Risk domains and adolescent depression

Adolescence and young adulthood are the periods of development associated with the highest amount of risk-taking. One theory, the Dual-Systems model, suggests that this could be due to an imbalance in the maturation of two brain systems: reward appraisal, which matures first, and cognitive control, which matures later. This imbalance may be the cause of adolescents’ tendency to favor immediate rewards, disregarding consequences. Depressed adolescents, however, behave differently. While it is not exactly clear whether they take more risks or fewer risks, depressed adolescents display different interactions and decision making with their peers than non-depressed adolescents. This study attempted to use these patterns of behavior already identified in previous research to predict where an adolescent would fall on a depression continuum based on their Self-Focused and Other-Focused risk behaviors. Results did not find a link between depression and either type of risk. Results may be inconclusive due to issues within the data and data collection process

Automatic Labeling of Special Diagnostic Mammography Views from Images and DICOM Headers.

Applying state-of-the-art machine learning techniques to medical images requires a thorough selection and normalization of input data. One of such steps in digital mammography screening for breast cancer is the labeling and removal of special diagnostic views, in which diagnostic tools or magnification are applied to assist in assessment of suspicious initial findings. As a common task in medical informatics is prediction of disease and its stage, these special diagnostic views, which are only enriched among the cohort of diseased cases, will bias machine learning disease predictions. In order to automate this process, here, we develop a machine learning pipeline that utilizes both DICOM headers and images to predict such views in an automatic manner, allowing for their removal and the generation of unbiased datasets. We achieve AUC of 99.72% in predicting special mammogram views when combining both types of models. Finally, we apply these models to clean up a dataset of about 772,000 images with expected sensitivity of 99.0%. The pipeline presented in this paper can be applied to other datasets to obtain high-quality image sets suitable to train algorithms for disease detection

Allometric association between physical fitness test results, body size/shape, biological maturity, and time spent playing sports in adolescents

© 2021 The Authors. Published by Public Library of Science . This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249626Regular participation in strength and conditioning activities positively correlates with health-related benefits in sports (team and individual). Maturity offset (MO) is a recognized parameter in fitness outcome assessment. The aims of the present study are to analyze cross-sectional allometric development of motor performances in a sample of adolescents and relate scaled motor performance to the estimated amount and type of physical activity and biological maturity status in 771 subjects aged 14-19 years. Three physical fitness components were evaluated using field tests (standing broad jump, sit-ups, shuttle run). Extra hours of sport after school (EHS) and MO were the covariates. The model to predict the physical performance variables was: Y = a · Mk1 · Hk2 · WCk3 · exp(b · EHS + c · MO) · ε. Results suggest that having controlled for body size and body shape, performing EHS and being an early developer (identified by a positive MO slope parameter) benefits children in physical fitness and motor performance tasks.Published versio

Self-organized stable pacemakers near the onset of birhythmicity

General amplitude equations for reaction-diffusion systems near to the soft onset of birhythmicity described by a supercritical pitchfork-Hopf bifurcation are derived. Using these equations and applying singular perturbation theory, we show that stable autonomous pacemakers represent a generic kind of spatiotemporal patterns in such systems. This is verified by numerical simulations, which also show the existence of breathing and swinging pacemaker solutions. The drift of self-organized pacemakers in media with spatial parameter gradients is analytically and numerically investigated.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Clinical and electrophysiological predictors of device-detected new-onset atrial fibrillation during 3 years after cardiac surgery

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac surgery is an independent predictor of stroke and mortality late after discharge. We aimed to determine the burden and predictors of early (up to 5th postoperative day) and late (after 5th postoperative day) new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) using implantable loop recorders (ILRs) in patients undergoing open chest cardiac surgery Seventy-nine patients without a history of AF undergoing cardiac surgery underwent peri-operative high-resolution mapping of electrically induced AF and were followed 36 months after surgery using an ILR (Reveal XTTM). Clinical and electrophysiological predictors of late POAF were assessed. POAF occurred in 46 patients (58%), with early POAF detected in 27 (34%) and late POAF in 37 patients (47%). Late POAF episodes were short-lasting (mostly between 2 min and 6 h) and showed a circadian rhythm pattern with a peak of episode initiation during daytime. In POAF patients, electrically induced AF showed more complex propagation patterns than in patients without POAF. Early POAF, right atrial (RA) volume, prolonged PR time, and advanced age were independent predictors of late POAF

Arbitrary absolute vs. individualized running speed thresholds in team sports: A scoping review with evidence gap map

The aims of this scoping review were (i) to characterize the main methodological approaches to assessing individualized running speed thresholds in team sports players; (ii) to assess the use of traditional arbitrary (absolute) thresholds compared to individualized running speed thresholds in team sports players; (iii) to provide an evidence gap map (EGM) about the approaches and study designs employed in investigations in team sports and (iv) to provide directions for future research and practical applications for the strength and conditioning field. Methods studies were searched for in the following databases: (i) PubMed; (ii) Scopus; (iii) SPORTDiscus and (iv) Web of Science. The search was conducted on 15/07/2022. Risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias Assessment Tool for Nonrandomized Studies (RoBANS). From 3,195 potentially relevant articles, 36 were eligible for inclusion in this review. Of the 36 included articles, 27 (75%) focused on the use of arbitrary and individualized running speed thresholds to describe the locomotor demands (e.g., high intensity running) of players. Thirty-four articles used individualized speed running thresholds based on physical fitness assessments (e.g., 40-m linear sprint) or physical performance (e.g., maximal acceleration). This scoping review supported the need for a greater focusto be placed on improving the methodological aspects of using individualized speed running thresholds in team sports. More than just creating alternatives to arbitrary thresholds, it is essential to increase the replicability of methodological conditions whilst ensuring that research comparing the most adequate measures and approaches to individualization takes into consideration the population and context of each study

Evolutionary Analysis Predicts Sensitive Positions of MMP20 and Validates Newly- and Previously-Identified MMP20 Mutations Causing Amelogenesis Imperfecta

Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) designates a group of genetic diseases characterized by a large range of enamel disorders causing important social and health problems. These defects can result from mutations in enamel matrix proteins or protease encoding genes. A range of mutations in the enamel cleavage enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-20 gene (MMP20) produce enamel defects of varying severity. To address how various alterations produce a range of AI phenotypes, we performed a targeted analysis to find MMP20 mutations in French patients diagnosed with non-syndromic AI. Genomic DNA was isolated from saliva and MMP20 exons and exon-intron boundaries sequenced. We identified several homozygous or heterozygous mutations, putatively involved in the AI phenotypes. To validate missense mutations and predict sensitive positions in the MMP20 sequence, we evolutionarily compared 75 sequences extracted from the public databases using the Datamonkey webserver. These sequences were representative of mammalian lineages, covering more than 150 million years of evolution. This analysis allowed us to find 324 sensitive positions (out of the 483 MMP20 residues), pinpoint functionally important domains, and build an evolutionary chart of important conserved MMP20 regions. This is an efficient tool to identify new- and previously-identified mutations. We thus identified six functional MMP20 mutations in unrelated families, finding two novel mutated sites. The genotypes and phenotypes of these six mutations are described and compared. To date, 13 MMP20 mutations causing AI have been reported, making these genotypes and associated hypomature enamel phenotypes the most frequent in AI

Elements of morphology: Standard terminology for the teeth and classifying genetic dental disorders

Dental anomalies occur frequently in a number of genetic disorders and act as major signs in diagnosing these disorders. We present definitions of the most common dental signs and propose a classification usable as a diagnostic tool by dentists, clinical geneticists, and other health care providers. The definitions are part of the series Elements of Morphology and have been established after careful discussions within an international group of experienced dentists and geneticists. The classification system was elaborated in the French collaborative network 'TÊTECOU' and the affiliated O-Rares reference/competence centers. The classification includes isolated and syndromic disorders with oral and dental anomalies, to which causative genes and main extraoral signs and symptoms are added. A systematic literature analysis yielded 408 entities of which a causal gene has been identified in 79%. We classified dental disorders in eight groups: dental agenesis, supernumerary teeth, dental size and/or shape, enamel, dentin, dental eruption, periodontal and gingival, and tumor-like anomalies. We aim the classification to act as a shared reference for clinical and epidemiological studies. We welcome critical evaluations of the definitions and classification and will regularly update the classification for newly recognized conditions