Online Screening Research Articles

Real world outcomes of distributing Lucira Check-It® COVID self-tests in Ontario, Canada: the GetaKit COVID study

BackgroundIn Ontario, Canada we developed and implemented an online screening algorithm for the distribution of HIV self-tests, known as GetaKit. During the COVID pandemic, we adapted the GetaKit algorithm to screen for COVID based on population and infection data and distributed COVID rt-LAMP self-tests (using the Lucira Check-It®) to eligible participants.MethodsGetaKit/COVID was a prospective observational study that occurred over a 7-month period from September 2021 to April 2022. All potential participants completed an online registration and risk assessment, including demographic information, COVID symptoms and risk factors, and vaccination status. Bivariate comparisons were performed for three outcomes: results reporting status, vaccination status, and COVID diagnosis status. Data were analysed using Chi-Square for categorial covariates and Independent Samples T-Test and Mann-Whitney U test for continuous covariates. Bivariate logistic regression models were applied to examine associations between the covariates and outcomes.ResultsDuring the study period, we distributed 6469 COVID self-tests to 4160 eligible participants; 46% identified as Black, Indigenous or a Person of Colour (BIPOC). Nearly 70% of participants reported their COVID self-test results; 304 of which were positive. Overall, 91% also reported being vaccinated against COVID. Statistical analysis found living with five or fewer people, having tested for COVID previously, and being fully vaccinated were positive factors in results reporting. For COVID vaccination, people from large urban centers, who identified their ethnicity as white, and who reported previous COVID testing were more likely to be fully vaccinated. Finally, being identified as a contact of someone who had tested positive for COVID and the presence of COVID-related symptoms were found to be positive factors in diagnosis.ConclusionsWhile most participants who accessed this service were vaccinated against COVID and the majority of diagnoses were identified in participants who had symptoms of, or an exposure to, COVID, our program was able to appropriately link participants to recommended follow-up based on reported risks and results. These findings highlight the utility of online screening algorithms to provide health services, particularly for persons with historical barriers to healthcare access, such as BIPOC or lower-income groups.

Autologous Stem Cell-derived Therapies for Androgenetic Alopecia: A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials on Efficacy, Safety, and Outcomes.

Androgenic alopecia (AGA), a prevalent and extensively studied condition characterized by hair loss, presents a significant global issue for both men and women. Stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for AGA due to its regenerative and immunomodulatory properties. The primary objective of this systematic review was to assess the current literature on the efficacy and safety of cellular and acellular stem cell-derived therapies in the management of AGA. A computerized literature search was conducted in ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, and Cochrane Library in October 2023. The online screening process was performed by three independent reviewers with the Covidence tool. The protocol was reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses, and it was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews of the National Institute for Health Research. The search yielded 53 articles from 2013 to 2023. Twelve randomized controlled trials were included. Stem cells and their derivatives were isolated from human adipose tissue, hair follicles, bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, and exfoliated deciduous teeth. These trials showed that stem cell-derived treatments can promote hair regeneration and density. Both cellular and acellular stem cell-based therapies are safe and effective in improving hair regeneration and density in AGA patients. Although the outcomes may be temporary in some cases, regenerative treatments may become useful adjuncts in combination with traditional methods of hair transplantation. Future research should focus on protocol optimization to enhance long-term patient outcomes.

Ecological Momentary Assessment of Self-Reported Kratom Use, Effects, and Motivations Among US Adults

Kratom products, which are sold legally in most of the US, contain alkaloids with opioidergic, adrenergic, and serotonergic activity. Millions of people use kratom to relieve pain, improve mood, or self-manage substance use disorders (SUDs). Kratom use has primarily been examined via surveys, in which recall biases among satisfied users may lead to minimization of transient negative outcomes. Further prospective study of kratom use, such as with ecological momentary assessment (EMA), is needed. To characterize proximal motivators, effects, and patterns of kratom use and to assess whether use frequency is associated with motivations, effects, past-year criteria for SUD for kratom (KUD), or other substance use. For this prospective cross-sectional study, an intensive longitudinal smartphone-based EMA in which participants' current behaviors and experiences were repeatedly sampled in real time was conducted between July 1 and October 31, 2022. Participants comprised a convenience sample of US adults who used kratom at least 3 days per week for at least 4 weeks at the time of online screening. Criteria for past-year KUD were based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Data analysis was performed between November 2022 and November 2023. The exposure was 13 401 kratom-use events across 15 days. A baseline survey covering demographics, health, kratom attitudes and behaviors, use motivations, other substance use, and KUD was administered before EMA. Data for the following EMA entries were then collected: event-contingent entries for kratom use (product, dose, and proximal motivations), follow-up entries (short-term effects and consequences of use events), random-prompt entries (mood), beginning-of-day entries (effects of kratom on sleep), and end-of-day entries (daily subjective descriptions of kratom effects). Bayesian regression was used to estimate means and credible intervals. A total of 357 participants completed the EMA. Their mean (SD) age was 38.0 (11.1) years; more than half were men (198 [55.5%]). Participants reported overall motivators of use on the baseline survey that involved managing psychiatric and SUD problems, but proximal motivators evaluated during the EMA involved situation-specific needs such as increasing energy and productivity and decreasing pain. Acute effects were considered congruent with daily obligations. Use patterns, despite having some distinguishing features, were generally similar in their motivators and effects; participants used kratom predominantly during the daytime and seemed to find use frequencies that suited their needs. Higher use patterns were associated with symptoms of physical dependence (eg, withdrawal or tolerance). Co-used substances included caffeine, nicotine, vitamins, and cannabis. Most participants in this study reported using kratom in a seemingly nonproblematic way. When such use appeared problematic, the key element was usually that withdrawal avoidance became a proximal motivator. Longitudinal studies examining changes in kratom use patterns and effects over time are needed.

First Responders During COVID-19: Career Calling, PTSD, and Work Self-Efficacy

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, first responders were identified as a high-risk group for developing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, which are commonly associated with negative thoughts about oneself. This may pose risk to perceptions of work self-efficacy, an integral component of employee well-being and occupational functioning. In line with the Job Demands-Resources Model (Demerouti et al., 2001), the present study examined whether the degree to which first responders’ perceived career calling (i.e., a “summons” to work) served as a protective factor in the relationship between PTSD symptoms associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and perceptions of self-efficacy in the workplace. MethodsParticipants were 138 first responders from local county police and fire departments who completed online screening measures for probable PTSD and depression, as well as self-reports of work self-efficacy and career calling, between May and June 2020. Statistical analysis occurred between 2020-2021. ResultsModeration analysis, controlling for depression and relevant covariates, revealed an interaction between PTSD symptoms and career calling, ΔR2 = .04, p = .017. At low levels of career calling, there was a significant and negative relationship between PTSD symptoms and work self-efficacy (b = ‒0.14, p = .023), but not among first responders with average or high calling (p’s > .58). Positive screening rates were 22% for probable PTSD and 19% for depression. ConclusionsPerceiving a career calling may help protect first responders during COVID-19 from the deleterious effects of PTSD symptomatology on work self-efficacy. Prevention efforts targeting first responders with low calling strength may be warranted.

Конъюнктивальный компонент компьютерного зрительного синдрома — причины и механизмы субъективных проявлений

Aim: to evaluate the frequency and severity of subjective conjunctival signs of computer vision syndrome (CVS) and to discuss their possible causes and mechanisms. Patients and Methods: online screening of 367 students from different Russian universities, including 303 (82.5%) girls and 64 (17.5%) boys, aged 15–30 years (20.6±0.1 years), was conducted using a multidimensional author's questionnaire and validated scales for assessing Internet addiction and daily duration and experience of using digital devices (DDs). Results: analysis of the screening data showed that only 10.3% of the respondents had no complaints of conjunctival signs of CVS. Predominant conjunctival symptoms (both in terms of frequency and severity) were dryness, redness and tearing. The structure of "always" and "very often" complaints of eye dryness (4.6% and 8.5% respectively), eye redness (3.3% and 7.0% respectively) and tearing (2.7% and 5.5% respectively) is similar. The structure of "very often" complaints differs from the structure of "always" complaints in that burning and itching (19.5%) ranks third after dryness (21.3%) and redness (20.4%). Eye dryness (5.2%), redness (4.0%) and tearing (2.7%) were the most common "very severe" complaints. Eye redness (10.3%), eye dryness (9.4%), and burning and itching (7.3%) were most common among "severe" complaints. Conclusion: the authors' findings and published data show that the high rate of complaints of visual discomfort with conjunctival signs and disorders of the lacrimal apparatus when using DDs is not only due to the effect of reduced blink rate and increased evaporation of the tear film, but also to much more complex, systemic neuro-ophthalmological mechanisms. The most likely mechanism is vegetative dysregulation resulting from excessive and prolonged use of information technologies and DDs, and ignorance of hygienic and ergonomic standards. KEYWORDS: computer vision syndrome, dry eye disease, conjunctivitis, neuro-ophthalmology, autonomic dysregulation. FOR CITATION: Akhmadeev R.R., Mukhamadeev T.R., Shaykhutdinova E.F., Khusniyarova A.R. Conjunctival component of computer vision syndrome — causes and mechanisms of subjective manifestations. Russian Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology. 2024;24(1):2–6 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2311-7729-2024-24-1-1.

Sleep well, worry less: A co-design study for the development of the SMILE app.

With the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic exacerbating mental health concerns, the prevalence rates of anxiety and sleep problems have increased alarmingly among youth. Although 90% of patients with anxiety experience sleep problems, current interventions for anxiety often do not target sleep problems in youth. Given this lack, we designed the SMILE app, an intervention that addresses both anxiety and sleep problems simultaneously. As users' perspectives are essential to ensure app engagement and uptake, the features, designs, and functions of the SMILE app were evaluated using a participatory app design approach. Participants (N = 17) were youth aged 15 to 25 who reported co-morbid anxiety and sleep issues above clinical thresholds. After completing an online screening survey assessing demographics, anxiety, and sleep problems, participants shared app feedback through group-based, semi-structured co-design sessions. Qualitative analyses were conducted to identify common themes from participants' feedback. While participants expressed enthusiasm for the SMILE app's features, particularly the Visualization, Journaling, and Psychoeducation features, and their variety, they criticized the design aspects of the app, such as the font and text amount. Most participants stated they would use the SMILE app or recommend it to a friend. By actively involving the target population in the design process, the SMILE app has the potential to notably improve the mental well-being of youth, though further research and development are required to realize this potential fully.

Phytochemical on-line screening and in silico study of Helianthemum confertum: antioxidant activity, DFT, MD simulation, ADME/T analysis, and xanthine oxidase binding.

Seven components from the methanol extract of the aerial part of the endemic species Helianthemum confertum were isolated and identified for the first time. Investigating this species and its separated components chemical make-up and radical scavenging capacity, was the main goal. Using an online HPLC-ABTS˙+ test, ORAC, and TEAC assays, the free radical scavenging capacity of the ethyl acetate extract was assessed. The fractionation of these extracts by CC, TLC, and reverse-phase HPLC was guided by the collected data, which was corroborated by TEAC and ORAC assays. Molecular docking studies, DFT at the B3LYP level, and an examination of the ADME/T predictions of all compounds helped to further clarify the phytochemicals' antioxidant potential. Isolation and identification of all components were confirmed through spectroscopy, which revealed a mixture (50-50%) of para-hydroxybenzoic acid 1 and methyl gallate 2, protocatechuic acid 3, astragalin 4, trans-tiliroside 5, cis-tiliroside 6, contaminated by trans-tiliroside and 3-oxo-α-ionol-β-d-glucopyranoside 7, as well as two new compounds for the genus Helianthemum (2 and 7). With a focus on compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4, the results clearly showed that the extract and the compounds tested from this species had a high antioxidant capacity. Within the xanthine oxidase enzyme's pocket, all of the components tested showed strong and stable binding. In light of these findings, the xanthine oxidase/methyl gallate 2 complex was simulated using the Desmond module of the Schrodinger suite molecular dynamics (MD) for 100 ns. Substantially stable receptor-ligand complexes were observed following 1 ns of MD simulation.

Validity and reliability of a digital solution for cognitive assessment: The Brain on Track®.

Cognitive assessment and the early detection of cognitive impairments have been enhanced by the use of remote digital solutions. The Brain on Track® is one of these digital solutions used in clinical practice for online screening and monitoring of cognitive functioning. This study aimed to explore the validity and reliability of the Brain on Track® computerized test on a tablet device in adults. A community sample of 54 young adults, 51 middle-aged adults, and 50 older adults were invited to attend in two assessment sessions. The first session included data collection on sociodemographic data, user digital literacy, Brain on Track® on the computer and on the tablet device, and usability from the user and moderator perspective. The second session included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Questionnaire (MoCA) and a second completion of the Brain on Track® on tablet to assess the criterion validity and test-retest reliability. Hypothesis testing was used to assess construct validity. A weak to moderate correlation was found between the Brain on Track® tablet score and the MoCA. The ICC was 0.72, 0.84, and 0.79, and Cronbach's alpha was 0.84, 0.83, and 0.89 in young adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults, respectively. This study suggested that the Brain on Track® administered using a tablet device has criterion validity, particularly in middle-aged and older adults, and internal consistency and test-retest reliability in adults of any age group.

Preparation of antioxidant peptides from yak skin gelatin and their protective effect on myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury.

We herein report a study on the antioxidant peptides that show potential in alleviating myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MI/RI). Yak skin gelatin fraction Ac (YSG-Ac), obtained through ultrafiltration and gel filtration with Sephadex G-15, exhibits a favorable nutrient composition, high foaming capacity and stability, and resistance against gastrointestinal digestion. LC-MS/MS analysis reveals that YSG-Ac contains 26 peptide segments with sequence lengths of 8 to 12 amino acids. Online screening suggests that the antioxidant capacity of YSG-Ac is mainly attributed to the presence of hydrophobic and antioxidant amino acids. In vitro, our results demonstrate the MI/RI protective effects of YSG-Ac by effectively repairing H2O2-induced oxidative damage in H9c2 cells, which is achieved by inhibiting malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and increasing glutathione peroxidase (GSH-pX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. In vivo, our results further confirm the effectiveness of YSG-Ac in narrowing the area of myocardial infarction, decreasing MDA levels, increasing SOD activity, and reducing the content of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in a mouse MI/RI model. Molecular docking analysis indicates that PGADGQPGAK with xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) and GAAGPTGPIGS with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) exhibit strong bonding capability, and other related targets also show certain binding ability toward YSG-Ac. This suggests that YSG-Ac can regulate MI/RI through multiple targets and pathways. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of YSG-Ac as a functional food ingredient with antioxidant and MI/RI protective characteristics.

Online screening assessment of lifetime exposure to traumatic brain injury: a pilot study of associations between exposure and health status

Online screening assessment of lifetime exposure to traumatic brain injury: a pilot study of associations between exposure and health status

The risk of anxiety disorders in women in the first year postpartum - the results from the postpartum depression prevention program ‟Next Stop: MUM".

The purpose of the study was to examine the severity of anxiety symptoms and the co-occurrence of anxiety disorders and mood disorders in a group of women in the first year after childbirth participating in the program for the prevention of postpartum depression. The study included 1,514 women who were screened by midwives during a patronage visit and were followed up, and 10,454 women who took part in an online screening conducted on the project website. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale was used for screening, including factor analysis to assess the anxiety subscale, and the GAD-2 questionnaire was used too. The risk of anxiety disorders was observed in 9.5% of women during the patronage visit and, depending on the survey method, 21.2% (ESDP 3 A) or 13.2% (GAD-2) in the follow-up study up to 9 months postpartum. In the online study, 62.8% of women obtained results indicating a high risk of anxiety disorders. For comparison, the result of 12 points and more indicating the risk of depression was obtained by 6.3% in the first month after childbirth and 14.3% in the follow-up study. The results show that anxiety disorders and mood disorders are significantly related (r = 0.631; p < 0.01). The risk of having anxiety disorders after childbirth is higher or similar to that of mood disorders. It is warranted to extend screening to anxiety disorders and to develop a rapid pathway of early psychological/psychiatric intervention for women in need.

An Online Dementia Screening and Lifestyle Education System

Mental well-being is a major factor contributing to the quality of life. Because of the ageing population, the old-age cognitive deficit is an epidemic-like phenomenon. Cognitive mental impairment is chronic, progressive, long-lasting and incurable, but the deterioration could be slowed, and the quality of life could be maintained for a longer time. Therefore, the assessment of mental well-being and the early detection of deterioration are very important. Current clinically validated tests have limited screening capabilities as they have been developed for professional use in controlled environments, they are expensive and require the presence of medical staff. We aimed to develop a monitoring measurement methodology that is suitable for regular screening at the patient's home and can detect significant deterioration in some important cognitive areas. Our idea was to monitor and analyse the patient’s performance through the analysis of computer game performance.&#x0D; We developed a system and investigated the estimation of mental well-being based on voluntary game playing in the last decade. The focus is on the elderly group showing the early sign of having a higher risk for a pathological decrease in cognition (called Mild Cognitive Impairment). Since 2014 more than 3000 people were registered in the system and nearly 1.5 million game logs were collected. Experience has been collected since the first end-users registered, especially feed-backs were analysed. Several important ideas were gained, and during the past years, we improved this system in the framework of the iCare4NextG project. The three most important ones are: a) strengthening the feedback to the participants by giving some explanation of the suggestions, b) simplifying the user interface and c) reducing the difficulty level of some games. Therefore, a lifestyle education advisory system is to be added, to help interpret the results and to give advice about the improvement of mental, physical, and social lifestyles.&#x0D; Based on the analysis of the experience and the collected feedback information an online screening application was developed. The screening application consists of 3 games and 2 questionnaires. The participant is asked to perform at least 3 sessions in each game, and fill out the questionnaires at least once. The screening is aimed at the inhabitants of a local municipality. The localized nature and the involvement of the municipality are very important: based on the performance of the participant, he/she can be referred to the proper local healthcare institute (e.g. local social centre, general practitioner etc.). The system is easily portable to different local environments. This way we turned a primarily reactive healthcare experience into a proactive one in cooperation with local municipal and healthcare institutions.&#x0D; Currently, a 6-month screening is running in a district of Budapest focusing on 65+ years inhabitants. More than 120 participants registered during October and November 2022, and 534 game logs and 379 questionnaires were collected.&#x0D; Project no. 2019-2.1.1-EUREKA-2020-00014 (iCare4NextG – H ) has been implemented with the support provided by the Ministry of Innovation and Technology of Hungary from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund, financed under the EUREKA-2020 funding scheme.

ONLINE COGNITIVE MONITORING IN A SIMULATED ANTI-AMYLOID TRIAL: ADHERENCE AND COGNITIVE CHANGE

Abstract Remote assessment of cognitive function is increasingly of interest for monitoring cognitive decline. Additional advantages of remote monitoring are more frequent assessments and the examination of change over time, which may yield more sensitive indicators of cognitive status. This concept was tested in DETECT-AD (Digital Evaluations and Technologies Enabling Clinical Translation for Alzheimer’s Disease), an ongoing simulated anti-amyloid trial using digital biomarkers as outcome measures. Adherence to testing, relationships to age, global cognition, and SUVR, and trajectories of change were analyzed in the SMART (Survey for Memory, Attention and Reaction Time) test, a brief measure of visual-grid memory and executive function (Trails A/B, Stroop Color-Word), self-administered online every four weeks. To date (02/28/2023), 46/100 have been enrolled with mean(SD): follow-up=31.0(7.9) weeks (no dropout); age=78(6.6); 63% women; MoCABaseline=25.5(2.3); PET SUVR=1.09 (0.20; range=0.850-2.07). SMART surveys (n=184) completed online used a desktop (26%), laptop (48%), tablet (20%), or smartphone (7%). A mean of 4(2.0; range=1-8) SMART surveys/participant were completed with 96% completed tests. Older age significantly correlated with longer overall completion times (p=0.02), Trails-B (p&amp;lt; 0.01) and Stroop (p=0.02) times, and more click counts on Trails-B (p=0.03). MoCA total score significantly correlated with shorter completion times on overall SMART (p=0.02), Trails-A (p&amp;lt; 0.01), and Trails-B (p=0.03). There were no relationships between SUVR and SMART. Total SMART completion time decreased over multiple administrations (p=0.03), driven by shorter Trails-B time (p=0.01). Monthly online screening of cognitive function in a clinical trial setting is well maintained yielding novel information over time.

Identifying eating disorders at the earliest opportunity: Testing the reliability of an online eating disorder screener (IOI‐S) in primary care and youth mental health settings

AbstractAimEating disorders (EDs) are associated with significant disease burden and unacceptably high mortality rates. Early intervention significantly improves prognosis and can prevent chronic suffering; however, large numbers of people with the illness are not being identified or managed in primary healthcare. The current study aimed to test the reliability of the face‐to‐face, clinician delivery of a previously validated, co‐designed, online screening tool for eating disorders.MethodsIndividuals aged 14 and over who read, English were recruited from the community in either primary care (general practice) settings or headspace youth mental health centres. They completed the InsideOut Institute Screener (IOI‐S) face‐to‐face, delivered verbally by the study researcher clinician and then online by self‐report. The primary outcome was test‐retest reliability as measured by two‐way mixed effects model Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) with absolute agreement.ResultsA total of 83 participants aged 14–81 (M 36.2) completed the study in New South Wales and the Northern Territory, Australia, between April and November 2022. The ICC between successive iterations of the test was significantly positive (0.980), demonstrating strong internal validity and test–retest reliability of the scale.ConclusionsThe IOI‐S is an adaptive 6‐item screening tool designed to ‘start a conversation’ and determine risk using gentle language conceived by individuals with lived experience. Originally designed for online use, the current study broadens its versatility to clinical settings. The screener performs equally well when delivered face‐to‐face in clinical practice. In conjunction with increased practitioner education and improved treatment referral pathways, broad implementation of the screener in early healthcare settings can support timely identification and intervention for those with EDs.

Screening for HPV-Related Oropharyngeal Cancer in Gay and Bisexual Men: Acceptability and Predicting Possible Use of "Oral Selfies" by Smartphone as a Secondary Prevention Approach.

Oropharyngeal cancers (OPCa) caused by HPV have emerged as one of the leading causes of malignancies caused by HPV infection. They are also significantly more likely to occur in males and in people with a history of oral sex with multiple partners. Gay and bisexual men are disproportionately affected by HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers. We studied 1699 gay and bisexual men on 2 major dating sites in the US to assess their knowledge about HPV-related OPCa, attitudes toward screening for it, beliefs about oropharyngeal cancer screening based on the Health Belief Model, and attitudes toward possible screening approaches for OPCa. Knowledge on a 12-item scale was low, with a median of 5 items correct: 72% knew of the benefits of HPV vaccination. Significant predictors of needing OPCa screening included perception of risk for OPCa, seeing it as severe, having lower barriers, fewer reasons to avoid screening, higher knowledge, and being HPV vaccinated were significant predictors, explaining half the total variance. Most participants would accept routine, virtual/online doctor or dental appointments, and over half would accept an in-person screening. Nearly two-thirds stated that they would accept getting checked for OPCa if they could do self-screening at home, and half were prepared to use an online screening tool or app, where they could take an "oral selfie" and send it to a healthcare provider for examination. One-third stated that they would trust the results of a home screening completed by themselves and posted to a website equally as cancer screening completed online by a healthcare provider. Data indicate that despite low OPCA knowledge levels, the risk of HPV-associated OPCa was known. Being at personal risk and having knowledge of disease severity had 70% of the sample thinking about, or preparing to get, screening. Self-screening by a smartphone "oral selfie" transmitted to a screening website was acceptable to many gay and bisexual men, and online screening by a doctor or dentist was acceptable to most. OPCa screening in this population using electronic technology, together with the increasing incidence of HPV-associated OPCa in gay and bisexual men, brings together an opportunity to detect OPCa early.

ADNI4’s novel remote screening approach ‐ weighing priorities in participant selection

AbstractBackgroundThe Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) is a longitudinal observational study of individuals across the dementia spectrum that validates biomarkers for clinical trials. The newest phase of the study, ADNI4, aims to substantially increase the inclusion of underrepresented populations to improve generalizability of ADNI results. Novel biomarkers, including a speech‐based cognitive assessment and blood‐based plasma biomarkers, are integrated into the study design as key participant screening measures.MethodTo help achieve recruitment goals, ADNI4 uses a new, multi‐phase approach to remotely enroll and screen participants. A large study cohort (aiming for 20,000+ participants) provide initial screening data via an online study platform including demographics, medical history related to study exclusionary criteria, and results from a speech‐based cognitive memory assessment (Novoic Ltd. Storyteller test) and a measure of subjective cognitive/functional decline (Everyday Cognition (ECog) 12‐item). Based on screening results, a subset of online study participants is referred to a Quest Diagnostics location to provide a blood sample for plasma biomarker analysis (aiming for 4,000+ participants). Finally, select participants are referred to ADNI clinical sites for in‐depth characterization (goal of up to 1,500 in‐clinic participants).ResultWe report ADNI’s initial approach for selecting participants from the online screening cohort to undergo plasma biomarker phenotyping, and subsequent selection to a clinical site. Participants from diverse demographic backgrounds (especially for race, ethnicity, and/or education) and those with a higher estimated likelihood of cognitive impairment are given priority in the referral selection process. Likelihood of cognitive impairment is assessed using results from subjective memory complaint questions, responses to the ECog 12‐item questionnaire, and the Novoic Storyteller results. Individuals with results showing high concordance across these measures are prioritized, as well as those who have subsequent plasma results indicating biomarker positivity.ConclusionWeighing the various study requirements and inclusivity goals increases the complexity of participant selection decision making, and is a time‐intensive process. As the ADNI study progresses we aim to automate the participant selection/referral process by developing algorithms that account and encode for changing study prioritizations and dynamics across numerous dimensions. Learnings from ADNI4’s new remote processes will help inform future clinical trial design.

Heads Up! Using a Mobile Platform for Division II Student-Athlete Mental Health Screening

The purpose of this study was to screen for mental and behavioral health risk of Division II collegiate student athletes using a novel online screening tool (i.e., Heads Up Checkup) via the Sharpen mobile platform and learn the practicality of using such a tool. Collegiate student athletes (n = 367) were recruited to complete the Heads Up Checkup mental and behavioral health screening through the Sharpen mobile application. A total of 338 out of 367 possible collegiate student athletes completed the screening for a participation rate of 92.09%. Participants self-reported mental and behavioral health symptoms, including risk and criteria for 26 ICD-10 disorders. Across the sample, 17.1% of participants (n = 63) met at least 50% of the criteria for at least one diagnosis, 18.8% of participants (n = 69) met 70–99% of diagnostic criteria for at least one diagnosis, and 15.5% of participants (n = 57) met 100% of diagnostic criteria for at least one ICD-10 diagnosis. Although the Heads Up Checkup cannot diagnose disorders, it can be a valuable screening tool to assist coaches, trainers, clinicians, and athletic staff to collaboratively care for collegiate student athletes.

Online Feature Screening for Data Streams With Concept Drift

Screening feature selection methods are often used as a preprocessing step for reducing the number of variables before training step. Traditional screening methods only focus on dealing with complete high dimensional datasets. Modern datasets not only have higher dimension and larger sample size, but also have properties such as streaming input, sparsity and concept drift. Therefore a considerable number of online feature selection methods were introduced to handle these kind of problems in recent years. Online screening methods are one of the categories of online feature selection methods. The methods that we proposed in this research are capable of handling all three situations mentioned above. Our research study focuses on classification datasets. Our experiments show proposed methods can generate the same feature importance as their offline version with faster speed and less storage consumption. Furthermore, the results show that online screening methods with integrated model adaptation have a higher true feature detection rate than without model adaptation on data streams with the concept drift property. Among the two large real datasets that potentially have the concept drift property, online screening methods with model adaptation show advantages in either saving computing time and space, reducing model complexity, or improving prediction accuracy.

Feasibility and impact of online HIV/STI screening addressed to men who have sex with men and transgender women users of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Spain (TESTATE PrEP): a study protocol for a non-blinded randomised controlled trial

IntroductionThe objectives of the study are: to design and implement a pilot intervention to offer self-sampling kits to detect HIV, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Treponema pallidum (TP)...

Reliability, Validity and Factor Structure of the Polish Version of the Massachusetts General Hospital Hair Pulling Scale

PurposeThe Massachusetts General Hospital Hairpulling Scale (MGH-HPS) is a 7-item self-report tool that measures hair-pulling behaviors. The study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the MGH-HPS in a sample of adults.MethodsThe online screening survey was completed by 1024 participants (777 women, 241 men, 6 non-binary), 92 of which (68 women, 24 men) were included in the study because they confirmed engaging in hair-pulling behaviors at least occasionally; 23 of those (2.25% of the initial sample) met the DSM-5 criteria for hair-pulling disorder. The participants were asked to complete the online version of the MGH-HPS, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21-Item Version, the Obsessive Compulsive Inventory-Revised, and a scale containing the DSM-5 hair-pulling disorder criteria. The factor structure, reliability, validity, and diagnostic accuracy of the Polish version of the MGH-HPS were examined.ResultsThe confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that both a one-factor and a two-factor model fit the data well; however, given the high correlation between the factors, the unidimensional model may be superior. High internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity were obtained for the total score of the MGH-HPS and the Severity and Resistance and Control factors (Cronbach’s alphas: 0.89, 0.85 and 0.84 respectively). The ROC analysis indicated adequate prognostic ability of the total score to discriminate subjects with clinical and non-clinical hair-pulling. The optimal cut-off value was 13 points (sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 62.22%).ConclusionsThe Polish version of the MGH-HPS is a valid, reliable tool which may be used to measure hair-pulling behaviors in adult samples.