundamental Cause Theory (FCT) sees socioeconomic status/access to resources as a root cause of disease and emphasizes that individuals with limited resources have fewer means to mitigate health risks and implement protective behaviors, which ultimately generates disparities in health outcomes. Guided by the FCT, we hypothesized that resource depletion (primary aim) and lower income (secondary aim) were associated with increased HIV severity. Using baseline data from the Linking Infectious and Narcology Care (LINC-II) trial of ART-naive PWH who inject drugs in St. Petersburg, Russia (n = 225), we examined the association between "past year resource runout" (yes vs. no) and "low-income (< 300 USD a month)" and the outcome HIV severity (CD4 count, continuous). We fit two separate linear regression models adjusted for gender, age, time since HIV diagnosis, and prior ART use. Participants had a mean age of 37.5 years and were 60% male. Two thirds (66%) reported resource depletion, and 30% had income below 300 USD a month. Average CD4 count was 416 cells/mm (SD 285). No significant association was identified between either resource depletion or low-income and HIV severity (adjusted mean difference in CD4 count for resource depletion: - 4.16, 95% CI - 82.93, 74.62; adjusted mean difference in CD4 count for low-income: 68.13, 95% CI - 15.78, 152.04). Below-average income and running out of resources were common among PWH who inject drugs and are not on ART in St. Petersburg, Russia. Resource depletion and low-income were not significantly associated with HIV disease severity as captured by CD4 count. The nuanced relationship between socioeconomic status and HIV severity among people with HIV who inject drugs and not on ART merits further examination in a larger sample.
Global incidence, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 371 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
Detailed, comprehensive, and timely reporting on population health by underlying causes of disability and premature death is crucial to understanding and responding to complex patterns of disease and injury burden over time and across age groups, sexes, and locations. The availability of disease burden estimates can promote evidence-based interventions that enable public health researchers, policy makers, and other professionals to implement strategies that can mitigate diseases. It can also facilitate more rigorous monitoring of progress towards national and international health targets, such as the Sustainable Development Goals. For three decades, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) has filled that need. A global network of collaborators contributed to the production of GBD 2021 by providing, reviewing, and analysing all available data. GBD estimates are updated routinely with additional data and refined analytical methods. GBD 2021 presents, for the first time, estimates of health loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fatty acid-binding protein 5 is a functional biomarker and indicator of ferroptosis in cerebral hypoxia
Peng H, Xin S, Pfeiffer S, Müller C, Merl-Pham J, Hauck SM, Harter PN, Spitzer D, Devraj K, Varynskyi B, Arzberger T, Momma S and Schick JA
The progression of human degenerative and hypoxic/ischemic diseases is accompanied by widespread cell death. One death process linking iron-catalyzed reactive species with lipid peroxidation is ferroptosis, which shows hallmarks of both programmed and necrotic death in vitro. While evidence of ferroptosis in neurodegenerative disease is indicated by iron accumulation and involvement of lipids, a stable marker for ferroptosis has not been identified. Its prevalence is thus undetermined in human pathophysiology, impeding recognition of disease areas and clinical investigations with candidate drugs. Here, we identified ferroptosis marker antigens by analyzing surface protein dynamics and discovered a single protein, Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 5 (FABP5), which was stabilized at the cell surface and specifically elevated in ferroptotic cell death. Ectopic expression and lipidomics assays demonstrated that FABP5 drives redistribution of redox-sensitive lipids and ferroptosis sensitivity in a positive-feedback loop, indicating a role as a functional biomarker. Notably, immunodetection of FABP5 in mouse stroke penumbra and in hypoxic postmortem patients was distinctly associated with hypoxically damaged neurons. Retrospective cell death characterized here by the novel ferroptosis biomarker FABP5 thus provides first evidence for a long-hypothesized intrinsic ferroptosis in hypoxia and inaugurates a means for pathological detection of ferroptosis in tissue.
Antidepressants compared to placebo for people with binge eating disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Sioziou AL, Lappas AS, Skarlatos M, Mesiari C, Florou MC, Argyrou A, Christodoulou N, Chourdakis M and Samara M
Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most prevalent eating disorder. Treatment options include pharmacotherapy as well as psychotherapy, with the latter recommended as a first-line option. However, the use of psychotherapeutic interventions poses several challenges. Antidepressants are easily accessible, but they lack robust evidence-base. This systematic review aims to comprehensively examine the efficacy and safety of antidepressants for the treatment of BED. Five databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing antidepressants vs. placebo in BED until 23/11/2023. Pairwise meta-analytic evaluations were performed. The primary outcomes were remission and binge eating frequency. Secondary outcomes were response to treatment, eating psychopathology, depression, anxiety, body weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), all-cause discontinuation, discontinuation due to adverse effects and total adverse events. Sixteen RCTs with a total of 984 participants were meta-analysed. Antidepressants were more effective than placebo in achieving remission (RR: 1.39, 95 % CI: 1.04 to 1.86) and in reducing binge eating episodes (SMD: -0.29, 95 % CI: -0.51 to -0.06). Similarly, in the secondary outcomes of response and depression, antidepressants demonstrated superiority over placebo. Antidepressants appear to be effective in reducing symptoms of BED. Small samples and effect sizes hinder the generalizability and clinical utility of these results. There is a lack of follow-up findings regarding the maintenance of effects. There is a pressing need for more RCTs examining antidepressants and other types of pharmacotherapy. Future research should include larger number of participants and increase the duration of follow-up.
Psychotropic Medication Prescribing for Children and Adolescents After the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Valtuille Z, Acquaviva E, Trebossen V, Ouldali N, Bourmaud A, Sclison S, Gomez A, Revet A, Peyre H, Delorme R and Kaguelidou F
Numerous studies have provided evidence for the negative associations of the COVID-19 pandemic with mental health, but data on the use of psychotropic medication in children and adolescents after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic are lacking.
Socioecological factors associated with multiple nicotine product use among U.S. youth: Findings from the population assessment of tobacco and health (PATH) study 2013-2018
Simon P, Stefanovics E, Ying S, Gueorguieva R, Krishnan-Sarin S and Buta E
This study utilized a socioecological approach to prospectively identify intrapersonal, familial, and environmental factors associated with single nicotine product use (NPU) and multiple NPU among U.S. youth.
Post-traumatic growth in later-life cognitive function? Evidence from the 1976 Great Tangshan Earthquake
Liu Y, Ning X, Zhang L, Huang H, Zhou J and Luo Y
This study aimed to explore the long-term impacts of exposure to earthquake in adolescence on later-life cognitive function in China.
Ethnoracial Disparities in Perinatal Outcomes among Women Veterans
Nillni YI, Fox AB, Fernando M, Perez J and Galovski TE
Non-Hispanic Black women have increased rates of preterm birth and low infant birth weight. However, we do not know if these disparities replicate in women veterans, a population that may be at further risk for poor perinatal outcomes. This study sought to examine ethnoracial differences in preterm birth and low infant birth weight in veterans. A national sample of randomly chosen women veterans (i.e., oversampled for residency in high crime neighborhoods) reported information about all pregnancies they have had in their life, demographic characteristics, and history of childhood trauma exposures. The analytic sample was limited to individuals who identified as Hispanic/Latinx, Black, or White ( = 972). Mixed-effects regression models were used to examine ethnoracial differences in gestational age at delivery and infant birth weight, controlling for age at pregnancy, childhood trauma exposure, pregnancy during military service, income, and education. Both Black and Hispanic/Latinx veterans were significantly more likely to have an infant born at lower gestational age ( = -1.04 and = -1.11, respectively) and lower infant birth weight ( = -195.83 and = -144.27, respectively) as compared with White veterans in covariate-adjusted models. Black (odds ratio = 3.24, confidence interval = 1.16, 9.09) veterans were more likely to meet the clinical definition of preterm birth as compared with White veterans. Results align with what is seen in the general population regarding ethnoracial disparities in gestational age at delivery and infant birth weight. Findings highlight the critical need for more research on mechanisms and prevention efforts for ethnoracial disparities in perinatal outcomes.
Leaving emergency departments without completing treatment among First Nations and non-First Nations patients in Alberta: a mixed-methods study
McLane P, Bill L, Healy B, Barnabe C, Plume TB, Bird A, Colquhoun A, Holroyd BR, Janvier K, Louis E, Rittenbach K, Curtin KD, Fitzpatrick KM, Mackey L, MacLean D and Rosychuk RJ
Our previous research showed that, in Alberta, Canada, a higher proportion of visits to emergency departments and urgent care centres by First Nations patients ended in the patient leaving without being seen or against medical advice, compared with visits by non-First Nations patients. We sought to analyze whether these differences persisted after controlling for patient demographic and visit characteristics, and to explore reasons for leaving care.
Protective effect of breastfeeding on Kawasaki disease: A systemic review and meta-analysis
Yang WJ, Lu WH, Hsiao YY, Hsu TW and Chiou YH
Previous research has indicated a negative correlation between exclusive breastfeeding and the incidence of Kawasaki disease (KD). However, the validation of this discovery through meta-analytical studies has been lacking. Furthermore, uncertainties persist regarding whether breastfeeding reduces the risk of coronary artery lesions (CAL) or resistance to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).
Neuroinflammation in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) as assessed by [C]PBR28 PET correlates with vascular disease measures
VanElzakker MB, Bues HF, Brusaferri L, Kim M, Saadi D, Ratai EM, Dougherty DD and Loggia ML
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has triggered a consequential public health crisis of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), sometimes referred to as long COVID. The mechanisms of the heterogeneous persistent symptoms and signs that comprise PASC are under investigation, and several studies have pointed to the central nervous and vascular systems as being potential sites of dysfunction. In the current study, we recruited individuals with PASC with diverse symptoms, and examined the relationship between neuroinflammation and circulating markers of vascular dysfunction. We used [C]PBR28 PET neuroimaging, a marker of neuroinflammation, to compare 12 PASC individuals versus 43 normative healthy controls. We found significantly increased neuroinflammation in PASC versus controls across a wide swath of brain regions including midcingulate and anterior cingulate cortex, corpus callosum, thalamus, basal ganglia, and at the boundaries of ventricles. We also collected and analyzed peripheral blood plasma from the PASC individuals and found significant positive correlations between neuroinflammation and several circulating analytes related to vascular dysfunction. These results suggest that an interaction between neuroinflammation and vascular health may contribute to common symptoms of PASC.
Pyrene Functionalized Norbornadiene-Quadricyclane Fluorescent Photoswitches: Characterization of their Spectral Properties and Application in Imaging of Amyloid Beta Plaques
Ghasemi S, Shamsabadi M, Olesund A, Hillers-Bendtsen AE, Najera F, Edhborg F, Aslam AS, Larsson W, Wang Z, Amombo Noa FM, Salthouse RJ, Öhrström L, Hölzel H, Perez-Inestrosa E, Mikkelsen KV, Hanrieder J, Albinsson B, Dreos A and Moth-Poulsen K
This study presents the synthesis and characterization of two fluorescent norbornadiene (NBD) photoswitches, each incorporating two conjugated pyrene units. Expanding on the limited repertoire of reported photoswitchable fluorescent NBDs, we explore their properties with a focus on applications in bioimaging of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques. While the fluorescence emission of the NBD decreases upon photoisomerization, aligning with what has been previously reported, for the first time we observed luminescence after irradiation of the quadricyclane (QC) isomer. We deduce how the observed emission is induced by photoisomerization to the excited state of the parent isomer (NBD) which is then the emitting species. Thorough characterizations including NMR, UV-Vis, fluorescence, X-ray structural analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide a comprehensive understanding of these systems. Notably, one NBD-QC system exhibits exceptional durability. Additionally, these molecules serve as effective fluorescent stains targeting Aβ plaques in situ, with observed NBD/QC switching within the plaques. Molecular docking simulations explore NBD interactions with amyloid, unveiling novel binding modes. These insights mark a crucial advancement in the comprehension and design of future photochromic NBDs for bioimaging applications and beyond, emphasizing their potential in studying and addressing protein aggregates.
Genome-wide association analyses identify 95 risk loci and provide insights into the neurobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder
Nievergelt CM, Maihofer AX, Atkinson EG, Chen CY, Choi KW, Coleman JRI, Daskalakis NP, Duncan LE, Polimanti R, Aaronson C, Amstadter AB, Andersen SB, Andreassen OA, Arbisi PA, Ashley-Koch AE, Austin SB, Avdibegoviç E, Babić D, Bacanu SA, Baker DG, Batzler A, Beckham JC, Belangero S, Benjet C, Bergner C, Bierer LM, Biernacka JM, Bierut LJ, Bisson JI, Boks MP, Bolger EA, Brandolino A, Breen G, Bressan RA, Bryant RA, Bustamante AC, Bybjerg-Grauholm J, Bækvad-Hansen M, Børglum AD, Børte S, Cahn L, Calabrese JR, Caldas-de-Almeida JM, Chatzinakos C, Cheema S, Clouston SAP, Colodro-Conde L, Coombes BJ, Cruz-Fuentes CS, Dale AM, Dalvie S, Davis LK, Deckert J, Delahanty DL, Dennis MF, Desarnaud F, DiPietro CP, Disner SG, Docherty AR, Domschke K, Dyb G, Kulenović AD, Edenberg HJ, Evans A, Fabbri C, Fani N, Farrer LA, Feder A, Feeny NC, Flory JD, Forbes D, Franz CE, Galea S, Garrett ME, Gelaye B, Gelernter J, Geuze E, Gillespie CF, Goleva SB, Gordon SD, Goçi A, Grasser LR, Guindalini C, Haas M, Hagenaars S, Hauser MA, Heath AC, Hemmings SMJ, Hesselbrock V, Hickie IB, Hogan K, Hougaard DM, Huang H, Huckins LM, Hveem K, Jakovljević M, Javanbakht A, Jenkins GD, Johnson J, Jones I, Jovanovic T, Karstoft KI, Kaufman ML, Kennedy JL, Kessler RC, Khan A, Kimbrel NA, King AP, Koen N, Kotov R, Kranzler HR, Krebs K, Kremen WS, Kuan PF, Lawford BR, Lebois LAM, Lehto K, Levey DF, Lewis C, Liberzon I, Linnstaedt SD, Logue MW, Lori A, Lu Y, Luft BJ, Lupton MK, Luykx JJ, Makotkine I, Maples-Keller JL, Marchese S, Marmar C, Martin NG, Martínez-Levy GA, McAloney K, McFarlane A, McLaughlin KA, McLean SA, Medland SE, Mehta D, Meyers J, Michopoulos V, Mikita EA, Milani L, Milberg W, Miller MW, Morey RA, Morris CP, Mors O, Mortensen PB, Mufford MS, Nelson EC, Nordentoft M, Norman SB, Nugent NR, O'Donnell M, Orcutt HK, Pan PM, Panizzon MS, Pathak GA, Peters ES, Peterson AL, Peverill M, Pietrzak RH, Polusny MA, Porjesz B, Powers A, Qin XJ, Ratanatharathorn A, Risbrough VB, Roberts AL, Rothbaum AO, Rothbaum BO, Roy-Byrne P, Ruggiero KJ, Rung A, Runz H, Rutten BPF, de Viteri SS, Salum GA, Sampson L, Sanchez SE, Santoro M, Seah C, Seedat S, Seng JS, Shabalin A, Sheerin CM, Silove D, Smith AK, Smoller JW, Sponheim SR, Stein DJ, Stensland S, Stevens JS, Sumner JA, Teicher MH, Thompson WK, Tiwari AK, Trapido E, Uddin M, Ursano RJ, Valdimarsdóttir U, Van Hooff M, Vermetten E, Vinkers CH, Voisey J, Wang Y, Wang Z, Waszczuk M, Weber H, Wendt FR, Werge T, Williams MA, Williamson DE, Winsvold BS, Winternitz S, Wolf C, Wolf EJ, Xia Y, Xiong Y, Yehuda R, Young KA, Young RM, Zai CC, Zai GC, Zervas M, Zhao H, Zoellner LA, Zwart JA, deRoon-Cassini T, van Rooij SJH, van den Heuvel LL, , , , , Stein MB, Ressler KJ and Koenen KC
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) genetics are characterized by lower discoverability than most other psychiatric disorders. The contribution to biological understanding from previous genetic studies has thus been limited. We performed a multi-ancestry meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies across 1,222,882 individuals of European ancestry (137,136 cases) and 58,051 admixed individuals with African and Native American ancestry (13,624 cases). We identified 95 genome-wide significant loci (80 new). Convergent multi-omic approaches identified 43 potential causal genes, broadly classified as neurotransmitter and ion channel synaptic modulators (for example, GRIA1, GRM8 and CACNA1E), developmental, axon guidance and transcription factors (for example, FOXP2, EFNA5 and DCC), synaptic structure and function genes (for example, PCLO, NCAM1 and PDE4B) and endocrine or immune regulators (for example, ESR1, TRAF3 and TANK). Additional top genes influence stress, immune, fear and threat-related processes, previously hypothesized to underlie PTSD neurobiology. These findings strengthen our understanding of neurobiological systems relevant to PTSD pathophysiology, while also opening new areas for investigation.
Digital Interventions for Recreational Cannabis Use Among Young Adults: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Behavior Change Technique Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies
Côté J, Chicoine G, Vinette B, Auger P, Rouleau G, Fontaine G and Jutras-Aswad D
The high prevalence of cannabis use among young adults poses substantial global health concerns due to the associated acute and long-term health and psychosocial risks. Digital modalities, including websites, digital platforms, and mobile apps, have emerged as promising tools to enhance the accessibility and availability of evidence-based interventions for young adults for cannabis use. However, existing reviews do not consider young adults specifically, combine cannabis-related outcomes with those of many other substances in their meta-analytical results, and do not solely target interventions for cannabis use.
Breaking down barriers to mental healthcare access in prison: a qualitative interview study with incarcerated males in Norway
Solbakken LE, Bergvik S and Wynn R
Mental health problems are highly prevalent in prison populations. Incarcerated persons generally come from disadvantaged backgrounds and are living under extraordinary conditions while in prison. Their healthcare needs are complex compared to the general population. Studies have found that incarcerated individuals are reluctant to seek help and that they experience challenges in accessing mental healthcare services. To some extent, seeking treatment depends on the degree of fit between potential users and health services, and actual use might be a better indication of accessibility than the fact that services are available. This study aimed to explore individual and systemic facilitators and barriers to accessing mental healthcare in a prison context.
Long-lived proteins and DNA as candidate predictive biomarkers for tissue associated diseases
Liu X, Novak B, Namendorf C, Steigenberger B, Zhang Y and Turck CW
Protein turnover is an important mechanism to maintain proteostasis. Long-lived proteins (LLPs) are vulnerable to lose their function due to time-accumulated damages. In this study we employed stable isotope labeling in mice from birth to postnatal day 89. Quantitative proteomics analysis of ten tissues and plasma identified 2113 LLPs, including widespread and tissue-specific ones. Interestingly, a significant percentage of LLPs was detected in plasma, implying a potential link to age-related cardiovascular diseases. LLPs identified in brains were related to neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, the relative quantification of DNA-derived deoxynucleosides from the same tissues provided information about cellular DNA renewal and showed good correlation with LLPs in the brain. The combined data reveal tissue-specific maps of mouse LLPs that may be involved in pathology due to a low renewal rate and an increased risk of damage. Tissue-derived peripheral LLPs hold promise as biomarkers for aging and age-related diseases.
Identification of moderate effect size genes in autism spectrum disorder through a novel gene pairing approach
Caballero M, Satterstrom FK, Buxbaum JD and Mahjani B
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) arises from complex genetic and environmental factors, with inherited genetic variation playing a substantial role. This study introduces a novel approach to uncover moderate effect size (MES) genes in ASD, which individually do not meet the ASD liability threshold but collectively contribute when paired with specific other MES genes. Analyzing 10,795 families from the SPARK dataset, we identified 97 MES genes forming 50 significant gene pairs, demonstrating a substantial association with ASD when considered in tandem, but not individually. Our method leverages familial inheritance patterns and statistical analyses, refined by comparisons against control cohorts, to elucidate these gene pairs' contribution to ASD liability. Furthermore, expression profile analyses of these genes in brain tissues underscore their relevance to ASD pathology. This study underscores the complexity of ASD's genetic landscape, suggesting that gene combinations, beyond high impact single-gene mutations, significantly contribute to the disorder's etiology and heterogeneity. Our findings pave the way for new avenues in understanding ASD's genetic underpinnings and developing targeted therapeutic strategies.
Lexicon-Based Sentiment Analysis in Behavioral Research
Cero I, Luo J and Falligant JM
A complete science of human behavior requires a comprehensive account of the verbal behavior those humans exhibit. Existing behavioral theories of such verbal behavior have produced compelling insight into language's underlying function, but the expansive program of research those theories deserve has unfortunately been slow to develop. We argue that the status quo's manually implemented and study-specific coding systems are too resource intensive to be worthwhile for most behavior analysts. These high input costs in turn discourage research on verbal behavior overall. We propose lexicon-based sentiment analysis as a more modern and efficient approach to the study of human verbal products, especially naturally occurring ones (e.g., psychotherapy transcripts, social media posts). In the present discussion, we introduce the reader to principles of sentiment analysis, highlighting its usefulness as a behavior analytic tool for the study of verbal behavior. We conclude with an outline of approaches for handling some of the more complex forms of speech, like negation, sarcasm, and speculation. The appendix also provides a worked example of how sentiment analysis could be applied to existing questions in behavior analysis, complete with code that readers can incorporate into their own work.
Stress during pregnancy and fetal serum BDNF in cord blood at birth
Lamadé EK, Pedraz-Petrozzi B, Lindner O, Meininger P, Coenen M, Witt SH, Rietschel M, Dukal H, Gilles M, Wudy SA, Hellweg R and Deuschle M
Adverse environments during pregnancy impact neurodevelopment including cognitive abilities of the developing children. The mediating biological alterations are not fully understood. Maternal stress may impact the neurotrophic regulation of the offspring as early as in utero and at birth. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is essential for neurodevelopment. Short-term higher levels of BDNF in mice upon stressors associate with lower BDNF later in life, which itself associates with depression in animals and humans. Stress including glucocorticoids may impact BDNF, but there is a lack of data at birth. This study investigated if stress near term associates with fetal BDNF at birth in humans.
Psychometric Evaluation of the Food Life Questionnaire-Short Form among Brazilian Adult Women
de Sousa EM, Resende TRO, Alvarenga MDS, Raposo A, Teixeira-Lemos E, Guiné R, Alturki HA and de Carvalho PHB
Measures of beliefs and attitudes toward food have generally been limited to the measurement of more pathological eating attitudes (e.g., disordered eating). The Food Life Questionnaire (FLQ) and its short form (FLQ-SF) were developed to examine attitudes toward a broader range of foods; however, the factor structure of the FLQ-SF was not confirmed in any study with young women. In the present study, we performed a psychometric evaluation of the Brazilian Portuguese translation of the FLQ-SF in a sample of 604 women. We evaluated the factor structure using a two-step, split-sample exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic approach. Results supported a four-factor structure (i.e., weight concern, diet-health orientation, belief in a diet-health linkage, and food and pleasure) with 18 items (χ/ = 2.09; CFI = 0.95; TLI = 0.94; RMSEA = 0.05 (90% CI = 0.04; 0.06; > 0.05); and SRMR = 0.08). Additionally, we found good internal consistency for all FLQ-SF subscales (McDonald's = 0.79-0.89) and convergent validity with measures of feelings, beliefs, and behaviors involved in food attitudes. Collectively, these results support the use of the FLQ-SF in Brazilian women and provide a foundation to expand the literature on beliefs and attitudes toward food in this population.
Prevalence of Isolated Irritable Bowel Syndrome Among Adults in the Kingdom of Bahrain
Alawi Z, AlMakna W, Hassan F, Faisal M, Matar H and Alsayyad AS
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a very common gastrointestinal disorder encountered in clinical practice. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of isolated IBS and its associated demographic factors among the adult population in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Liquid biopsy for gastric cancer: Techniques, applications, and future directions
Díaz Del Arco C, Fernández Aceñero MJ and Ortega Medina L
After the study of circulating tumor cells in blood through liquid biopsy (LB), this technique has evolved to encompass the analysis of multiple materials originating from the tumor, such as nucleic acids, extracellular vesicles, tumor-educated platelets, and other metabolites. Additionally, research has extended to include the examination of samples other than blood or plasma, such as saliva, gastric juice, urine, or stool. LB techniques are diverse, intricate, and variable. They must be highly sensitive, and pre-analytical, patient, and tumor-related factors significantly influence the detection threshold, diagnostic method selection, and potential results. Consequently, the implementation of LB in clinical practice still faces several challenges. The potential applications of LB range from early cancer detection to guiding targeted therapy or immunotherapy in both early and advanced cancer cases, monitoring treatment response, early identification of relapses, or assessing patient risk. On the other hand, gastric cancer (GC) is a disease often diagnosed at advanced stages. Despite recent advances in molecular understanding, the currently available treatment options have not substantially improved the prognosis for many of these patients. The application of LB in GC could be highly valuable as a non-invasive method for early diagnosis and for enhancing the management and outcomes of these patients. In this comprehensive review, from a pathologist's perspective, we provide an overview of the main options available in LB, delve into the fundamental principles of the most studied techniques, explore the potential utility of LB application in the context of GC, and address the obstacles that need to be overcome in the future to make this innovative technique a game-changer in cancer diagnosis and treatment within clinical practice.
Disproportionate neuroanatomical effects of haploinsufficiency in adolescence compared with adulthood: links to dopamine, connectivity, covariance, and gene expression brain maps in mice
Hoops D, Yee Y, Hammill C, Wong S, Manitt C, Bedell BJ, Cahill L, Lerch JP, Flores C and Sled JG
Critical adolescent neural refinement is controlled by the DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) protein, a receptor for the netrin-1 guidance cue. We sought to describe the effects of reduced on neuroanatomy in the adolescent and adult mouse brain.
A bidirectional causal relationship study between mental disorders and male and female infertility
Chen X, Hao X, Xie L and Liu X
The relation between mental disorders (MDs) and infertility can be reciprocal. But exactly which MD affects infertility remains controversial. Our aim was to use Mendelian randomization (MR) to explore bidirectional causality between 15 MDs and male infertility and female infertility.
Existential anxiety about artificial intelligence (AI)- is it the end of humanity era or a new chapter in the human revolution: questionnaire-based observational study
Alkhalifah JM, Bedaiwi AM, Shaikh N, Seddiq W and Meo SA
Existential anxiety can profoundly affect an individual, influencing their perceptions, behaviours, sense of well-being, academic performance, and decisions. Integrating artificial intelligence into society has elicited complex public reactions, marked by appreciation and concern, with its acceptance varying across demographics and influenced by factors such as age, gender, and prior AI experiences. This study aimed to investigate the existential anxiety about artificial intelligence (AI) in public in Saudi Arabia.
Efficacy and acceptability of music therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Ma YM, Yuan MD and Zhong BL
Music therapy is increasingly examined in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and shows potential in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This systematic review and meta-analysis critically evaluates the current clinical evidence supporting the efficacy and acceptability of music therapy for PTSD. RCTs comparing music therapy in addition to care as usual (CAU) versus either CAU alone or CAU combined with standard psychotherapy/pharmacotherapy for PTSD were retrieved from major English - and Chinese-language databases. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) for post-treatment PTSD symptom scores and risk differences (RDs) for retention rates upon treatment completion were calculated to assess the efficacy and acceptability of music therapy, respectively. The Cochrane risk of bias (RoB) tool 2.0 and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) were used to assess the RoB of included studies and certainty of the evidence, respectively. Nine studies, incorporating 527 PTSD patients, were included, all with high RoB. The post-treatment PTSD symptom scores were significantly lower in the music therapy group than the inactive control group (SMD = -1.64,  < .001), but comparable between the music therapy group and the active control group (SMD = -0.28,  = .330). The retention rates did not differ significantly between the music therapy group and both control groups (RD = 0.03,  = .769; RD = 0.16,  = .829). The GRADE rated certainty level of evidence as low. Although meta-analytic findings suggest that music therapy is effective in reducing post-traumatic symptoms in individuals with PTSD, with its therapeutic effect comparable to that of standard psychotherapy, the low level of certainty limits its generalizability. More methodologically stringent studies are warranted to strengthen the clinical evidence for the efficacy and acceptability of music therapy for PTSD.
Eye Tracking During Visual Paired-Comparison Tasks: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Diagnostic Test Accuracy for Detecting Cognitive Decline
Boujelbane MA, Trabelsi K, Salem A, Ammar A, Glenn JM, Boukhris O, AlRashid MM, Jahrami H and Chtourou H
Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) progress silently, making early diagnosis challenging, especially in less educated populations. The visual paired comparison (VPC) task, utilizing eye-tracking movement (ETM) technology, offers a promising alternative for early detection of memory decline.
Plasma Concentrations of Tranylcypromine in Depressed Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: Two Case Reports
Först C, Ulrich S, Zurek G, Seifert S, Frank M and Scheidel B
The prevalence of comorbid depression and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is high. The aim of this brief report was to review 2 cases of treatment with tranylcypromine (TCP) in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and CKD. Tests of the plasma concentration of TCP were included.
Latent Network Analysis of Executive Functions Across Development
Menu I, Borst G and Cachia A
Executive functions (EFs) are crucial for academic achievement, physical health, and mental well-being. Previous studies using structural equation models revealed EFs' developmental organization, evolving from one factor in childhood to three factors in adults: inhibition, cognitive flexibility, and updating. Recent network model studies confirmed this differentiation from childhood to adulthood. Reanalyzing previously published data from 1019 children (aged 7.8 to 15.3; 50.4% female; 59.1% White, 15.0% Latinx, 14.3% Bi-racial, 6.7% African American, 4.2% Asian American, 0.6% Other), this study compared three analytical methods to explore EF development: structural equation model, network model, and the novel latent variable network model. All approaches supported fine-grained EF-specific trajectories and differentiation throughout development, with inhibition being central in childhood and updating in early adolescence.
Perspectives and presentation of mental health among women from rural Maharashtra (India): A qualitative study
Gala P, Ticku A, Pawar T, Sapre S, Gupta P, Iyer K, Kapoor H, Kalahasthi R, Kulkarni S and Iyer P
A significant gap is observed between the proportion of individuals suffering from mental health (MH)-related conditions and those receiving adequate MH care services, especially in rural areas. This study highlights and contextualizes MH concerns and its extant knowledge as well as gender roles in rural Maharashtra (India).
Editorial: Machine learning and big data analytics in mood disorders
Yang L and Chen J
Burnout and coping mechanisms among healthcare professionals in central Uganda
Kabunga A, Kigongo E, Okalo P, Udho S, Grace AA, Tumwesigye R, Akello AR, Musinguzi M, Acup W, Nabaziwa J, Shikanga EM and Namata H
The escalating global prevalence of burnout among healthcare professionals poses a serious health concern. Recent studies focus on prevalence and predictors of burnout among healthcare providers, emphasizing the need for well-being interventions. This study investigates burnout and coping mechanisms among healthcare professionals in central Uganda, addressing the dearth of knowledge about coping strategies specific to the region.
MIR137 polygenic risk for schizophrenia and ephrin-regulated pathway: Role in lateral ventricles and corpus callosum volume
Blokland GAM, Maleki N, Jovicich J, Mesholam-Gately RI, DeLisi LE, Turner JA, Shenton ME, Voineskos AN, Kahn RS, Roffman JL, Holt DJ, Ehrlich S, Kikinis Z, Dazzan P, Murray RM, Lee J, Sim K, Lam M, de Zwarte SMC, Walton E, Kelly S, Picchioni MM, Bramon E, Makris N, David AS, Mondelli V, Reinders AATS, Oykhman E, Morris DW, Gill M, Corvin AP, Cahn W, Ho N, Liu J, Gollub RL, Manoach DS, Calhoun VD, Sponheim SR, Buka SL, Cherkerzian S, Thermenos HW, Dickie EW, Ciufolini S, Reis Marques T, Crossley NA, Purcell SM, Smoller JW, van Haren NEM, Toulopoulou T, Donohoe G, Goldstein JM, Keshavan MS, Petryshen TL and Del Re EC
Enlarged lateral ventricle (LV) volume and decreased volume in the corpus callosum (CC) are hallmarks of schizophrenia (SZ). We previously showed an inverse correlation between LV and CC volumes in SZ, with global functioning decreasing with increased LV volume. This study investigates the relationship between LV volume, CC abnormalities, and the microRNA MIR137 and its regulated genes in SZ, because of MIR137's essential role in neurodevelopment. . Participants were 1224 SZ probands and 1466 unaffected controls from the GENUS Consortium. Brain MRI scans, genotype, and clinical data were harmonized across cohorts and employed in the analyses. Increased LV volumes and decreased CC central, mid-anterior, and mid-posterior volumes were observed in SZ probands. The MIR137-regulated ephrin pathway was significantly associated with CC:LV ratio, explaining a significant proportion (3.42 %) of CC:LV variance, and more than for LV and CC separately. Other pathways explained variance in either CC or LV, but not both. CC:LV ratio was also positively correlated with Global Assessment of Functioning, supporting previous subsample findings. SNP-based heritability estimates were higher for CC central:LV ratio (0.79) compared to CC or LV separately. Our results indicate that the CC:LV ratio is highly heritable, influenced in part by variation in the MIR137-regulated ephrin pathway. Findings suggest that the CC:LV ratio may be a risk indicator in SZ that correlates with global functioning.
How institutional logics shape the adoption of virtual reality in mental health care: A qualitative study
Terkildsen MD, Bollerup S, Palmhøj C, Jensen LG and Lou S
To analyse institutional logics' role in adopting virtual reality in mental health care.
On the complex relationship between resilience and hair cortisol levels in adolescence despite parental physical abuse: a fourth wave of resilience research
Kassis W, Aksoy D, Favre CA, Arnold J, Gaugler S, Grafinger KE, Artz S and Magnuson D
To understand the family's role in adolescents' mental health development and the connection to neurodevelopmental disorders related to experienced parental physical abuse, we first explored resilience pathways longitudinally and secondly, connected the identified patterns to adolescents' hair cortisol levels that are rooted in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as the main stress response system and connected brain structure alterations.
Adolescent engagement in a stepped care, transdiagnostic mental health intervention delivered in Indian schools
Gellatly R, Boustani M, Nair P, Mahajan R, Jambhale A, Sahu R, Chodankar B, Krishna M, Malik K, Mathur S, Becker K, Michelson D, Patel V and Chorpita B
Given the relationship between poor engagement and worse treatment outcomes, improving engagement has been the focus of attention in recent years. Engagement is a particular challenge among minoritized and otherwise challenged youth, such as those from socioeconomically disadvantaged groups, including youth in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where they face lower levels of access to resources, including mental health treatment. The present study describes engagement challenges that arose in an uncontrolled pre-post evaluation of a school-based, modular, multi-problem, stepped-care intervention delivered in urban Indian communities. Specifically, the study aimed to (1) characterize barriers and facilitators of youth treatment engagement; and (2) evaluate treatment acceptability and fit of treatment from the youth perspective. Youth participants completed semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed and coded using thematic analysis. Participants described numerous facilitators to engagement (e.g., positive therapeutic relationship) and reported high overall satisfaction with the intervention, while also identifying barriers to engagement (e.g., concerns about confidentiality) and offering suggestions to increase fit and acceptability (e.g., more visually appealing treatment materials). Findings highlight ways in which engagement can be enhanced and implementation supports improved to maximize treatment effectiveness among minoritized and disadvantaged youth in LMICs.
The effect of weighted blankets on sleep and related disorders: a brief review
Yu J, Yang Z, Sun S, Sun K, Chen W, Zhang L, Xu J, Xu Q, Liu Z, Ke J, Zhang L and Zhu Y
Sleep disorders such as insomnia can lead to a range of health problems. The high risk of side effects and drug abuse of traditional pharmacotherapy calls for a safer non-pharmacotherapy.
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