Patient-reported outcomes and therapeutic affordances of social media findings from a global online survey of people with chronic pain

BACKGROUND: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) from social media use in chronic disease management continue to emerge. While many published articles suggest the potential for social media is positive, there is a lack of robust examination into mediating mechanisms that might help explain social media’s therapeutic value. This study presents findings from a global online survey of people with chronic pain (PWCP) to better understand how they use social media as part of self-management. OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to improve understanding of the various health outcomes reported by PWCP by paying close attention to therapeutic affordances of social media. We wish to examine if demographics of participants underpin health outcomes and whether the concept of therapeutic affordances explains links between social media use and PROs. The goal is for this to help tailor future recommendations for use of social media to meet individuals’ health needs and improve clinical practice of social media use. METHODS: A total of 231 PWCP took part in a global online survey investigating PROs from social media use. Recruited through various chronic disease entities and social networks, participants provided information on demographics, health/pain status, social media use, therapeutic affordances, and PROs from use. Quantitative analysis was performed on the data using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation, and cluster analysis. RESULTS: The total dataset represented 218 completed surveys. The majority of participants were university educated (67.0%, 146/218) and female (83.9%, 183/218). More than half (58.7%, 128/218) were married/partnered and not working for pay (75.9%, 88/116 of these due to ill health). Fibromyalgia (46.6%, 55/118) and arthritis (27.1%, 32/118) were the most commonly reported conditions causing pain. Participants showed a clear affinity for social network site use (90.0%, 189/210), followed by discussion forums and blogs. PROs were consistent, suggesting that social media positively impact psychological, social, and cognitive health. Analysis also highlighted two strong correlations linking platform used and health outcomes (particularly psychological, social, and cognitive) to (1) the narrative affordance of social media and (2) frequency of use of the platforms. CONCLUSIONS: Results did not uncover definitive demographics or characteristics of PWCP for which health outcomes are impacted. However, findings corroborate literature within this domain suggesting that there is a typical profile of people who use social media for health and that social media are more suited to particular health outcomes. Exploration of the relationship between social media’s therapeutic affordances and health outcomes, in particular the narration affordance, warrants further attention by patients and clinicians

The International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI): 2020 Report

Objectives: To summarize the major activities of the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics (IAHSI) in the 2020 time period and to welcome its 2020 Class of Fellows. Method: Report from the members of the Academy's Board. Results: Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, both Plenary meetings in 2020 had to be organized as virtual meetings. Scientific discussions, focusing on mobilizing computable biomedical knowledge and on data standards and interoperability formed major parts of these meetings. A statement on the use of informatics in pandemic situations was elaborated and sent to the World Health Organization. A panel on data standards and interoperability started its work. 34 Fellows were welcomed in the 2020 Class of Fellows so that the Academy now consists of 179 members. Conclusions: There was a shift from supporting to strategic activities in the Academy's work. After having achieved organizational stability, the Academy can now focus on its strategic work and so on its main objective.S

Ameliorating Systematic Uncertainties in the Angular Clustering of Galaxies: A Study using SDSS-III

We investigate the effects of potential sources of systematic error on the angular and photometric redshift, z_phot, distributions of a sample of redshift 0.4 < z < 0.7 massive galaxies whose selection matches that of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) constant mass sample. Utilizing over 112,778 BOSS spectra as a training sample, we produce a photometric redshift catalog for the galaxies in the SDSS DR8 imaging area that, after masking, covers nearly one quarter of the sky (9,913 square degrees). We investigate fluctuations in the number density of objects in this sample as a function of Galactic extinction, seeing, stellar density, sky background, airmass, photometric offset, and North/South Galactic hemisphere. We find that the presence of stars of comparable magnitudes to our galaxies (which are not traditionally masked) effectively remove area. Failing to correct for such stars can produce systematic errors on the measured angular auto-correlation function, w, that are larger than its statistical uncertainty. We describe how one can effectively mask for the presence of the stars, without removing any galaxies from the sample, and minimize the systematic error. Additionally, we apply two separate methods that can be used to correct the systematic errors imparted by any parameter that can be turned into a map on the sky. We find that failing to properly account for varying sky background introduces a systematic error on w. We measure w, in four z_phot slices of width 0.05 between 0.45 < z_phot < 0.65 and find that the measurements, after correcting for the systematic effects of stars and sky background, are generally consistent with a generic LambdaCDM model, at scales up to 60 degrees. At scales greater than 3 degrees and z_phot > 0.5, the magnitude of the corrections we apply are greater than the statistical uncertainty in w.Comment: Accepted by MNRA

Imported Human West Nile Virus Lineage 2 Infection in Spain: Neurological and Gastrointestinal Complications

We report the first human case of West Nile virus (WNV) lineage 2 infection imported to Spain by a traveler returning from Romania. Serum, cerebrospinal fluid and urine samples were analyzed and West Nile virus infection was identified by PCR and serological tests. The patient developed fever, diarrhea and neurological symptoms, accompanied by mild pancreatitis, described previously in very few cases as a complication of WNV infection and by alithiasic cholecystitis. Viral RNA was detected in urine until 30 days after the onset of symptoms and neutralizing antibodies were detected at very low titers. The phylogenetic analysis in a fragment of the NS5 gene of the virus showed a homology with sequences from WNV lineage 2 belonging to the monophyletic Central/Southern European group.This work was partially funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III Projects “PI14CIII/00014” and “PI19CIII_00014”.S

Potential role of new molecular plasma signatures on cardiovascular risk stratification in asymptomatic individuals

The evaluation of cardiovascular (CV) risk is based on equations derived from epidemiological data in individuals beyond the limits of middle age such as the Framingham and SCORE risk assessments. Lifetime Risk calculator (QRisk®), estimates CV risk throughout a subjects' lifetime, allowing those. A more aggressive and earlier intervention to be identified and offered protection from the consequences of CV and renal disease. The search for molecular profiles in young people that allow a correct stratification of CV risk would be of great interest to adopt preventive therapeutic measures in individuals at high CV risk. To improve the selection of subjects susceptible to intervention with aged between 30-50 years, we have employed a multiple proteomic strategy to search for new markers of early CV disease or reported CV events and to evaluate their relationship with Lifetime Risk. Blood samples from 71 patients were classified into 3 groups according to their CV risk (healthy, with CV risk factors and with a previously reported CV event subjects) and they were analyzed using a high through quantitative proteomics approach. This strategy allowed three different proteomic signatures to be defined, two of which were related to CV stratification and the third one involved markers of organ damage.This work was supported by grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI070537, IF08/3667-1, PI11-02239, PI 14/01917, PI11/01401, PI11/02432, PI13/01873, PI13/01746, PI13/01581, PI14/01650, PI14/01841), PT13/0001/0013, PIE13/00051, PIE13/00045, CP09/00229, CP15/00129, IDC Salud (3371/002), the MutuaMadrileña Foundation, the SENEFRO Foundation and FONDOS FEDER (RD06/0014/1015, RD12/0042/0071). Sociedad Española de cardiología para la Investigación Básica 2017. Grant PRB3 (IPT17/0019 - ISCIII-SGEFI / ERDF. These results are in line with the Spanish initiative on the Human Proteome Project.S

Host adaptive immunity deficiency in severe pandemic influenza

INTRODUCTION: Pandemic A/H1N1/2009 influenza causes severe lower respiratory complications in rare cases. The association between host immune responses and clinical outcome in severe cases is unknown. METHODS: We utilized gene expression, cytokine profiles and generation of antibody responses following hospitalization in 19 critically ill patients with primary pandemic A/H1N1/2009 influenza pneumonia for identifying host immune responses associated with clinical outcome. Ingenuity pathway analysis 8.5 (IPA) (Ingenuity Systems, Redwood City, CA) was used to select, annotate and visualize genes by function and pathway (gene ontology). IPA analysis identified those canonical pathways differentially expressed (P < 0.05) between comparison groups. Hierarchical clustering of those genes differentially expressed between groups by IPA analysis was performed using BRB-Array Tools v.3.8.1. RESULTS: The majority of patients were characterized by the presence of comorbidities and the absence of immunosuppressive conditions. pH1N1 specific antibody production was observed around day 9 from disease onset and defined an early period of innate immune response and a late period of adaptive immune response to the virus. The most severe patients (n = 12) showed persistence of viral secretion. Seven of the most severe patients died. During the late phase, the most severe patient group had impaired expression of a number of genes participating in adaptive immune responses when compared to less severe patients. These genes were involved in antigen presentation, B-cell development, T-helper cell differentiation, CD28, granzyme B signaling, apoptosis and protein ubiquitination. Patients with the poorest outcomes were characterized by proinflammatory hypercytokinemia, along with elevated levels of immunosuppressory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-1ra) in serum. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest an impaired development of adaptive immunity in the most severe cases of pandemic influenza, leading to an unremitting cycle of viral replication and innate cytokine-chemokine release. Interruption of this deleterious cycle may improve disease outcome.The study was scientifically sponsored by the Spanish Society for Critical Care Medicine (SEMICYUC). Funding: MICCIN-FIS/JCYL-IECSCYL-SACYL (Spain): Programa de Investigación Comisionada en Gripe, GR09/0021-EMER07/050- PI081236-RD07/0067. CIHR-NIH-Sardinia Recherché-LKSF Canada support DJK.S

Single hadron response measurement and calorimeter jet energy scale uncertainty with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

The uncertainty on the calorimeter energy response to jets of particles is derived for the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). First, the calorimeter response to single isolated charged hadrons is measured and compared to the Monte Carlo simulation using proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of sqrt(s) = 900 GeV and 7 TeV collected during 2009 and 2010. Then, using the decay of K_s and Lambda particles, the calorimeter response to specific types of particles (positively and negatively charged pions, protons, and anti-protons) is measured and compared to the Monte Carlo predictions. Finally, the jet energy scale uncertainty is determined by propagating the response uncertainty for single charged and neutral particles to jets. The response uncertainty is 2-5% for central isolated hadrons and 1-3% for the final calorimeter jet energy scale.Comment: 24 pages plus author list (36 pages total), 23 figures, 1 table, submitted to European Physical Journal

Standalone vertex finding in the ATLAS muon spectrometer

A dedicated reconstruction algorithm to find decay vertices in the ATLAS muon spectrometer is presented. The algorithm searches the region just upstream of or inside the muon spectrometer volume for multi-particle vertices that originate from the decay of particles with long decay paths. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated using both a sample of simulated Higgs boson events, in which the Higgs boson decays to long-lived neutral particles that in turn decay to bbar b final states, and pp collision data at √s = 7 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC during 2011

Measurements of Higgs boson production and couplings in diboson final states with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

Measurements are presented of production properties and couplings of the recently discovered Higgs boson using the decays into boson pairs, H →γ γ, H → Z Z∗ →4l and H →W W∗ →lνlν. The results are based on the complete pp collision data sample recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider at centre-of-mass energies of √s = 7 TeV and √s = 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 25 fb−1. Evidence for Higgs boson production through vector-boson fusion is reported. Results of combined fits probing Higgs boson couplings to fermions and bosons, as well as anomalous contributions to loop-induced production and decay modes, are presented. All measurements are consistent with expectations for the Standard Model Higgs boson

Measurement of the top quark pair cross section with ATLAS in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV using final states with an electron or a muon and a hadronically decaying τ lepton

A measurement of the cross section of top quark pair production in proton-proton collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV is reported. The data sample used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 2.05 fb -1. Events with an isolated electron or muon and a τ lepton decaying hadronically are used. In addition, a large missing transverse momentum and two or more energetic jets are required. At least one of the jets must be identified as originating from a b quark. The measured cross section, σtt-=186±13(stat.)±20(syst.)±7(lumi.) pb, is in good agreement with the Standard Model prediction