Within-person Correlation Research Articles

Hypertension and Left Ventricular Strain in Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease.

Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV GLS) on echocardiography is a sensitive yet clinically significant marker of myocardial dysfunction. Reduced LV GLS is prevalent in adults with chronic kidney disease and hypertension and is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. It may be a biomarker of chronic kidney disease-associated myocardial dysfunction in children, but data are limited. Our objective was to describe LV GLS in the CKiD study (Chronic Kidney Disease in Children) and to examine the association between blood pressure (BP) and reduced LV GLS. A single apical 4-chamber view was used to estimate LV GLS. Our main analyses examined the association of clinic BP with the absolute value of LV GLS and LV GLS dichotomized at 16. Sensitivity analyses using 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring data were also performed. Generalized estimating equations were used to account for within-person correlation and to estimate robust SEs for 95% CIs. Covariates in adjusted models included: age, sex, race, estimated glomerular filtration rate, urine protein, hemoglobin, left ventricular hypertrophy, and the use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors. LV GLS was measured in 962 person-visits. A total of 77 assessments had an LV GLS <16. In adjusted models, both clinic systolic BP (odds ratio, 1.02 [95% CI, 1.01-1.03]) and diastolic BP (odds ratio, 1.02 [95% CI, 1.00-1.03]) percentiles were associated with LV GLS <16. Having awake or nighttime diastolic BP hypertension on ambulatory BP monitoring was significantly associated with a lower absolute value of LV GLS. Office systolic and diastolic hypertension was associated with diminished LV GLS. Only diastolic hypertension detected on ambulatory BP monitoring was associated with lower LV GLS.

What I didn't grow up with is dangerous: personal experience with a new technology or societal change reduces the belief that it corrupts youth.

Throughout history, technological and societal changes consistently receive suspicion. Their influences appear damaging, corrupting, and potential precursors to societal downfall, with today's youth often portrayed as the primary victims. This study aims to explore an underlying reason for these perceptions and to investigate why society frequently perceives technological and societal transitions as detrimental to the younger generation. We conduct two studies across a total of 1,702 participants. In a pilot study, American adults generate a list of technological/societal innovations they believe to be especially problematic for youth in various ways. The second study maps beliefs that specific technological/societal shifts are corruptive, correlating with whether American adults experience them during their upbringing. People view recent technologies as particularly corrupting of today's youth. A notable within-person correlation exists between an individual's exposure to specific technologies during their youth and their belief that these technologies corrupt today's youth. Specifically, people are more inclined to view technological/societal shifts as corruptive if they don't experience them during their formative years (b = -0.09, p < 0.001, 95%CI = [-0.11, -0.09]). When reminded of their own exposure to a particular innovation during their upbringing, however, this relationship reduces. These findings suggest unfamiliarity currently stands as a pivotal factor in societal apprehensions regarding new technological and societal evolutions. As society welcomes new innovations, an enduring cycle emerges where those unacquainted changes seem corruptive to the newer generations. Recognizing this bias, primarily driven by mere unfamiliarity, may be crucial for more balanced evaluations of the inevitable technological and societal progress.

Assessing Repeated Urinary Proline Betaine Measures as a Biomarker of Usual Citrus Intake during Pregnancy: Sources of Within-Person Variation and Correlation with Reported Intake.

Proline betaine (Pro-B) has been identified as a biomarker of dietary citrus intake, yet gaps remain in its validation as a quantitative predictor of intake during various physiological states. This study quantified sources of within-individual variation (WIV) in urinary Pro-B concentration during pregnancy and assessed its correlation with the reported usual intake of citrus fruit and juice. Pro-B concentrations were determined by 1H-NMR spectroscopy in spot and 24-h urine specimens (n = 255) collected throughout pregnancy from women participating in the MARBLES cohort study. Adjusted linear or log mixed effects models quantified WIV and tested potential temporal predictors of continuous or elevated Pro-B concentration. Pearson or Spearman correlations assessed the relationship between averaged repeated biomarker measures and usual citrus intake reported by food frequency questionnaires. The proportion of variance in urinary Pro-B attributable to WIV ranged from 0.69 to 0.74 in unadjusted and adjusted models. Citrus season was a significant predictor of Pro-B in most analyses (e.g., adjusted β [95% CI]: 0.52 [0.16, 0.88] for non-normalized Pro-B), while gestational age predicted only non-normalized Pro-B (adjusted β [95% CI]: -0.093 [-0.18, -0.0038]). Moderate correlations (rs of 0.40 to 0.42) were found between reported usual citrus intake and averaged repeated biomarker measurements, which were stronger compared to using a single measurement. Given the high degree of WIV observed in urinary Pro-B, multiple samples per participant are likely needed to assess associations between citrus consumption and health outcomes.

Exploration of model misspecification in latent class methods for longitudinal data: Correlation structure matters.

Modeling longitudinal trajectories and identifying latent classes of trajectories is of great interest in biomedical research, and software to identify latent classes of such is readily available for latent class trajectory analysis (LCTA), growth mixture modeling (GMM) and covariance pattern mixture models (CPMM). In biomedical applications, the level of within-person correlation is often non-negligible, which can impact the model choice and interpretation. LCTA does not incorporate this correlation. GMM does so through random effects, while CPMM specifies a model for within-class marginal covariance matrix. Previous work has investigated the impact of constraining covariance structures, both within and across classes, in GMMs-an approach often used to solve convergence problems. Using simulation, we focused specifically on how misspecification of the temporal correlation structure and strength, but correct variances, impacts class enumeration and parameter estimation under LCTA and CPMM. We found (1) even in the presence of weak correlation, LCTA often does not reproduce original classes, (2) CPMM performs well in class enumeration when the correct correlation structure is selected, and (3) regardless of misspecification of the correlation structure, both LCTA and CPMM give unbiased estimates of the class trajectory parameters when the within-individual correlation is weak and the number of classes is correctly specified. However, the bias increases markedly when the correlation is moderate for LCTA and when the incorrect correlation structure is used for CPMM. This work highlights the importance of correlation alone in obtaining appropriate model interpretations and provides insight into model choice.

Intergenerational Transmission of BMI and Educational Outcomes in Children and Adolescents.

Individual differences in educational attainment (EA) and physical health, as indexed by body mass index (BMI), are correlated within individuals and across generations. The aim of our study was to assess the transmission of these traits from parents to their offspring in childhood and adolescence. We analyzed BMI and EA in 13,916 families from the Netherlands. Data were available for 27,577 parents (mean age 33) and 26,855 of their offspring at 4 and 12 years of age. We employed structural equation modeling to simultaneously estimate the phenotypic transmission of BMI and EA from parents to offspring, the spousal correlations, and the residual child BMI-EA associations after accounting for intergenerational transmission and testing for gender differences therein. We found a significant intergenerational transmission of BMI to BMI in childhood (age 4; standardized regression coefficient β = .10) and adolescence (age 12; β = .20), and of EA to academic achievement in adolescence (β = .19). Cross-trait parent-to-offspring transmission was weak. All transmission effects were independent of parent or offspring gender. We observed within-person EA-BMI correlations that were negative in parents (∼-.09), positive in children (∼.05) and negative in adolescents (∼-.06). Residual EA-BMI were positive in children (∼.05) and insignificant in adolescents. Spousal correlations were .46 for EA, .21 for BMI, and ∼-.09 cross-trait. After accounting for spousal correlations, the intergenerational transmission for BMI and EA is mainly predictive within, but not across, traits. The within-person correlation between BMI and EA can change in direction between childhood and adulthood.

Abstract P600: Beyond Mean Glucose: Development of Novel, Reproducible Continuous Glucose Monitoring Metrics

Introduction: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices record blood glucose every few minutes over a maximum 2-week wear period. Despite the richness of these data, existing first and second moment statistics (such as mean glucose) fail to capture the “shape” of variation in the CGM time-series. Objective: We developed novel, reproducible CGM shape metrics using functionals of the periodogram, a decomposition of CGM signal ( Figure 1A ) variance, to comprehensively characterize glucose patterns. Methods: We analyzed CGM data from N = 160 HYPNOS clinical trial participants with type 2 diabetes who wore CGM sensors twice, 3 months apart. We first calculated log-transformed periodograms for each person-period. To these decompositions, we fit piece-wise linear models over 3 frequency ranges: less than 1/24 hrs -1 (long term patterns), 1/24 to 2/5 hrs -1 (daily diet patterns), and greater than 2/5 hrs -1 (immediate fluctuations due to food). Slopes of fit segments, value at first frequency, and values at segment midpoints were extracted as our initial metrics ( Figure 1B ). We estimated and compared the within-person test-retest correlation for our shape measures against existing CGM and glucose metrics: mean glucose, time-in-range, and HhbA1c. Results: The highest raw correlation among the new shape metrics (r = 0.737) was comparable to that of the existing metrics (r = 0.798) ( Figure 1C ). Even after adjusting the shape metrics for existing metrics, there was a maximum test-retest correlation of r = 0.778. The shape metrics also carried information distinct from existing metrics. According to mixed effect models fit to data from both wear periods, the shape metrics explain less than 16% of variance in any existing metric when controlled for the other existing metrics. Conclusion: These new shape metrics carry reproducible information distinct from that of standard CGM metrics and HbA1c. The next step is to evaluate whether these novel shape metrics, which leverage the granularity of CGM data, can be linked to clinical endpoints.

Measuring cortisol concentration in hair month-by-month two years retrospectively

Previous studies of cortisol concentrations in hair have concluded that it is not possible to measure more than 6 months retrospectively. This study shows for the first time that it is possible to analyze hair cortisol concentrations month-by-month for a retrospective period of 24 months. In addition, we have determined whether cortisol concentration decreases with time. The study population was 48 women in the age range 20–51 years, all with hair of length of 24 cm or longer. The participants completed a questionnaire that examined exposure to life stressors and potential confounders. Competitive radioimmunoassay was used to extract and analyze cortisol levels in hair. The overall intraclass correlation for the participants was substantial (ICC = 0.38, 95% CI 0.29, 0.49), indicating a strong within-person correlation during the growth period. The median levels of cortisol were reasonably stable. Wash-out effects were small, even for those who reported that they washed their hair every day. We conclude that it is possible to detect hair cortisol concentrations every month at least two years back in time. Changes in hair cortisol concentration are more likely to be related to life stressors than changes due to time since growth.

Tailored text messages to improve breastfeeding practices in Yangon, Myanmar: the M528 individually randomized controlled trial

BackgroundText messages are a feasible delivery channel for breastfeeding promotion, but only a few articles have examined their effectiveness. ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of mobile phone text messages on breastfeeding practices. DesignWe implemented a 2-arm, parallel, individually randomized controlled trial with 353 pregnant participants at the Central Women’s Hospital, Yangon. The intervention group (n = 179) received breastfeeding-promotion text messages, and the control group (n = 174) received other maternal and child health care messages. The primary outcome was the exclusive breastfeeding rate at 1–6 mo postpartum. Secondary outcomes were other breastfeeding indicators, breastfeeding self-efficacy, and child morbidity. Using the intention-to-treat approach, the available outcome data were analyzed with generalized estimation equation Poisson regression models to estimate RR and 95% CIs, adjusted for within-person correlation and time, and tested for treatment group-by-time interactions. ResultsExclusive breastfeeding prevalence was significantly higher in the intervention than in the control group for the 6 follow-up visits combined (RR: 1.48; 95%CI: 1.35, 1.63; P < 0.001) and at each monthly follow-up visit. At 6 mo, exclusive breastfeeding was 43.4% in the intervention compared with 15.3% in the control group (RR: 2.74; 95%CI: 1.79, 4.19; P < 0.001). Also, at 6 mo, the intervention increased current breastfeeding (RR: 1.17; 95%CI: 1.07, 1.26; P < 0.001) and reduced bottle feeding (RR: 0.30; 95%CI: 0.17, 0.54; P < 0.001). Exclusive breastfeeding was progressively higher in the intervention group than in the control group at each follow-up (P for interaction < 0.001) and similarly for current breastfeeding. The intervention increased the mean breastfeeding self-efficacy score (adjusted mean difference 4.0; 95%CI: 1.36, 6.64; P = 0.030). Over the 6-month follow-up, the intervention significantly reduced diarrhea risk by 55% (RR: 0.45; 95%CI: 0.24, 0.82; P < 0.009). ConclusionsRegular, targeted text messages delivered to urban pregnant women and mothers via mobile phones significantly improve breastfeeding practices and reduce infant morbidity during the first 6 mo of life. Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615000063516; https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=367704.

Predictors of spontaneous remission and recovery among women with untreated perinatal depression in India and Pakistan.

Mothers with perinatal depression can show different symptom trajectories and may spontaneously remit from depression, however, the latter is poorly understood. This is the first study which sought to investigate predictors of spontaneous remission and longer-term recovery among untreated women with perinatal depression. We analysed data from two randomised controlled trials in women with perinatal depression in India and Pakistan. Analyses were restricted to women in the control groups who did not receive active treatment. Generalised estimating equations and logistic regressions were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for within-person correlation. In multivariable analyses, remission was associated with a husband who is not working (adjusted OR, aOR=2.04, 95% CI 1.02-4.11), lower Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score at baseline (aOR=0.43, 95% CI 0.20-0.90 for score of ≥20 vs. 10-14) and better social support at baseline (aOR=2.37, 95% CI 1.32-4.27 for high vs. low social support). Women with low baseline severity may remit from perinatal depression with adequate social support from family and friends. These factors are important contributors to the management of perinatal depression and the prevention of clinical worsening, and should be considered when designing low-threshold psychological interventions.

The Curious Case of the Cross-Sectional Correlation

The cross-sectional correlation is frequently used to summarize psychological data, and can be considered the basis for many statistical techniques. However, the work of Peter Molenaar on ergodicity has raised concerns about the meaning and utility of this measure, especially when the interest is in discovering general laws that apply to (all) individuals. Through using Cattell’s databox and adopting a multilevel perspective, this paper provides a closer look at the cross-sectional correlation, with the goal to better understand its meaning when ergodicity is absent. An analytical expression is presented that shows the cross-sectional correlation is a function of the between-person correlation (based on person-specific means), and the within-person correlation (based on individuals’ temporal deviations from their person-specific means). Two curiosities related to this expression of the cross-sectional correlation are elaborated on, that is: a) the difference between the within-person correlation and the (average) person-specific correlation; and b) the unexpected scenarios that can arise because the cross-sectional correlation is a weighted sum rather than a weighted average of the between-person and within-person correlations. Seven specific examples are presented to illustrate various ways in which these two curiosities may combine; R code is provided, which allows researchers to investigate additional scenarios.

Intraportal Islet Autotransplantation Independently Improves Quality of Life After Total Pancreatectomy in Patients With Chronic Refractory Pancreatitis.

To determine if islet autotransplantation (IAT) independently improves the quality of life (QoL) in patients after total pancreatectomy and islet autotransplantation (TP-IAT). TP-IAT is increasingly being used for intractable chronic pancreatitis. However, the impact of IAT on long-term islet function and QoL is unclear. TP-IAT patients at our center >1 year after TP-IAT with ≥1 Short Form-36 QoL measure were included. Patients were classified as insulin-independent or insulin-dependent, and as having islet graft function or failure by C-peptide. The associations of insulin use and islet graft function with QoL measures were analyzed by using a linear mixed model, accounting for time since transplant and within-person correlation. Among 817 islet autograft recipients, 564 patients [median (interquartile range) age: 34 (20, 45) years, 71% female] and 2161 total QoL surveys were included. QoL data were available for >5 years after TP-IAT for 42.7% and for >10 years for 17.3%. Insulin-independent patients exhibited higher QoL in 7 of 8 subscale domains and for Physical Component Summary and Mental Component Summary scores ( P <0.05 for all). Physical Component Summary was 2.91 (SE=0.57) higher in insulin-independent patients ( P <0.001). No differences in QoL were observed between those with and without graft function, but islet graft failure was rare (15% of patients). However, glycosylated hemoglobin was much higher with islet graft failure. QoL is significantly improved when insulin independence is present, and glycosylated hemoglobin is lower with a functioning islet graft. These data support offering IAT, rather than just performing total pancreatectomy and treating with exogenous insulin.

Recurring event survival analyses: A methodological approach to model recurring event data in cancer patients receiving multiple lines of therapy.

e18693 Background: In cancer treatment, patients often receive multiple rounds of treatment, or Lines of Therapy (LoT). The time between start of a LOT and change to a new LOT is an important outcome in clinical oncology, for understanding disease progression and anticipating response to further treatment. Research questions may focus on the associations between duration of an LOT (the dependent variable) and independent variables of interest, such as time-invariant demographic (gender, age, race) and clinical factors (comorbidities, stage of disease) as well as time-varying factors such as Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO’s), resource utilization, and adverse events. These associations can be tested empirically with traditional “survival analyses”, more generally known as time-to-event when there is a single event (such as 5-year survival). The analyses, however, may become more complex when patients experience more than one LOT. This is due to the possibility that the Time-to-Events may be correlated within an individual patient, similarly to how outcome variables are correlated in other repeated measures designs. If this correlation is not captured in the modeling, the validity of parameters estimates may be in doubt. Thus, it is important to analyze the data using methods which account for the within-person correlation among LOT durations through the use of “Recurring Event” survival analyses. Methods: This methodological presentation will report an example of a real world “Recurring Event” analysis in a study of Multiple Myeloma patients who received one or more than one LOT. The study data set was derived from users of PROmpt®, an application for remote patient reporting and provider symptom management. Patient characteristics and treatment history were assessed by survey and review of patient EMR records. 80 patients were identified, with a treatment history of receiving between 1 and 19 LOT’s (mean = 5.2). Time invariant predictors are age, gender, and frailty (employing the Modified Geriatric Assessment). Time varying variables are the incidence of hematological and non-hematological toxicities. Results: The presentation will provide: an overview of how to interpret the model parameters, a discussion of the data structure required by the modeling, and a series of results in which LOT durations are analyzed as first independent and then when modeled as a “Recurring Event” analysis. The results are examined across different modeling strategies to illustrate a model testing approach, as well as to quantitatively demonstrate the impact on survival analysis results when incorporating “recurring event” methodology. Conclusions: The intent of the presentation is to alert researchers to the need to analyze Time-To-Event models using a recurring event framework when patients experience recurring events in order to produce valid and generalizable parameters.

Sex-dependent jugular vein optical attenuation and distension during head-down tilt and lower body negative pressure.

Non‐contact coded hemodynamic imaging (CHI) is a novel wide‐field near‐infrared spectroscopy system which monitors blood volume by quantifying attenuation of light passing through the underlying vessels. This study tested the hypothesis that CHI‐based jugular venous attenuation (JVA) would be larger in men, and change in JVA would be greater in men compared to women during two fluid shift challenges. The association of JVA with ultrasound‐based cross‐sectional area (CSA) was also tested. Ten men and 10 women completed three levels of head‐down tilt (HDT) and four levels of lower body negative pressure (LBNP). Both JVA and CSA were increased by HDT and reduced by LBNP (all p < 0.001). Main effects of sex indicated that JVA was higher in men than women during both HDT (p = 0.003) and LBNP (p = 0.011). Interaction effects of sex and condition were observed for JVA during HDT (p = 0.005) and LBNP (p < 0.001). We observed moderate repeated‐measures correlations (r rm) between JVA and CSA in women during HDT (r rm = 0.57, p = 0.011) and in both men (rr m = 0.74, p < 0.001) and women (r rm = 0.66, p < 0.001) during LBNP. While median within‐person correlation coefficients indicated an even stronger association between JVA and CSA, this association became unreliable for small changes in CSA. As hypothesized, JVA was greater and changed more in men compared to women during both HDT and LBNP. CHI provides a non‐contact method of tracking large changes in internal jugular vein blood volume that occur with acute fluid shifts, but data should be interpreted in a sex‐dependent manner.

Differences of the Nasal Microbiome and Mycobiome by Clinical Characteristics of COPD Patients.

While studies suggest that the lung microbiome may influence risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, little is known about the relationship between the nasal biome and clinical characteristics of COPD patients. We sampled the nasal lining fluid by nasosorption of both nares of 20 people with moderate-to-severe COPD. All 40 samples, plus 4 negative controls, underwent DNA extraction, and 16SV4 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) (bacterial) and ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) (fungal) sequencing. We measured the proportion of variance (R2) in beta diversity explained by clinical factors, including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), COPD treatment, disease severity (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1], symptom/exacerbation frequency), peripheral eosinophil level (≥150 versus <150 cells/µL) and season of sampling, with the PERMANOVA test on the Bray-Curtis dissimilarities, accounting for within-person correlation of samples. We assessed the relative abundance of microbial features in the nasal community and their associations with clinical characteristics using the Microbiome Multivariable Association with Linear Models (MaAsLin2) package. The most abundant nasal fluid bacterial taxa were Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Moraxella, and Dolosigranulum, and fungal taxa were Malassezia, Candida, Malasseziales, Cladosporium and Aspergillus. Bacterial microbiome composition was associated with short-acting muscarinic antagonist use (R2 11.8%, p=0.002), sex (R2 8.3%, p=0.044), nasal steroid use (R2 7.7%, p=0.064), and higher eosinophil level (R2 7.6%, p=0.084). Mycobiome composition was associated with higher eosinophil level (R2 14.4%, p=0.004) and low FEV1 (R2 7.5%, p=0.071). No specific bacterium or fungus differed significantly in relative abundance by clinical characteristics in the multivariate per-feature analysis. The taxonomical composition of the nasal biome is heterogeneous in COPD patients and may be explained in part by clinical characteristics.

Variability of urinary organophosphate esters (OPEs) during childhood: The HOME Study

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are widely used as flame retardants and plasticizers. Previous research has shown that gestational exposure to OPEs is variable, but no studies have examined the patterns and variability of postnatal exposure to our best knowledge. METHODS: In a prospective birth cohort (HOME Study, Cincinnati, OH, USA), we measured urinary OPE metabolite concentrations three times (16 and 26 weeks of gestation, at delivery) during pregnancy and five times (ages 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 years) during childhood. We log10-transformed creatinine-standardized OPE metabolite concentrations. We calculated Spearman correlation coefficients between postnatal OPE metabolites at each time point. We then used linear mixed models to calculate intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for metabolite concentrations across the five postnatal time points. We further examined the association between three prenatal measures and early childhood (ages 1, 2, 3 years) exposure and subsequent metabolite concentrations at ages 5 and 8 years, including the main effect and the interaction term with the subsequent time points of metabolite measurement using linear mixed models. RESULTS:We detected (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP), bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), and diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) in 79 to 100% of children. The median concentrations (µg/g creatinine) were 0.78-4.76 for BCEP, 4.02-7.42 for BDCIPP, and 2.57-11.48 for DPHP. We found moderate correlations between BCEP and BDCIPP (rs: 0.28-0.49, p 0.001) at all time points. ICCs for metabolites across five postnatal time points, however, indicated poor within-person correlation (0.09–0.25). Prenatal urinary DPHP concentrations were positively associated with postnatal DPHP concentrations at some time points. Positive associations between early (1-3 years) and late childhood concentrations (age 8 years) were found for BCEP and BDCIPP. CONCLUSIONS:We found high within-person variability of OPE exposure within children across the first 8 years of life, suggesting that multiple urine samples are needed to characterize children’s exposures to OPEs. KEYWORDS: Chemical exposures, Endocrine disrupting chemicals, Children's environmental health, Environmental epidemiology

Testing for Differences in the Reporting of Somatic Symptoms of Depression in Racial/Ethnic Minorities.

We tested if Latinx and Black individuals are more likely to somaticize depression compared with their White counterparts. We analyzed 14,745 depression ratings from 4,101 people living with HIV from 2007 to 2014. We calculated the percentage of each depression score accounted for by somatic symptom items (e.g., feeling tired). We analyzed depression scores using generalized estimation equations, which accounts for repeated measures within each person. Somatic symptoms accounted for 70% of depression scores for White patients, 66% for Latinx patients, and 68% for Black patients. Across the 14,745 assessments, adjusting for age and sex, and within-person correlation, the percentage of the depression scores made up of somatic items was lower for Latinx (b = -.03, p < .0001) and Black patients (b = -.02, p < .001), compared with White patients. The idea that Latinx and Black individuals are likely to somaticize depression may lead to underdiagnoses and perpetuate stereotypes and inequities that are not supported by empirical data.

Daily Food Insecurity and Its Impact on Diet Quality in Low-Income Adults in Two Seasons: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

Abstract Objectives Chronic food insecurity (FI) is common in low-income adults and is associated with a suboptimal diet. The dynamicity of FI in the short term in relation to diet is not well understood. We aim to examine if there are seasonal shifts in the relationship between FI and diet. Methods Low-income adults (with a household income &amp;lt;185% federal poverty line) were recruited in Central Pennsylvania. An ecological momentary assessment model on smartphones was used to collect daily FI and diet data over two three-week long waves: one during a fall month, and one during a winter month. An adapted USDA adult module was used to assess daily FI (“food secure” if module score = 0 or “food insecure” if module score &amp;gt;0). A food record was recorded on smartphones and verified by a trained dietitian via phone calls on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. For each subject, daily caloric intake was calculated using the Nutrition Data System for Research software. Daily Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015) score and food group intake were calculated. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models were used to estimate the associations between daily FI and dietary outcomes, accounting for within-person correlation and adjusting for gender, race/ethnicity, employment, and poverty status. Results 22 participants were recruited in fall 2019, 18 were followed up in winter 2020, with a total of 290 person-days (response rate = 80.64%) of data. Higher FI scores in the winter, but not in the fall, were associated with lower HEI-2015 score [b (95%CI)] [−9.06 (−14.15, −3.96)]. Higher FI in winter was associated with decreased intake of total fruit ([−0.24 (−0.44, −0.05)], whole fruit [−0.27 (−0.48, −0.06)], and whole grain [−0.52 (−1.03, −0.01)]. Higher FI in the fall months was associated with increased dairy consumption [0.65 (0.08, 1.22)]. FI was not associated with calorie intake in either season. Conclusions This pilot study found that higher daily FI was associated with lower diet quality in the winter, but not fall, which may be driven by shifts in food accessibility and altered coping strategies across seasons. Funding Sources The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (UL1TR002014) and the Broadhurst Career Development Professorship for the Study of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.

If you’re funny and you know it: Personality, gender, and people’s ratings of their attempts at humor

In seven studies (n = 1133), adults tried to create funny ideas and then rated the funniness of their responses, which were also independently rated by judges. In contrast to the common “funnier than average” effect found for global self-ratings, people were relatively modest and self-critical about their specific ideas. Extraversion (r = 0.12 [0.07, 0.18], k = 7) and openness to experience (r = 0.09 [0.03, 0.15], k = 7) predicted rating one’s responses as funnier; women rated their responses as less funny (d = −0.28 [−0.37, −0.19], k = 7). The within-person correlation between self and judge ratings was small but significant (r = 0.13 [0.07, 0.19], k = 7), so people had some insight into their ideas’ funniness.

Mood sensitivity to estradiol predicts depressive symptoms in the menopause transition.

The risk for depression markedly rises during the 5-6 years leading up to the cessation of menstruation, known as the menopause transition. Exposure to extreme estradiol levels may help explain this increase but few studies have examined individual sensitivity to estradiol in predicting perimenopausal depression. The current study recruited 101 perimenopausal women. During Phase 1, we quantified each woman's sensitivity to changes in estradiol using 12 weekly measures of estrone-3-glucuronide (E1G), a urinary metabolite of estradiol, and concurrent depressive symptoms. The weekly cortisol awakening response was measured to examine the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in mediating mood sensitivity to estradiol. In Phase 2, depressive symptoms and major depression diagnoses were assessed monthly for 9 months. The relationship between Phase 1 E1G sensitivity and Phase 2 depressive symptoms and major depressive episodes was examined. Several baseline characteristics were examined as potential moderators of this relationship. The within-person correlation between weekly E1G and mood varied greatly from woman to woman, both in strength and direction. Phase 1 E1G mood sensitivity predicted the occurrence of clinically significant depressive symptoms in Phase 2 among certain subsets of women: those without a prior history of depression, reporting a low number of baseline stressful life events, and reporting fewer months since their last menstrual period. HPA axis sensitivity to estradiol fluctuation did not predict Phase 2 outcomes. Mood sensitivity to estradiol predicts risk for perimenopausal depression, particularly among women who are otherwise at low risk and among those who are early in the transition.

Uninterruptible Power Supply Improves Precision and External Validity of Telomere Length Measurement via qPCR.

Technical challenges associated with telomere length (TL) measurements have prompted concerns regarding their utility as a biomarker of aging. Several factors influence TL assessment via qPCR, the most common measurement method in epidemiological studies, including storage conditions and DNA extraction method. Here, we tested the impact of power supply during the qPCR assay. Momentary fluctuations in power can affect the functioning of high-performance electronics, including real-time thermocyclers. We investigated if mitigating these fluctuations by using an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) influenced TL assessment via qPCR. Samples run with a UPS had significantly lower standard deviation (p < 0.001) and coefficient of variation (p < 0.001) across technical replicates than those run without a UPS. UPS usage also improved exponential amplification efficiency at the replicate, sample, and plate levels. Together these improvements translated to increased performance across metrics of external validity including correlation with age, within-person correlation across tissues, and correlation between parents and offspring.