Introducing SoNHR-reporting guidelines for Social Networks In Health Research

OBJECTIVE: The overall goal of this work is to produce a set of recommendations (SoNHR-Social Networks in Health Research) that will improve the reporting and dissemination of social network concepts, methods, data, and analytic results within health sciences research. METHODS: This study used a modified-Delphi approach for recommendation development consistent with best practices suggested by the EQUATOR health sciences reporting guidelines network. An initial set of 28 reporting recommendations was developed by the author team. A group of 67 (of 147 surveyed) experienced network and health scientists participated in an online feedback survey. They rated the clarity and importance of the individual recommendations, and provided qualitative feedback on the coverage, usability, and dissemination opportunities of the full set of recommendations. After examining the feedback, a final set of 18 recommendations was produced. RESULTS: The final SoNHR reporting guidelines are comprised of 18 recommendations organized within five domains: conceptualization (how study research questions are linked to network conceptions or theories), operationalization (how network science portions of the study are defined and operationalized), data collection & management (how network data are collected and managed), analyses & results (how network results are analyzed, visualized, and reported), and ethics & equity (how network-specific human subjects, equity, and social justice concerns are reported). We also present a set of exemplar published network studies which can be helpful for seeing how to apply the SoNHR recommendations in research papers. Finally, we discuss how different audiences can use these reporting guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: These are the first set of formal reporting recommendations of network methods in the health sciences. Consistent with EQUATOR goals, these network reporting recommendations may in time improve the quality, consistency, and replicability of network science across a wide variety of important health research areas

Progestogens to prevent preterm birth in twin pregnancies: an individual participant data meta-analysis of randomized trials

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Preterm birth is the principal factor contributing to adverse outcomes in multiple pregnancies. Randomized controlled trials of progestogens to prevent preterm birth in twin pregnancies have shown no clear benefits. However, individual studies have not had sufficient power to evaluate potential benefits in women at particular high risk of early delivery (for example, women with a previous preterm birth or short cervix) or to determine adverse effects for rare outcomes such as intrauterine death.</p> <p>Methods/design</p> <p>We propose an individual participant data meta-analysis of high quality randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of progestogen treatment in women with a twin pregnancy. The primary outcome will be adverse perinatal outcome (a composite measure of perinatal mortality and significant neonatal morbidity). Missing data will be imputed within each original study, before data of the individual studies are pooled. The effects of 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate or vaginal progesterone treatment in women with twin pregnancies will be estimated by means of a random effects log-binomial model. Analyses will be adjusted for variables used in stratified randomization as appropriate. Pre-specified subgroup analysis will be performed to explore the effect of progestogen treatment in high-risk groups.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Combining individual patient data from different randomized trials has potential to provide valuable, clinically useful information regarding the benefits and potential harms of progestogens in women with twin pregnancy overall and in relevant subgroups.</p

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Stacked Gold Nanorectangles with Higher Order Plasmonic Modes and Top-Down Plasmonic Coupling

We present stacked hollow nanostructures created using electron beam lithography (EBL) that act as optical scattering sites with a complex combination of local surface plasmon resonances and top-down electromagnetic hotspots due to the incorporation of the third dimension into their construction. These hollow rectangular gold nanotructures with gold caps show a significant red-shift in their main scattering peak as compared to the solid structures. Finite-difference time-domain modeling shows that the plasmonic response of these structures is dominated by higher order plasmonic modes and that the strength of these modes is shown to vary according to whether a cap is present. The higher order dipolar mode caused by the capped nanostructure results in manifold increase in the intensity of the electric field compared to the quadrupolar mode from a solid rectangle. This analysis provides important information on how complex plasmonic resonances respond to structural changes which will be useful in future studies that utilize these coupled resonances for detection or light manipulation. In addition, the stacking scheme presents a new route for modifying the optical response of plasmonic nanostructures through top-down plasmonic coupling which may yield plasmon resonance modes not observed in common 2D nanostructures along with significant increases in the local electric fields of these open “hotspots”

Silver-Decorated Cylindrical Nanopores: Combining the Third Dimension with Chemical Enhancement for Efficient Trace Chemical Detection with SERS

We report on the facile fabrication of efficient porous alumina membrane-based SERS substrates that avoid the cumbersome stages of chemical surface modification of the pores and premixing/infiltration of nanoparticles with analytes. The design relies on higher light transmission through the SERS substrates by widening the cylindrical pore diameter to 355 nm and in situ growth of uniform silver nanoparticles on the inner walls. Electromagnetic simulations confirm that the interaction of excitation light with the nanoparticles along the pore walls can be maximized in such a membrane when the nanoparticles are placed within the first 14 μm of the pore depth. For common benchmark Raman analytes such as benzenethiol and Rhodamine 6G, nanomolar detection limits are readily obtained without any additional chemical surface functionalization and/or additional premixing and preconcentration of metal nanoparticles and analytes. Moreover, a high enhancement of 10⁶ and a micromolar detection limit are achieved for nonresonant, Raman-stealthy perchloric acid molecules. Quantum mechanical calculations of perchloric acid bound to nanostructured silver clusters with different sizes and binding sites suggest that the maximum chemical enhancement is achieved for molecules located at the tips of the (111) planes of silver lattices, which are abundantly available on the nanoparticles grown in this study