Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Data Descriptor: An open resource for transdiagnostic research in pediatric mental health and learning disorders

Technological and methodological innovations are equipping researchers with unprecedented capabilities for detecting and characterizing pathologic processes in the developing human brain. As a result, ambitions to achieve clinically useful tools to assist in the diagnosis and management of mental health and learning disorders are gaining momentum. To this end, it is critical to accrue large-scale multimodal datasets that capture a broad range of commonly encountered clinical psychopathology. The Child Mind Institute has launched the Healthy Brain Network (HBN), an ongoing initiative focused on creating and sharing a biobank of data from 10,000 New York area participants (ages 5–21). The HBN Biobank houses data about psychiatric, behavioral, cognitive, and lifestyle phenotypes, as well as multimodal brain imaging (resting and naturalistic viewing fMRI, diffusion MRI, morphometric MRI), electroencephalography, eyetracking, voice and video recordings, genetics and actigraphy. Here, we present the rationale, design and implementation of HBN protocols. We describe the first data release (n =664) and the potential of the biobank to advance related areas (e.g., biophysical modeling, voice analysis

Severity of Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy and Early Childhood Neurobehavioural Outcomes

Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) International Society meeting35198-10

The Healthy Brain Network Biobank: An open resource for transdiagnostic research in pediatric mental health and learning disorders

Innovations in methods and technologies are equipping researchers with unprecedented capabilities for detecting and characterizing pathologic processes in the developing human brain. As a result, there is growing enthusiasm about the prospect of achieving clinically useful tools that can assist in the diagnosis and management of mental health and learning disorders. For these ambitions to be realized, it is critical to accrue large-scale multimodal datasets that capture a broad range of commonly encountered clinical psychopathology. To this end, the Child Mind Institute has launched the Healthy Brain Network (HBN), an ongoing initiative focused on creating and sharing a biobank comprised of data from 10,000 New York City area children and adolescents (ages 5-21). The HBN has adopted a community-referred recruitment model. Specifically, study advertisements seek the participation of families who have concerns about one or more psychiatric symptoms in their child. The HBN Biobank houses data about psychiatric, behavioral, cognitive, and lifestyle (e.g., fitness, diet) phenotypes, as well as multimodal brain imaging, electroencephalography, digital voice and video recordings, genetics, and actigraphy. In this paper, we present the motivation, rationale and design for the HBN along with the initial implementation and evolution of the HBN protocols. We describe the first major open data release (n = 664) containing descriptive, electroencephalography, and multimodal brain imaging data (resting state and naturalistic viewing functional MRI, diffusion MRI and morphometric MRI). Beyond accelerating transdiagnostic research, we discuss the potential of the HBN Biobank to advance related areas, such as biophysical modeling, voice and speech analysis, natural viewing fMRI and EEG, and methods optimization

Severity of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and early childhood neurobehavioral outcomes: the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes study

Background: nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) affects 50 to 80 percent of women. The existing literature has examined NVP from the perspective of the mother, and relatively less is known about offspring outcomes.Objectives: to study the relationships of NVP with social-emotional, behavioral, and cognitive outcomes of the offspring in a multi-ethnic Asian cohort.Methods: in the Growing Up in Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes prospective mother-offspring cohort study, mothers responded to a structured NVP questionnaire at 26-28 weeks’ gestation (n=1172) and participants with severe NVP were confirmed using medical records. Children underwent multiple neurodevelopmental assessments throughout childhood. We conducted multivariable regressions with post-estimation predictive margins to understand the associations of NVP with offspring neurobehavioral outcomes, which included 1-year Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment, 1.5-year Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, 2-year Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 2- and 4-year Child Behavior Checklist, and 4.5-year Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test. Analyses were adjusted for household income, birth variables, maternal mental health, and other relevant medical variables. Cohen’s d effect sizes were calculated using standardized mean differences (μd).Results: mothers were categorized into no (n=296, 25.3%), mild-moderate (n=686, 58.5%), and severe NVP (n=190, 16.2%), of whom 67 (5.7%) required admission. Compared to children of mothers who had no or mild-moderate NVP, children with exposure to severe NVP exhibited more externalizing behaviors (μd 2.0, 95% CI 0.3, 3.6; Cohen’s d=0.33) and social communication difficulties before 2 years (μd 4.1, 95% Cl 0.1, 8.0; d=0.38), both externalizing (μd 1.5, 95% CI 0.4, 2.6; d=0.43) and internalizing behaviors at 2 years (μd 1.2, Page 5 of 39Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology6 95% CI 0.1, 2.2; d=0.35), and only internalizing behaviors after 2 years (μd 1.1, 95% CI 0.4, 2.0; d=0.37).Conclusions: severe NVP is highly prevalent in this Asian cohort and may be adversely associated with multiple offspring neurobehavioral outcomes