Bulletin of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (BCSEE)
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Installing oncofertility programs for breast cancer in limited versus optimum resource settings: Empirical data from 39 surveyed centers in Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part I & II
No full textPURPOSEAs a further step to elucidate the actual diverse spectrum of oncofertility practices for breast cancer around the globe, we present and discuss the comparisons of oncofertility practices for breast cancer in limited versus optimum resource settings based on data collected in the Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part I & II. METHODSWe surveyed 39 oncofertility centers including 14 in limited resource settings from Africa, Asia & Latin America (Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part I), and 25 in optimum resource settings from the United States, Europe, Australia and Japan (Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part II). Survey questions covered the availability of fertility preservation and restoration options offered to young female patients with breast cancer as well as the degree of utilization. RESULTSIn the Repro-Can-OPEN Study Part I & II, responses for breast cancer and calculated oncofertility scores showed the following characteristics: (1) higher oncofertility scores in optimum resource settings than in limited resource settings especially for established options, (2) frequent utilization of egg freezing, embryo freezing, ovarian tissue freezing, GnRH analogs, and fractionation of chemo- and radiotherapy, (3) promising utilization of oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM), (4) rare utilization of neoadjuvant cytoprotective pharmacotherapy, artificial ovary, and stem cells reproductive technology as they are still in preclinical or early clinical research settings, (5) recognition that technical and ethical concerns should be considered when offering advanced and innovative oncofertility options. CONCLUSIONSWe presented a plausible oncofertility best practice model to guide oncofertility teams in optimizing care for breast cancer patients in various resource settings
Is Irritability a Top Problem in Youth Mental Health Care? A Multi-informant, Multi-method Investigation
No full textIrritability is often described as a common problem affecting youth referred for mental health services; however, little is known about the prevalence and nature of irritability as a focus of treatment. We examined assessment data from a diverse sample of youths (N = 206; ages 7-15; 52% male, 48% female; 33% White, 27% Black, 25% Latinx) referred for outpatient treatment of emotional and behavioral concerns. Caregivers and youths completed nomothetic (standardized checklist) and idiographic (free response) measures at intake. Irritability was identified as a top problem (TP) in 58% of cases, commonly reported by caregivers (38%), youths (42%), or both (23%)-rates that were significantly greater than those of other TP domains (depression, anxiety, ADHD, conduct, and defiance). Further analyses identified clinical correlates of irritability TPs, with results supporting the incremental utility of multiple informants and methods. Findings suggest that irritability is among the most common problems for which families seek youth treatment
Evaluation of Pathologic Complete Response Rate to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Among a Racially and Ethnically Diverse Patient Population
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Nationwide Outcomes of Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax in Children: Fewer Recurrences and Readmissions with Up-Front Operative Resection
No full textVaccination in pregnancy: Healthcare provider attitudes and practices
No full textObjectiveTo assess provider attitudes and practices regarding vaccination in pregnancy to discern strategies to increase vaccination rates in pregnancy, given that in the USA, various healthcare organizations recommend that pregnant individuals be vaccinated against influenza, pertussis, and SARS-CoV-2, but vaccination rates among gravidas remain suboptimal across these vaccines. MethodsAn Institutional Review Board-approved survey was disseminated to obstetric healthcare providers by email from June through October 2021. Questions assessed provider demographics, attitudes, and practices surrounding vaccination in pregnancy. A total of 192 providers consented, 179 initiated the survey, and 153 completed it entirely. Statistical software (SAS) was used to perform descriptive statistics. ResultsAll providers strongly agreed/agreed that all pregnant individuals should receive vaccines in pregnancy. Following patient vaccination consent, 13% reported needing to refer patients to alternative sites for vaccine administration. Following patient vaccination decline, 13% did not determine reasons for refusal, 30% did not re-counsel at subsequent visits, and 92% did not ask another staff member to counsel the patient. ConclusionDespite provider support for maternal immunization, uptake of vaccines in gravidas remains suboptimal, demonstrating a gap between provider recommendations and patient uptake. These data highlight opportunities for intervention regarding counseling and vaccine availability to increase vaccine uptake in pregnancy
Combining quantitative and survival trait analyses identifies novel general and sex‐specific genes for age‐at‐onset of Alzheimer’s disease
No full textBackground
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has high genetic heritability for both disease risk and age‐at‐onset (AAO) of AD. However, our understanding of genetics of AAO of AD lags behind AD risk. Here, we utilized two statistical approaches to identify genes modifying AAO of AD globally or in a sex‐specific manner.
Method
Pooled data from 9,219 AD cases and 10,345 controls from 20 cohorts from the Alzheimer Disease Genetic Consortium were analyzed using a linear mixed model (LMM) for AAO from cases only, and a Cox proportional hazard frailty model (CoxFM) from all subjects with AAO observed in cases and censored at age‐at‐exam in controls. Both methods modeled outcome on SNP, sex, APOE‐e4, and 10 principal components (PCs), and incorporated random intercept by cohort. Fisher’s method was used to combine results of LMM and CoxFM. Genome‐wide significant variants were determined based on p < 5×10−8 in individual or combined tests. Multiple secondary analyses were performed including sex‐specific association tests for top SNPs (p< 10−6). Two gene‐expression datasets of prefrontal cortex tissues from NCBI/GEO were analyzed by sex to evaluate the sex‐specific AAO genes.
Result
We identified 34 genome‐wide significant loci. We confirmed 6 known AD risk genes (APOE, CR1, BIN1, TREM2, PICALM, and FERMT2) also regulating AAO as AD. Twenty‐eight potential novel loci were identified including ARFGEF2, MAPK9, and the MLX region harboring functional related genes for AD. Sex‐specific analyses showed the effects of PICALM, MLX, and CDH2 on AAO were solely from females, and ATP2C1 from males. Particularly, the MLX region harboring 10 genes in strong LD, including variants in COASY and HSD17B1 previously reported to associate with earlier AAO of AD in female AD patients with Down Syndrome. Gene expression further supported higher differential expression of AD over controls for HSD17B1, COASY, PLEKHH3, and MLX in females than males.
Conclusion
Using two statistical methods to model AAO of AD, we identified six known AD risk genes and 28 novel loci associated with AAO of AD, and further narrowed down four loci with sex‐specific effects. Notably, HSD17B1, involved in estrogen activation, has strong functional implications warrant for further investigation
Transmission of Parental Relationship Communication Patterns to Young Adults and the Moderating Role of Relationship Awareness
No full textGiven the rate at which college students seek help for relationship problems and the familial transmission of relationship difficulties, it is important to understand the familial factors that are associated with relationship quality for young adults. It was hypothesized that parental relationship communication patterns (i.e., conflict and withdrawal) would be related to similar communication patterns of young adults in romantic relationships. Furthermore, it was predicted that young adult communication patterns, including destructive communication styles such as conflict and withdrawal, as well as constructive communication, would be related to relationship satisfaction in young adults, and that parents’ communication styles would be indirectly associated with relationship satisfaction. It was also expected that young adults' relationship awareness would moderate the association between parental relationship communication and young adults’ relationship communication patterns. These hypotheses were partially supported. Structural equation modelling was utilized to examine data from 184 young adults, who were in heterosexual romantic relationships, and their mothers. First, there was an association between parents’ use of conflictual and withdrawn communication and young adults’ use of these same patterns. However, when parent marital status was added as a covariate, parental conflict no longer predicted young adult conflict. Unexpectedly, relationship awareness did not moderate these relationships. In addition, young adults’ use of conflictual and constructive communication were associated with relationship satisfaction in predicted directions, and parent withdrawal was indirectly related to relationship satisfaction through constructive communication. It is important for clinicians to understand the links between family and relationship problems in young adults, since these links can be relevant to case conceptualization and the application of effective therapeutic interventions.</p
The combined effects of temperature and ocean acidification on the resident microbial communities of South Florida reef corals
No full textEfficacy of an Air Quality Intervention in a Miami Night Club and the Toxicity of E-Cigarette Exposure
No full textBackground: The Florida Clean Indoor Air Act, which prohibits smoking in workplaces, makes exceptions to standalone bars and night clubs, resulting in the exposure of non-smoking workers and patrons of the hospitality industry. In 2021, a nightclub in Miami voluntarily implemented a cigarette ban, but electronic cigarettes (EC) or vapes were not subject to this ban. Leveraging this natural experiment, this research examined the efficacy of this cigarette ban on indoor air quality, and the toxicity of EC lung tissues using an in-vivo experiment. Methods: Two experiments were conducted for this research. In the first experiment, multiple air pollutants were monitored before and after the smoking ban using photometric and gravimetric instruments at different locations inside the night club. Mean differences in particulate and gaseous air pollutants were examined using unpaired t-tests of unequal variance. In the second experiment, rats were exposed to EC vapors (n = 4) and air (n =4). Lung tissues were homogenized and inflammatory proteins were quantitated using Western blot analysis and unpaired t-test of unequal variance. Results: Air quality improved significantly after the smoking ban (PM2.5: 23% decrease, p < 0.001; CO: 24% decrease, p < 0.001; tVOC: 99.8% decrease, p < 0.001). The effect of the cigarette ban declined nine weeks after the ban, especially for particulate matter of different sizes. Western blot analysis of lung tissues, exposed to e-cigarette smoke, showed slightly higher inflammatory response as compared to controls (Caspase 1: EC = 0.88, Control = 0.63, p < 0.05), but the differences between them were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Smoking bans, when enforced rigorously, improved indoor air quality in the night club. Night life industry executives should place greater emphasis on indoor air quality in service of workers and patrons; stricter air quality legislation is also recommended for improving and protecting indoor air quality. Further research is needed to clearly characterize the inflammatory impacts in lungs due to EC exposure