Patients with neurological or psychiatric complications of COVID-19 have worse long-term functional outcomes: COVID-CNS-A multicentre case-control study.

It is established that patients hospitalised with COVID-19 often have ongoing morbidity affecting activity of daily living (ADL), employment, and mental health. However, little is known about the relative outcomes in patients with COVID-19 neurological or psychiatric complications. We conducted a UK multicentre case-control study of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 (controls) and those who developed COVID-19 associated acute neurological or psychiatric complications (cases).

Epigenome-wide association study meta-analysis of BMI in African Americans.

Despite considerable advances in identifying risk factors for obesity development, there remains substantial gaps in our knowledge about its etiology. Variation in obesity (defined by BMI) is thought to be due in part to heritable factors; however, obesity-associated genetic variants only account for a small portion of heritability. Epigenetic regulation, defined by genetic and/or environmental factors with changes in gene expression, may account for some of this "missing heritability".

Organizational Initiatives for the Recruitment, Retention and Advancement of Black Nurses: A Rapid Review.

Introduction: Black nurses are under-represented in the Canadian nursing workforce. A legacy of discrimination and systemic barriers reinforce the under-representation of Black nurses in the nursing workforce throughout the health system.

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify and describe organizational initiatives for the recruitment, retention and advancement of Black nurses in the healthcare system.

Retrospective observational study shows accelerometers can monitor effects of canine pruritus treatment.

Objective: To evaluate the use of collar-mounted accelerometers to objectively monitor treatment outcomes in canine pruritus.

Methods: Observational data from 1,803 dogs from 2019 through 2023 were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the efficacy of collar-mounted accelerometers to assess treatment efficacy for pruritic canine skin diseases. Accelerometer measurements were joined to electronic health records to establish symptoms, diagnoses, and interventions.

Genomic and phenotypic correlates of mosaic loss of chromosome Y in blood.

Mosaic loss of Y (mLOY) is the most common somatic chromosomal alteration detected in human blood. The presence of mLOY is associated with altered blood cell counts and increased risk of Alzheimer disease, solid tumors, and other age-related diseases. We sought to gain a better understanding of genetic drivers and associated phenotypes of mLOY through analyses of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of a large set of genetically diverse males from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) program.

Post-concussion symptom burden and dynamics: Insights from a digital health intervention and machine learning.

Individuals who sustain a concussion can experience a range of symptoms which can significantly impact their quality of life and functional outcome. This study aims to understand the nature and recovery trajectories of post-concussion symptomatology by applying an unsupervised machine learning approach to data captured from a digital health intervention (HeadOn). As part of the 35-day program, patients complete a daily symptom diary which rates 8 post-concussion symptoms.

Epigenome-wide Association Analysis of Mitochondrial Heteroplasmy Provides Insight into Molecular Mechanisms of Disease.

The relationship between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy and nuclear DNA (nDNA) methylation (CpGs) remains to be studied. We conducted an epigenome-wide association analysis of heteroplasmy burden scores across 10,986 participants (mean age 77, 63% women, and 54% non-White races/ethnicities) from seven population-based observational cohorts. We identified 412 CpGs (FDR p < 0.

Integrating Whole Genome and Transcriptome Sequencing to Characterize the Genetic Architecture of Isoform Variation and its Implications for Health and Disease.

We created a comprehensive whole blood splice variation quantitative trait locus (sQTL) resource by analyzing isoform expression ratio (isoform-to-gene) in Framingham Heart Study (FHS) participants (discovery: n=2,622; validation: n=1,094) with whole genome (WGS) and transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) data. External replication was conducted using WGS and RNA-seq from the Jackson Heart Study (JHS, n=1,020). We identified over 3.

Incidence and prevalence of functional neurological disorder: a systematic review.

Background: Robust epidemiological data regarding population incidence and prevalence of functional neurological disorder (FND) would be helpful with regards to resource allocation and planning for this disorder, particularly given high symptom burden and high healthcare utilisation. We therefore aimed to systematically review and synthesise available data on FND incidence and prevalence.

Methods: PubMed was searched to identify original research articles that reported on the incidence or prevalence of FND.

DNA Methylation Signatures of Cardiovascular Health Provide Insights into Diseases.

Background: The association of overall cardiovascular health (CVH) with changes in DNA methylation (DNAm) has not been well characterized.

Methods: We calculated the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score to reflect CVH in five cohorts with diverse ancestry backgrounds. Epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) for LE8 score were conducted, followed by bioinformatic analyses.

The Relationship of Duffy Gene Polymorphism with High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein, Mortality, and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Black Individuals.

Black adults have higher incidence of all-cause mortality and worse cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes when compared to other U.S. populations.

Exploring Youths' Offers to Use E-Cigarettes in Rural Hawai'i: A Test Development and Validation Study.

The purpose of this study is to describe the development and initial validation of a survey focused on problematic situations involving e-cigarette use by rural Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) youths. A 5-phase approach to test development and validation was used. In Phase 1 (Item Generation), survey items were created from a series of focus groups with middle school youths on Hawai'i Island ( = 69).

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Genetic Risk in Transthyretin V142I Carriers.

Background: Nearly 3% to 4% of Black individuals in the United States carry the transthyretin V142I variant, which increases their risk of heart failure. However, the role of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors (RFs) in influencing the risk of clinical outcomes among V142I variant carriers is unknown.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the impact of CV RFs on the risk of heart failure in V142I carriers.

A Qualitative Assessment of Changes in Occupational Exposures Among Healthcare Facility Workers.

Adult-onset asthma, notably prevalent among healthcare professionals, especially nurses, is often attributed to occupational factors such as exposure to cleaning agents. Studies consistently underscore the substantial role of such exposure in work-related asthma among hospital staff. We aimed to (a) identify and characterize current practices in cleaning and aerosolized medication administration; (b) assess changes in practices since a similar 2003 study of Texas healthcare workers; and (c) identify factors contributing to diverse exposures within healthcare job categories.

Nurse practitioner medication abortion providers in Canada: results from a national survey.

Background: In 2017, nurse practitioners (NPs) became the first non-physician healthcare providers authorised to independently provide medication abortion (MA) in Canada. We aimed to report on demographic and clinical characteristics of NPs providing mifepristone/misoprostol MA in Canada and to identify context-specific barriers and enablers to NP provision of mifepristone/misoprostol MA in Canada among MA providers and non-providers.

Methods: From August 2020 to February 2021, we invited Canadian NPs to complete a national, web-based, bilingual (English/French) survey.

Posthospitalization COVID-19 cognitive deficits at 1 year are global and associated with elevated brain injury markers and gray matter volume reduction.

The spectrum, pathophysiology and recovery trajectory of persistent post-COVID-19 cognitive deficits are unknown, limiting our ability to develop prevention and treatment strategies. We report the 1-year cognitive, serum biomarker and neuroimaging findings from a prospective, national study of cognition in 351 COVID-19 patients who required hospitalization, compared with 2,927 normative matched controls. Cognitive deficits were global, associated with elevated brain injury markers and reduced anterior cingulate cortex volume 1 year after COVID-19.

Association analysis of mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmic variants: Methods and application.

We rigorously assessed a comprehensive association testing framework for heteroplasmy, employing both simulated and real-world data. This framework employed a variant allele fraction (VAF) threshold and harnessed multiple gene-based tests for robust identification and association testing of heteroplasmy. Our simulation studies demonstrated that gene-based tests maintained an appropriate type I error rate at α = 0.