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Family emotional climate is often assessed as expressed emotion (EE) using the five-minute speech sample (FMSS). Parent EE is related to child externalizing behavior, but the relationship with ADHD apart from externalizing is unclear. We report the largest ADHD-non-ADHD study of EE to date, introduce computational scoring of the FMSS to assay parent negative sentiment, and use this to evaluate reciprocal parent-child effects over time in ADHD while considering comorbid ODD. Parents of 810 children (nADHD = 509), aged 7–13 years old, completed the FMSS at three points. The FMSS was expert-coded for EE-Criticism at Time 1 and Time 2, negative sentiment was scored at all three time points. Sentiment and EE-Criticism were moderately correlated (r =.39, p <.001, 95% CI [0.32, 0.46]), and each was similarly correlated with baseline ADHD symptoms (r's range 0.31-0.33, p <.001) and ODD symptoms (r(ODD-EE) = 0.35, p <.001; r(ODD-sentiment = 0.28, p <.001). A longitudinal, cross-lagged panel model revealed that increases over time in parental negative sentiment scores led to increased ODD symptoms. Parent sex (namely fathers, but not mothers) showed an interaction effect of sentiment with ADHD. ADHD and ODD are independently and jointly associated with parental EE-Criticism and negative sentiment assessed by the FMSS cross-sectionally. A recursive effects model is supported for ODD, but for ADHD effects depend on which parent is assessed. For fathers, ADHD was related to negative sentiment in complex manners but for mothers, negative sentiment was related primarily to ODD. Key points: • This study is the largest to date to examine the relationship of expert-coded EE-Criticism with ADHD while controlling for ODD. • Cross sectionally, ADHD is associated with EE-Criticism independently of ODD. • Longitudinally, ADHD and EE-Criticism are not related apart from ODD. • Computer generated negative Sentiment scores based on transcripts of the Five-Minute Speech Sample is also related to ADHD and ODD at similar magnitude as EE-Criticism. • showed a significant predictive relationship with ODD symptom change in younger children but not in older children. • The negative Sentiment score was related to ADHD for fathers but not mothers. • Sentiment scores are a potentially useful addition to the tools available to measure parental implicit representation of their child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study compared the effects of polarized running training adapted to the menstrual cycle (MC) phases versus polarized training adapted contrary to the MC on endurance performance and cardiovascular parameters. Methods: Thirty-three naturally menstruating, moderately trained females (age: 26 ± 4 years; BMI: 22.3 ± 3.2 kg/m2; V ˙ O2max/rel: 40.35 ± 4.61 ml/min/kg) were randomly assigned to a control (CON) and intervention (INT) group. Both groups participated in a load-matched eight-week running training intervention. In the INT, high-intensity sessions were aligned with the mid and late follicular phase, low-intensity sessions with the early and mid-luteal phase, and recovery with the late luteal and early follicular phase. In the CON, high-intensity sessions were matched to the late luteal and early follicular phase, and recovery to the mid and late follicular phase. Endurance performance and cardiovascular parameters were assessed at baseline and after the intervention. Results: Twenty-six females completed the intervention. A repeated measures ANOVA determined no time × group interaction effect for any parameter. A significant time effect was found for maximal oxygen uptake (F(1,12) = 18.753, p = 0.005, ηp2 = 0.630), the velocity at the ventilatory threshold one (F(1,12) = 10.704, p = 0.007, ηp2 = 0.493) and two (F(1,12) = 7.746, p =.018, ηp2 =.413). Conclusion: The training intervention improved endurance performance in both groups, with no further benefit observed from the MC-adapted polarized training in a group-based analysis. Replications with an extended intervention period, a larger sample size, and a more reliable MC determination are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To counteract low physical activity levels in children and adolescents, it is crucial to understand the relevant psychological processes that can promote physical activity in this age group. The Weiss-Harter model focuses on self-esteem as a central construct for physical activity promotion in youth, which mediates the effects of perceived competence and perceived social support on enjoyment and physical activity. However, in two cross-sectional studies, an adapted model was found to have a better model fit in which perceived social support has additional direct effects on physical activity and enjoyment. The purpose of the present study was to compare the original Weiss-Harter model and the adapted model in a prospective study design. Data were based on two assessment waves of the German Motorik-Modul-Study involving 1107 participants (603 female) with a mean age of 13.98 years (SD = 2.03). Participants filled out questionnaires on perceived competence, perceived social support, self-esteem, enjoyment, and moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during the first assessment. MVPA was again assessed about five years later allowing to test whether the models could predict (1) future MVPA and (2) the difference of MVPA from the first to the second assessment. For both research questions, the original Weiss-Harter model (Model 1a: χ2 = 812.44; df = 95; p < 0.01; CFI = 0.905; RMSEA = 0.083; Model 2a: χ2 = 755.29; df = 95; p < 0.01; CFI = 0.910; RMSEA = 0.079) had a worse fit than the adapted model (Model 1b: χ2 = 512.19; df = 93; p < 0.01; CFI = 0.943; RMSEA = 0.065; Model 2b: χ2 = 513.25; df = 93; p < 0.01; CFI = 0.943; RMSEA = 0.064). The results of this study highlight the role of perceived social support for youth MVPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Self-myofascial release (SMR) is a form of self-massage aiming to release tension, improve blood flow, and alleviate muscle soreness. This study aimed to determine whether a single session of SMR could impact cardiovascular parameters at rest and during a cold pressor test (CPT). Methods: Twenty male participants (aged 26 ± 2 years) underwent a 20-min SMR and a 20-min seated control condition (CON) on two separate test days in a randomized order. Peripheral and central blood pressure (BP), total peripheral resistance (TPR), pulse wave velocity (PWV), heart rate (HR), root mean square of successive RR interval differences (RMSSD), and the quotient of low-frequency power and high-frequency power (LF/HF) were measured both at rest and during a CPT before (t0), 2 min (t1), and 20 min (t2) after the SMR and CON. Results: Time × condition interactions could be detected for peripheral and central diastolic BP, TPR, HR, and RMSSD. Following the SMR, peripheral diastolic BP, central diastolic BP, TPR, and RMSSD were reduced, while HR was increased compared to the CON. Regarding the CPT time × condition interactions could be detected for peripheral, and central diastolic BP, with lower values after SMR. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that a single bout of SMR confers favorable cardiovascular benefits in healthy normotensive individuals. Furthermore, SMR can attenuate the hemodynamic reactivity to a stress test. Future research should address whether regular SMR leads to chronic adaptations similar to regular, moderate aerobic exercise, massage therapy, and static stretching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is emblematic of the limitations of existing diagnostic categories. One potential solution, consistent with the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative, is to interrogate psychological mechanisms at the behavioral and physiological level together to try and identify meaningful subgroups within existing categories. Such approaches provide a way to revise diagnostic boundaries and clarify individual variation in mechanisms. Here, we illustrate this approach to help resolve heterogeneity in ADHD using a combination of behaviorally-rated temperament measures from the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire; cognitive performance on three difference conditions of an emotional go/no-go task; and electroencephalogram (EEG)-measured variation in multiple stages of error processing, including the error-related negativity (ERN) and positivity (Pe). In a large (N = 342), well-characterized sample of adolescents with ADHD, latent profile analysis identified two ADHD temperament subgroups: 1) emotionally regulated and 2) emotionally dysregulated (with high negative affect). Cognitive and EEG assessment in a subset of 272 adolescents (nADHD = 151) found that the emotionally dysregulated group showed distinct patterns of change in early neural response to errors (ERN) across emotional task conditions as compared to emotionally-regulated ADHD adolescents and typically-developing controls. Both ADHD groups showed blunted later response to errors (Pe) that was stable across emotional task conditions. Overall, neural response patterns identified important differences in how trait and state emotion interact to affect cognitive processing. Results highlight important temperament variation within ADHD that helps clarify its relationship to the ERN, one of the most prominent putative neural biomarkers for psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting active travel is key to achieving the sustainable development goals of sustainable communities, climate action, and health and well-being. Walking and non-motorized vehicle use (e.g., cycling, longboarding) are influenced by the perceptions of the neighborhood environment. However, most evidence is limited to studies conducted in urban areas. This study aims to assess the relationship between perceived environment and walking as well as non-motorized vehicle use stratified across different levels of urbanicity in adolescents in Germany. Cross-sectional data of 3976 adolescents aged 11–17 (51% female) from the nationwide Motorik-Modul Longitudinal Study in Germany were used. Age, gender, socioeconomic status, neighborhood environment perceptions, duration of walking, and non-motorized vehicle use were assessed via questionnaire. Separate cumulative link mixed models were calculated to analyze the relationships between environment perceptions and walking as well as non-motorized vehicle use across rural areas, small towns, medium-sized towns, and cities. The presence of public sports facilities was related to both walking and non-motorized vehicle use across urbanicity levels. Relationships with other aspects of the perceived environment, such as traffic safety concerns and walking or cycling infrastructure, were more context-specific meaning that associations differed based on active travel mode and urbanicity level. Additionally, non-motorized vehicle use differed considerably across sample points. To conclude, when creating active and sustainable environments for active travel, it is crucial to target specific travel modes and take the urbanicity and regional context into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses a major challenge to people and ecosystems and calls for action across all areas to contribute to a sustainable transformation of society. To shape this transformation, it is crucial that teachers implement education for sustainable development (ESD) in schools for a more sustainable future generation, which also applies to physical education (PE) teachers. However, little is known about PE teachers' beliefs, a key dimension of professional competence, regarding the implementation of ESD in PE. Hence, the goal of this study was to 1) develop a scale to capture PE teachers' beliefs about the relevance of sustainable development generally and in the context of PE, and 2) investigate its psychometric properties and criterion validity. The analysis using exploratory structural equation modeling in a cross-sectional sample of 206 preservice teachers resulted in a 10-item instrument with good psychometric properties (comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.976; root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.047; standardized root mean square residual [SRMR] = 0.057) and reliability across three factors: a) general beliefs about the relevance of sustainable development, b) positive, and c) critical subject-specific beliefs about sustainable development in PE. Based on the value-belief-norm theory, criterion validity was confirmed through associations between biospheric values and beliefs. We conclude that the newly developed scale is appropriate for assessing PE teacher's beliefs about the implementation of ESD in PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wim Hof method (WHM) is a multi-disciplinary approach to physical and mental well-being combining cold exposure, breathing exercises, and meditation. This study evaluated the effects of a 15 days WHM intervention on cardiovascular parameters at rest and during a cold pressor test (CPT), as well as on various psychological parameters. Forty two participants were randomized into an intervention (IG) and a control group. Throughout the 15 days intervention, the IG performed the WHM daily. Before and after the intervention, systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse wave velocity (PWV), heart rate (HR), root mean sum of squared distance (RMSSD), and standard deviation of RR-intervals (SDNN) were assessed at rest and during a CPT. Furthermore, perceived stress (PSS), positive affect (PANAS+), negative affect (PANAS−), and subjective vitality (trait (SVSt) and state (SVSs)) was determined. No significant time × group interactions could be detected in HR (p = 0.709); RMSSD (p = 0.820), SDNN (p = 0.186), SBP (p = 0.839), DBP (p = 0.318), PWV (p = 0.983), PANAS+ (p = 0.427), PANAS− (p = 0.614), SVSt (p = 0.760), SVSs (p = 0.366), and PSS (p = 0.364). No significant time × group effects could be detected during the CPT (ΔHR: p = 0.596; ΔSBP: p = 0.366; ΔDBP: p = 0.999; ΔPWV: p = 0.635; perceived pain: p = 0.231). Performing the WHM daily did not exert positive effects on cardiovascular and psychological parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Placing a stronger focus on subject-specific responses to footwear may lead to a better functional understanding of footwear's effect on running and its influence on comfort perception, performance, and pathogenesis of injuries. We investigated subject-specific responses to different footwear conditions within ground reaction force (GRF) data during running using a machine learning-based approach. We conducted our investigation in three steps, guided by the following hypotheses: (I) For each subject x footwear combination, unique GRF patterns can be identified. (II) For each subject, unique GRF characteristics can be identified across footwear conditions. (III) For each footwear condition, unique GRF characteristics can be identified across subjects. Thirty male subjects ran ten times at their preferred (self-selected) speed on a level and approximately 15 m long runway in four footwear conditions (barefoot and three standardised running shoes). We recorded three-dimensional GRFs for one right-foot stance phase per running trial and classified the GRFs using support vector machines. The highest median prediction accuracy of 96.2% was found for the subject x footwear classification (hypothesis I). Across footwear conditions, subjects could be discriminated with a median prediction accuracy of 80.0%. Across subjects, footwear conditions could be discriminated with a median prediction accuracy of 87.8%. Our results suggest that, during running, responses to footwear are unique to each subject and footwear design. As a result, considering subject-specific responses can contribute to a more differentiated functional understanding of footwear effects. Incorporating holistic analyses of biomechanical data is auspicious for the evaluation of (subject-specific) footwear effects, as unique interactions between subjects and footwear manifest in versatile ways. The applied machine learning methods have demonstrated their great potential to fathom subject-specific responses when evaluating and recommending footwear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor metabolic health during pregnancy is associated with health concerns for pregnant individuals and their offspring. Lower socioeconomic status (SES) is one risk factor for poor metabolic health, and may be related to limited access to healthful and affordable foods (e.g., living in a food desert). This study evaluates the respective contributions of SES and food desert severity on metabolic health during pregnancy. The food desert severity of 302 pregnant individuals was determined using the United States Department of Agriculture Food Access Research Atlas. SES was measured using total household income adjusted for household size, years of education, and amount of reserve savings. Information about participants' glucose concentrations one hour following an oral glucose tolerance test during the second trimester was extracted from medical records and percent adiposity during the second trimester was assessed using air displacement plethysmography. Information about participants' nutritional intake during the second trimester was obtained by trained nutritionists via three unannounced 24-h dietary recalls. Structural equation models showed that lower SES predicted higher food desert severity (β = − 0.20, p = 0.008) and higher adiposity (β = − 0.27, p = 0.016) and consumption of a more pro-inflammatory diet (β = − 0.25, p = 0.003) during the second trimester of pregnancy. Higher food desert severity also predicted higher percent adiposity during the second trimester (β = 0.17, p = 0.013). Food desert severity significantly mediated the relationship between lower SES and higher percent adiposity during the second trimester (βindirect = − 0.03, 95% CI [− 0.079, − 0.004]). These findings indicate that access to healthful and affordable foods is a mechanism by which SES contributes to adiposity during pregnancy and may inform interventions intended to improve metabolic health during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parenting practices and parental symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been linked to severity and course of youth ADHD. However, genetically influenced behaviors related to ADHD in youth may also influence parenting behaviors. Polygenic scores (PGS) have been widely used to quantify genetic vulnerability for ADHD but has rarely been used to examine gene-environment correlation effects. The current study examined the direct effects of youth ADHD PGS and its evocative effects on parenting behaviors via youth ADHD symptoms. 803 youth aged 6–18 years (58.5% male) completed a multistage, multi-informant assessment that included measures of parenting practices and youth and parental ADHD symptoms. A mediation model was used to evaluate direct and evocative effects. Furthermore, we examined if these evocative effects remain after controlling for parental ADHD symptoms. Sensitivity analyses across age, sex, and socioeconomic status (SES) as well as restricting ancestry groups to European only ancestry were also conducted. Results indicated that youth ADHD PGS reliably predicted youth ADHD symptoms across all models (βs ranging from 0.18 to 0.26), including across age, sex, and SES and held even with ancestry restricted to the largest group (northern European). Evocative effects emerged such that higher youth PGS significantly predicted more youth ADHD symptoms, which in turn, significantly predicted lower levels of parental involvement and higher levels of poor supervision/monitoring and inconsistent discipline. These effects remained after controlling for parent ADHD symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tested whether multiple domains of social adversity, including neighborhood opportunity/deprivation and life stress, moderate genetic (A), common environmental (C), and unique environmental (E) influences on externalizing behaviors in 760 same-sex twin pairs (332 monozygotic; 428 dizygotic) ages 10–11 from the ABCD Study. Proportion of C influences on externalizing behavior increased at higher neighborhood adversity (lower overall opportunity). A decreased and C and E increased at lower levels of educational opportunity. A increased at lower health-environment and social-economic opportunity levels. For life stress, A decreased and E increased with number of experienced events. Results for educational opportunity and stressful life experiences suggest a bioecological gene-environment interaction pattern such that environmental influences predominate at higher levels of adversity, whereas limited access to healthcare, housing, and employment stability may potentiate genetic liability for externalizing behavior via a diathesis-stress mechanism. More detailed operationalization of social adversity in gene-environment interaction studies is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Recently, a number of studies have explored the possible attenuation of the immune response by disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our study objective was to investigate the presumed attenuated humoral response to vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with RA treated with Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors with or without methotrexate (MTX). The immune responses were compared with controls without RA. Method: The humoral vaccination response was evaluated by determining titres of neutralising antibodies against the S1 antigen of SARS-CoV-2. One hundred and thirteen fully vaccinated individuals were included at 6 ± 1 weeks after second vaccination (BioNTech/Pfizer (69.9%), AstraZeneca (21.2%), and Moderna (8.9%)). In a cross-sectional and single-centre study design, we compared titres of neutralising antibodies between patients with (n = 51) and without (n = 62) medication with JAK inhibitors. Results: Treatment with JAK inhibitors led to a significantly reduced humoral response to vaccination (P = 0.004). A maximum immune response was seen in 77.4% of control patients, whereas this percentage was reduced to 54.9% in study participants on medication with JAK inhibitors (effect size d = 0.270). Further subanalyses revealed that patients on combination treatment (JAK inhibitors and MTX, 9 of 51 subjects) demonstrated an even significantly impaired immune response as compared to patients on monotherapy with JAK inhibitors (P = 0.028; d = 0.267). Conclusions: JAK inhibitors significantly reduce the humoral response following dual vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. The combination with MTX causes an additional, significant reduction in neutralising IgG titres. Our data suggest cessation of JAK inhibitors in patients with RA in the context of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. Key Points • It was shown that DMARD therapy with JAK inhibitors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis leads to an attenuation of the humoral vaccination response against SARS-CoV-2. • The effect under medication with JAK inhibitors was significant compared to the control group and overall moderate. • The combination of JAK inhibitors with MTX led to an additive and significant attenuation of the humoral response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of the self-concept through increasing perspectives, identities, resources, and efficacy is known as self-expansion and typically involves novelty, challenge, interest, and/or excitement. Self-expansion is positively associated with health factors including self-reported physical activity (PA). This study is the first to investigate self-expansion and daily PA, and with a PA monitor. Fifty community participants completed baseline questionnaires, wore a Fitbit One and completed daily self-report questionnaires for 28 days, and completed follow-up questionnaires. Daily surveys included questions about both general and PA-specific self-expansion. Across the 4 weeks, steps taken was positively correlated with both general (all maximum likelihood r = 0.17) and PA-specific self-expansion (maximum likelihood rs of 0.15 and 0.16), and PA-specific self-expansion was positively correlated (maximum likelihood rs of 0.38 and 0.50) with aerobic activity. Future research should investigate this relationship in a larger more diverse sample and test whether PA-specific self-expansion can be utilized as an acceptable, feasible, and effective intervention to increase daily steps and other forms of PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common and debilitating neurodevelopmental disorder influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, typically identified in the school-age years but hypothesized to have developmental origins beginning in utero. To improve current strategies for prediction, prevention and treatment, a central challenge is to delineate how, at a molecular level, genetic and environmental influences jointly shape ADHD risk, phenotypic presentation, and developmental course. Epigenetic processes that regulate gene expression, such as DNA methylation, have emerged as a promising molecular system in the search for both biomarkers and mechanisms to address this challenge. In this Current Opinion, we discuss the relevance of epigenetics (specifically DNA methylation) for ADHD research and clinical practice, starting with the current state of knowledge, what challenges we have yet to overcome, and what the future may hold in terms of methylation-based applications for personalized medicine in ADHD. We conclude that the field of epigenetics and ADHD is promising but is still in its infancy, and the potential for transformative translational applications remains a distant goal. Nevertheless, rapid methodological advances, together with the rise of collaborative science and increased availability of high-quality, longitudinal data make this a thriving research area that in future may contribute to the development of new tools for improved prediction, management, and treatment of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current investigation extended prior cross-sectional mapping of etiological factors, transdiagnostic effortful and affective traits, and ADHD symptoms to longitudinal pathways extending from two etiological domains: polygenic and prenatal risk. Hypotheses were (1) genetic risk for ADHD would be related to inattentive ADHD symptoms in adolescence and mediated by childhood effortful control; (2) prenatal smoking would be related to hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms during childhood and mediated by childhood surgency; and (3) there would be age-related variation, such that mediation of genetic risk would be larger for older than younger ages, whereas mediation of prenatal risk would be larger in earlier childhood than at later ages. Participants were 849 children drawn from the Oregon ADHD-1000 Cohort, which used a case control sample and an accelerated longitudinal design to track development from childhood (at year 1 ages 7–13) through adolescence (at year 6 ages 13–19). Results showed the mediational pathway from prenatal smoking through surgency to hyperactivity-impulsivity at Year 1 was significant (indirect effect estimate =.053, p <.01). The mediational pathway from polygenic risk through effortful control to inattention at Year 6 was also significant (indirect effect estimate =.084, p <.01). Both results were independent of the association between inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity and control for the alternative etiological input and held across parent- and teacher-report of ADHD symptoms. In line with dual pathway models of ADHD, early prenatal risk for hyperactivity-impulsivity appears to operate through surgency, while polygenic genetic risk for inattention appears mediated by effortful control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Little is known about behavioral transfer and compensation within and between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior. Thus, taking a within-person perspective, this study investigated across 1 week whether (a) children and adolescents compensate for increased MVPA and sedentary behavior with less of the respective behavior the next day and (b) transfer and compensation occur between these behaviors within 1 day and across 2 days. We obtained data from 2676 participants (6–17 years) of the national Motorik-Modul (MoMo) study in Germany. Participants wore an ActiGraph accelerometer (Pensacola, FL, USA) for 7 days. We analyzed within- and between-day associations using hierarchical linear modeling. If youth engaged in 2 h more sedentary behavior than typical on any given day, they engaged in 37.20 min less MVPA the same day (B = −0.31, p < 0.001) as well as in 4.80 min more MVPA (B = 0.04, p < 0.001) and 7.20 min less sedentary behavior (B = −0.06, p < 0.001) the next day. If youth engaged in 1 h more MVPA than typical on any given day, they engaged in 97.80 min less sedentary behavior the same day (B = −1.63, p < 0.001) and in 5.40 min less sedentary behavior the next day (B = −0.09, p < 0.001). No association with next-day MVPA was observed. Our results indicate that children do not compensate for enhanced MVPA but transfer to less sedentary behavior, while more sedentary behavior is compensated with less sedentary behavior and more MVPA the next day. This provides essential information for the design of intervention studies to tackle physical inactivity and sedentary behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the humoral response to vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate (MTX). In total, 142 fully vaccinated individuals were included at 6 ± 1 weeks after their second vaccination [BioNTech/Pfizer (70.4%), AstraZeneca (20.4%), and Moderna (9.2%)]. The primary goal was to assess the humoral immune response as measured by titres of neutralising antibodies against the S1 antigen of SARS-CoV-2. In a cross-sectional, single-centre study, titres were compared between patient subgroups with (n = 80) and without (n = 62) methotrexate exposure. MTX patients showed a significantly reduced humoral response to vaccination in the oldest patient subgroup (> 70 years: P = 0.038), whereas titres of neutralising antibodies were not significantly different between MTX and non-MTX patients in patients less than 70 years of age (< 56 years: P = 0.234; 56–70 years: P = 0.446). In patients > 70 years, non-MTX patients showed a maximum immune response in 76.5% of cases, whereas this percentage was reduced to 53.7% in study participants on MTX medication (effect size d = 0.21). Older age in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in combination with methotrexate results in a significantly reduced humoral response after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. Our data underline the importance of age regarding the humoral response and may support the temporary cessation of methotrexate, particularly in elderly patients in the context of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about physical, physiological, and psychological performance indicators predicting recreational athletes' performance. This information may motivate players to become more active and inform coaches where to focus to build confidence, cohesion, and cooperation. This study investigated which performance indicators were related to the plus-minus statistic in German recreational ice hockey players (n = 20 players; 1 female; mean age = 36.25 ± 12.91 years; height = 178.85 ± 8.64 cm; weight = 81.36 ± 12.89 kg; mean years of ice hockey experience = 5.68 ± 8.93) over a season. Anthropometrics, psychological and on-ice performance data were collected mid-season and plus-minus were recorded after each game. Due to the small sample size, significance interpretations are not meaningful; therefore, Cohen's guidelines were used for r = 0.2 (small), r = 0.5 (medium) and r = 0.8 (large). Medium size positive correlations of plus/minus were found for push-ups (r = 0.52) and squats (r = 0.37). Small positive correlations were found for shot speed (r = 0.33), competitiveness orientation (r = 0.28), and years on team (r = 0.23). Small negative correlations were found for win orientation (r = −0.30), body mass index (r = −0.28), task cohesion (r = −0.24), and percent body fat (r = −0.20). Some performance and psychological indicators are related to recreational ice hockey players' plus-minus statistic over a season. Coaches and players of recreational teams should focus on muscular strength and endurance, shooting speed, body composition, and enjoying the challenge of competition while lowering their win orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the corresponding change between psycho-social predictors and physical activity (PA) behavior and if these relationships were dependent on the stages of change from the Transtheoretical Model in Minority American adolescents. We conducted a longitudinal field study with N = 357 students aged 13–18 years (M = 14.24 years, SD = 0.88); predominantly Filipino (61.2%) using a test–retest design assessing psycho-social PA predictors (enjoyment, self-efficacy, family support, friends' support, knowledge, stage of change) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at two time points over six months. Hierarchical regression results indicated that a positive change of enjoyment, knowledge about PA and family support predicted a change of MVPA, independently of stage. The time-varying covariation showed the importance of the current stage of change for enjoyment, self-efficacy and support of friends for a change of MVPA. Overall, our findings suggest that an individual's current stage of change should be considered to determine individually appropriate starting points and goals for designing interventions to promote PA among Minority American adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to examine the effects of a 16-week multimodal exercise program (MEP) on activities of daily living (ADL) in individuals with dementia (IWD). Furthermore, we investigated the participants' individual response to the MEP and whether baseline cognitive and motor performance explain ADL performance. We conducted a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 319 participants aged ≥ 65 years with mild to moderate dementia. ADL were assessed at baseline and after the 16-week intervention using the Barthel Index (BI), the Erlangen Test of Activities of Daily Living (E-ADL) and the 7‑item Physical Performance Test (PPT-7). We additionally assessed cognitive and motor performance using standardized and validated assessments. Intervention effects were examined through two-factor analysis of variance with repeated measurements applying a per protocol and an intention-to-treat analysis. We compared baseline cognitive and motor performance between positive-responders (positive-R), non-responders (non-R), and negative-responders (negative-R) and examined cognitive and motor performance as potential cofounders of ADL by conducting multiple regression analyses. There were no significant time×group effects on ADL. Between 20 and 32% of participants responded positively to the intervention, i.e., improved ADL performance from baseline to follow-up. Positive-R had worse baseline motor performance compared to non-R. Cognitive and motor performance explained up to 51.4% of variance in ADL. The MEP had no significant overall effect on ADL in IWD. This may be related to insufficient exercise intensity. However, our results indicate that the response to the MEP depends on individual prerequisites which should thus be considered in further research on individual exercise approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relational structure of psychological symptoms and disorders is of crucial importance to mechanistic and causal research. Methodologically, factor analytic approaches (latent variable modeling) and network analyses are two dominant approaches. Amidst some debate about their relative merits, use of both methods simultaneously in the same data set has rarely been reported in child or adolescent psychopathology. A second issue is that the nosological structure can be enriched by inclusion of transdiagnostic constructs, such as neurocognition (e.g., executive functions and other processes). These cut across traditional diagnostic boundaries and are rarely included even though they can help map the mechanistic architecture of psychopathology. Using a sample enriched for ADHD (n = 498 youth ages 6 to 17 years; M = 10.8 years, SD = 2.3 years, 55% male), both approaches were used in two ways: (a) to model symptom structure and (b) to model seven neurocognitive domains hypothesized as important transdiagnostic features in ADHD and associated disorders. The structure of psychopathology domains was similar across statistical approaches with internalizing, externalizing, and neurocognitive performance clusters. Neurocognition remained a distinct domain according to both methods, showing small to moderate associations with internalizing and externalizing domains in latent variable models and high connectivity in network analyses. Overall, the latent variable and network approaches yielded more convergent than discriminant findings, suggesting that both may be complementary tools for evaluating the utility of transdiagnostic constructs for psychopathology research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Only limited data are available on the risk of liver fibrosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis on long-term methotrexate treatment. To assess the risk of liver fibrosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate, non-invasive, ultrasound-based elastography [acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging] was applied. Methods: In total, 119 patients were assessed using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging between July 2018 and April 2019. In a cross-sectional, single-centre study design, ARFI scores were compared between patient subgroups with (n = 65) and without (n = 54) methotrexate exposure. The main outcome variable was the mean fibrosis score as measured by the ARFI method. The mean shear wave velocity was calculated from 10 valid ARFI measurements for each patient. Inferential statistical analyses (between group) were performed using ANOVA for independent samples in the case of continuous outcome variables. Results: Sixty-five patients with and fifty-four patients without MTX exposure were assessed using the ARFI elastography method. Participating patients on MTX medication (1.113 m/s) showed ARFI scores that were comparable to those of participants without MTX exposure (1.062 m/s); P = 0.228. The mean cumulative dose in the group of MTX-exposed patients was 3602 mg. Conclusion: The mean value of the repeated determination of liver density using ARFI imaging did not differ significantly between the MTX-exposed and MTX-naive patients with RA. No increased rate of liver fibrosis was found among RA patients treated with MTX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large lacustrine mass movements and delta collapses are increasingly being considered as potential tsunamigenic sources and therefore hazardous for the population and infrastructure along lakeshores. Although historical reports document tsunami events in several lakes in Switzerland, and although the propagation of lake tsunamis has been studied by numerical wave modeling, only little is known about on- and offshore lacustrine tsunami deposits. In Lake Sils, Switzerland, a large prehistoric mass-movement deposit originating from the Isola Delta with a minimum estimated volume of 6.5 × 106 m3 and a basinal thickness of > 6 m in the seismic record has been identified by previous studies and radiocarbon dated to around 700 Common Era. Here, we combine (i) comprehensive sedimentological investigation of sediment cores recovered from the on- and offshore settings, (ii) mineralogical fingerprinting of the inflows from key catchments to characterize sediment provenance, and (iii) numerical tsunami modeling, to test the hypothesis of a tsunamigenic delta collapse in Lake Sils. We observe a clastic event deposit consisting of coarse-grained, fining-upward sand overlying an organic-rich peat deposit in the shallow water. This layer thins and fines landward on the coastal plain. Toward the deeper water (20–40 m), the deposit transforms into a thicker and more heterogeneous sediment package with multiple sequences of fining-upward sand and a well-pronounced clay cap at the top. Radiocarbon dating of the peat underlying the event deposit yields a maximum age of 225–419 calibrated Common Era. The tsunami models, which indicate wave heights reaching up to 5 m, simulate areas of inundation that coincide with the location of event deposits. Based on our results, we propose that the historically undocumented Isola Delta collapse generated a basin-wide tsunami that inundated the lakeshore, transporting large amounts of unconsolidated sediment along the lakeshore toward the coastal plain and into the deeper lake basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focal adhesions (FAs) are flat elongated structures that mediate cell migration and link the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. Along the vertical axis FAs were shown to be composed of three layers. We used structured illumination microscopy to examine the longitudinal distribution of four hallmark FA proteins, which we also used as markers for these layers. At the FA ends pointing towards the adherent membrane edge (heads), bottom layer protein paxillin protruded, while at the opposite ends (tails) intermediate layer protein vinculin and top layer proteins zyxin and VASP extended further. At the tail tips, only intermediate layer protein vinculin protruded. Importantly, head and tail compositions were altered during HGF-induced scattering with paxillin heads being shorter and zyxin tails longer. Additionally, FAs at protruding or retracting membrane edges had longer paxillin heads than FAs at static edges. These data suggest that redistribution of FA-proteins with respect to each other along FAs is involved in cell movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, increasing the midsole bending stiffness (MBS) of running shoes by embedding carbon fibre plates in the midsole resulted in many world records set during long-distance running competitions. Although several theories were introduced to unravel the mechanisms behind these performance benefits, no definitive explanation was provided so far. This study aimed to investigate how the function of the gastrocnemius medialis (GM) muscle and Achilles tendon is altered when running in shoes with increased MBS. Here, we provide the first direct evidence that the amount and velocity of GM muscle fascicle shortening is reduced when running with increased MBS. Compared to control, running in the stiffest condition at 90% of speed at lactate threshold resulted in less muscle fascicle shortening (p = 0.006, d = 0.87), slower average shortening velocity (p = 0.002, d = 0.93) and greater estimated Achilles tendon energy return (p ≤ 0.001, d = 0.96), without a significant change in GM fascicle work (p = 0.335, d = 0.40) or GM energy cost (p = 0.569, d = 0.30). The findings of this study suggest that running in stiff shoes allows the ankle plantarflexor muscle–tendon unit to continue to operate on a more favourable position of the muscle's force–length–velocity relationship by lowering muscle shortening velocity and increasing tendon energy return. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of COVID-19 on social life has been drastic and global. However, the different numbers of cases and different actions in different countries have been leading to various interesting yet unexplored effects on human behavior. In the present study, we compare the physical activity and recreational screen time of a representative sample of 1711 4- to 17-year-olds before and during the strictest time of the first COVID-19 lockdown in Germany. We found that sports activity declined whereas recreational screen time increased. However, a substantial increase in habitual physical activities leads to an overall increase in physical activity among children and adolescents in Germany. The effects differ in size but not in their direction between age groups and are stable for boys and girls. We conclude from this natural experiment that physical activity among children and adolescents is highly context-driven and mutual and does not act as a functional opposite to recreational screen time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Of Review: Evidence is growing for the positive effects of technology-delivered diabetes self-care interventions on behavioral and clinical outcomes. However, our understanding of how to effectively implement these interventions into routine clinical practice is limited. This article provides an overview of the methods and results of studies examining the implementation of technology-delivered diabetes self-care interventions into clinical care. We focus specifically on patient-facing behavioral interventions delivered with technology (e.g., text messaging, apps, websites).Recent Findings: Eleven articles were included in the review. Most studies (n = 9) examined barriers and facilitators to implementation, while about half (n = 5) integrated the intervention into clinical care and evaluated implementation and/or effectiveness. Only six studies applied a theory or framework. The most common determinants of implementation were time constraints for clinic staff, familiarity with technology, knowledge of the intervention, and perceived value. We found substantial variation in implementation outcomes, including which were reported, how they were assessed, and the results. In the four studies that evaluated effectiveness, hemoglobin A1c improved. Successful implementation of technology-delivered interventions has the potential to transform healthcare delivery and improve diabetes health on a population level. Promising strategies to address common determinants of implementation include appointing a clinic champion, developing staff training and educational materials, and adapting intervention processes to the clinic context. Future research should evaluate these implementation strategies to understand when and how they impact outcomes. Frameworks such as Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance (RE-AIM) can help ensure outcomes are systematically reported and allow for comparison across studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts to parse ADHD's heterogeneity in the DSM system has generally relied on subtypes, or presentations, based on different symptom combinations. Promising recent work has suggested that biologically-relevant and clinically predictive subgroups may be identified via an alternative feature set based on either a) temperament traits or b) executive function measures. Yet, the potential additive ability of these domains for specifying ADHD sub-phenotypes remains unknown. We thus sought to determine whether temperament traits and executive function, together, could facilitate a more nuanced and clinically meaningful subgrouping of children with ADHD. Participants included 828 children aged 7–11 years (62% with ADHD, 38% female). Latent profile and community detection analyses using both temperament and cognitive input features provided support for a primarily temperament-based three-subgroup solution (i.e., "Mild," "Irritable," and "Surgent"), although the distinction between Surgent and Mild subgroups may have been better explained as an ADHD symptom severity effect. There was also evidence of a five-subgroup solution, in which cognitive measures differentiated the Surgent subgroup into those with and without cognitive impairment. Cognitive measures also appeared to differentiate the Irritable subgroup based on severity, although differences in resulting subgroups appeared better explained via differences in negative affect and shyness. Subgroups within the five-subgroup solution meaningfully differed with respect to concurrent comorbidity. The utility of the five-subgroup solution for predicting comorbid diagnoses 2 years later was more limited. Additional work is needed to fully characterize the integration of cognitive and affective functioning in ADHD and their overlapping or additive value for clinical prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individual compliances of the foot-shoe interface have been suggested to store and release elastic strain energy via ligamentous and tendinous structures or by increased midsole bending stiffness (MBS), compression stiffness, and resilience of running shoes. It is unknown, however, how these compliances interact with each other when the MBS of a running shoe is increased. The purpose of this study was to investigate how structures of the foot-shoe interface are influenced during running by changes to the MBS of sport shoes. Methods: A randomised crossover trial was performed, where 13 male, recreational runners ran on an instrumented treadmill at 3.5 m·s−1 while motion capture was used to estimate foot arch, plantar muscle-tendon unit (pMTU), and shank muscle-tendon unit (sMTU) behaviour in two conditions: (1) control shoe and (2) the same shoe with carbon fibre plates inserted to increase the MBS. Results: Running in a shoe with increased MBS resulted in less deformation of the arch (mean ± SD; stiff, 7.26 ± 1.78°; control, 8.84 ± 2.87°; p ≤ 0.05), reduced pMTU shortening (stiff, 4.39 ± 1.59 mm; control, 6.46 ± 1.42 mm; p ≤ 0.01), and lower shortening velocities of the pMTU (stiff, − 0.21 ± 0.03 m·s−1; control, − 0.30 ± 0.05 m·s−1; p ≤ 0.01) and sMTU (stiff, − 0.35 ± 0.08 m·s−1; control, − 0.45 ± 0.11 m·s−1; p ≤ 0.001) compared to a control condition. The positive and net work performed at the arch and pMTU, and the net work at the sMTU were significantly lower in the stiff compared to the control condition. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that if a compliance of the foot-shoe interface is altered during running (e.g. by increasing the MBS of a shoe), the mechanics of other structures change as well. This could potentially affect long-distance running performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a promising cancer binary therapy modality that utilizes the nuclear capture reaction of thermal neutrons by boron-10 resulting in a localized release of high- and low-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is based on electroporation (EP) that induces opening of pores in cell membranes, allowing the entry of compounds. Because EP is applied locally to a tumor, the compound is incorporated preferentially by tumor cells. Based on the knowledge that the therapeutic success of BNCT depends centrally on the boron content in tumor and normal tissues and that EP has proven to be an excellent facilitator of tumor biodistribution of an anti-tumor agent, the aim of this study was to evaluate if EP can optimize the delivery of boronated compounds. We performed biodistribution studies and qualitative microdistribution analyses of boron employing the boron compound sodium decahydrodecaborate (GB-10) + EP in the hamster cheek pouch oral cancer model. Syrian hamsters with chemically induced exophytic squamous cell carcinomas were used. A typical EP treatment was applied to each tumor, varying the moment of application with respect to the administration of GB-10 (early or late). The results of this study showed a significant increase in the absolute and relative tumor boron concentration and optimization of the qualitative microdistribution of boron by the use of early EP + GB-10 versus GB-10 without EP. This strategy could be a tool to improve the therapeutic efficacy of BNCT/GB-10 in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humid tropical landscapes are subject to intense weathering and erosion, which strongly influence sediment mobilisation and deposition. In this setting, we aimed to understand how geomorphology and hydroclimate altered the style and intensity of erosion and sediment composition in a tropical lake and its tectonically active catchment. Lake Towuti (2.75°S, 121.5°E) is one of the oldest and deepest lakes in Indonesia, with uninterrupted lacustrine sedimentation over several glacial-interglacial cycles. Here we present results from a novel set of Lake Towuti surface sediment, bedrock and soil samples from the catchment, and two existing sediment cores that extend to 30,000 and 60,000 years before present. We studied the catchment morphology, soil properties, geochemistry, and clay and bulk mineralogy. Results from several river long profiles show clear signs of tectonic activity, which enhances river incision, favours mass movement processes, and together with remobilisation of fluvial deposits, strongly influences modern sedimentation in the lake. Material from the Mahalona River, the lake's largest inflow, dominates modern sediment composition in Towuti's northern basin. The river transports Al-poor and Mg-rich sediments (mainly serpentines) to the lake, indicating river incision into the Mg-rich serpentinised peridotite bedrock. Relatively small, but important additional contributions of material, come from direct laterite-derived input and the Loeha River, which both provide Al-rich and Mg-poor sediment to the lake. Over time, the Al/Mg and kaolinite-to-serpentine ratios varied strongly, primarily in response to lake-level fluctuations driven by hydroclimatic changes. In the past 60,000 years, both the Al/Mg and kaolinite-to-serpentine ratios showed variations sensitive to changes in climate boundary conditions across glacial-interglacial cycles, while tectonic activity had less influence on changes in sediment composition on these short time-scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Etiological investigations of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and disruptive behavior problems support multiple causal pathways, including involvement of pre- and perinatal risk factors. Because these risks occur early in life, well before observable ADHD and externalizing symptoms emerge, the relation between risk and symptoms may be mediated by neurodevelopmental effects that manifest later in neuropsychological functioning. However, potential dissociable effects of pre/perinatal risk elements on ADHD and familial confounds must also be considered to test alternative hypotheses. 498 youth aged 6-17 years (55.0 % male) completed a multi-stage, multi-informant assessment including parent and teacher symptom reports of symptoms and parent ratings of pre/perinatal health risk indicators. Youth completed a neuropsychological testing battery. Multiple mediation models examined direct effects of pre- and perinatal health risk on ADHD and other disruptive behavior disorder symptoms and indirect effects via neuropsychological functioning. Parental ADHD symptoms and externalizing status was covaried to control for potential familial effects. Effects of prenatal substance exposure on inattention were mediated by memory span and temporal processing deficits. Further, effects of perinatal health risk on inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and ODD were mediated by deficits in response variability and temporal processing. Further, maternal health risks during pregnancy appeared to exert direct rather than indirect effects on outcomes. Results suggest that after controlling for familial relatedness of ADHD between parent and child, early developmental health risks may influence ADHD via effects on neuropsychological processes underpinning the disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time is ripe for upgrading or rethinking the assumed paradigms for how we study developmental psychopathology. The classic transactional models appear robust but need specification in terms of biological and psychosocial processes. That specification is increasingly tractable due to developments in genetics, epigenetics, the measurement of psychosocial processes, and theory and data on developmental origins of health and disease. This essay offers a high-level view of where the field has been and where it may be going in regard to nosology and conceptions of etiology. Remarks seek to consider rapidly evolving contexts not only for children, but also for the science itself due to progress in our field and in neighboring fields. Illustrations are provided as to how syndromal nosology can be enriched and advanced by careful integration with biologically relevant behavioral dimensions and application of quantitative methods. It is concluded that a revised, forward-looking, transactional model of abnormal child psychology will incorporate prenatal and postnatal developmental programming, epigenetic mechanisms and their associated genotype x environment interactions, and inflammatory processes as a potential common mediator influencing numerous health and mental health conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early environmental influences are increasingly of interest in understanding ADHD as a neurodevelopmental condition, particularly in light of recognition that gene by environment interplay are likely involved in this condition. Breastfeeding duration predicts cognitive development, as well as development of brain white matter connectivity, in areas similar to those seen in ADHD. Prior studies show an association between breastfeeding and ADHD but without adequate evaluation of ADHD. A case control cohort of 474 children aged 7-13 years was examined, 291 with well characterized ADHD (71.5 % male) and the rest typically developing controls (51.9 % male). Mothers retrospectively reported on breast feeding initiation and duration. Initiation of breastfeeding was not associated with child ADHD, but shorter duration of breastfeeding was associated with child ADHD with a medium effect size (d = 0.40, p < 0.05); this effect held after covarying a broad set of potential confounders, including child oppositional defiant and conduct problems and including maternal and paternal ADHD symptoms. Effects were replicated across both parent and teacher ratings of child ADHD symptoms. Shorter duration of breastfeeding is among several risk factors in early life associated with future ADHD, or else longer duration is protective. The direction of this effect is unknown, however. It may be that some children are more difficult to breastfeed or that breastfeeding provides nutrients or other benefits that reduce future chance of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ineffective parenting practices may maintain or exacerbate attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and shape subsequent development of disruptive behavior disorders (DBD's) in youth with ADHD. Recent theoretical models have suggested that parenting may exert effects on ADHD via its role in child temperament. The current study aimed to evaluate the indirect effects of parenting dimensions on child ADHD symptoms via child temperament. Youth ages 6-17 years (N = 498; 50.4 % ADHD, 55 % male) completed a multi-stage, multi-informant assessment that included parent, child, and teacher report measures of parenting practices, child temperament, and ADHD symptoms. Statistical models examined the direct and indirect effects of maternal and paternal involvement, poor supervision, and inconsistent discipline on inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity via child temperament and personality traits. Results indicated differential patterns of effect for negative and positive parenting dimensions. First, inconsistent discipline exerted indirect effects on both ADHD symptom dimensions via child conscientiousness, such that higher levels of inconsistency predicted lower levels of conscientiousness, which in turn, predicted greater ADHD symptomatology. Similarly, poor supervision also exerted indirect effects on inattention via child conscientiousness as well as significant indirect effects on hyperactivity-impulsivity via its impact on both child reactive control and conscientiousness. In contrast, primarily direct effects of positive parenting (i.e., involvement) on ADHD emerged. Secondary checks revealed that similar pathways may also emerge for comorbid disruptive behavior disorders. Current findings extend upon past work by examining how parenting practices influence child ADHD via with-in child mechanisms and provide support for multi-pathway models accounting for heterogeneity in the disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are commonly comorbid, share genetic liability, and often exhibit overlapping cognitive impairments. Clarification of shared and distinct cognitive effects while considering comorbid symptoms across disorders has been lacking. In the current study, children ages 7-15 years assigned to three diagnostic groups:ADHD (n = 509), ASD (n = 97), and controls (n = 301) completed measures spanning the cognitive domains of attention/arousal, working memory, set-shifting, inhibition, and response variability. Specific processes contributing to response variability were examined using a drift diffusion model, which separately quantified drift rate (i.e., efficiency of information processing), boundary separation (i.e., speed-accuracy trade-offs), and non-decision time. Children with ADHD and ASD were impaired on attention/arousal, processing speed, working memory, and response inhibition, but did not differ from controls on measures of delayed reward discounting, set-shifting, or interference control. Overall, impairments in the ASD group were not attributable to ADHD symptoms using either continuous symptom measures or latent categorical grouping approaches. Similarly, impairments in the ADHD group were not attributable to ASD symptoms. When specific RT parameters were considered, children with ADHD and ASD shared impairments in drift rate. However, children with ASD were uniquely characterized by a wider boundary separation. Findings suggest a combination of overlapping and unique patterns of cognitive impairment for children with ASD as compared to those with ADHD, particularly when the processes underlying reaction time measures are considered separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vasti muscles stabilize the knee joint during the running movement. This requires some motor units to synchronize. Test the hypothesis that EMGs from the vasti muscles (VM and VL) are coherent in four frequency bands, one below 30 Hz, the 40 Hz (30-45 Hz), the middle band up to 120 Hz, and the high-frequency band (135-280 Hz). Because the VM during one step and the VL during another step contain common EMG signal parts the inter-step coherence at low frequencies does not disappear when the coherence is computed between the EMGVM obtained from one step and the EMGVL of the previous step. Twelve participants ran on a treadmill at 2.9 m/s for 15 min. EMGs were recorded from the vasti muscles using bipolar current amplifiers. Ordinary coherence was computed between the EMGVM and EMGVL and for the inter-step-condition. Significant coherence was observed in all frequency bands. In the mid- and high-frequency range, coherence disappears for the inter-step condition, whereas the low-frequency coherence is still present. Four frequency bands must be considered. It was proposed that coherence at low frequencies reflects cortico-muscular interactions. However, the clustering of motor unit action potentials is sufficient to generate the low-frequency coherence as well. There is a low-frequency coherence resulting from EMGs of the vasti muscles that are similar in different steps. Therefore, at least these three effects must be considered to draw conclusions from the coherence of the vasti muscles at low frequencies that occur while running. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been unclear whether an associations of child ADHD with socio-economic disadvantage (SES) could be accounted for by (a) parental ADHD explaining both low SES and child ADHD, and/or (b) the joint overlap of ODD or CD with low SES and ADHD. Study 1 used a community-recruited case-control sample with detailed evaluation of SES indicators, child ADHD, child externalizing, and parent ADHD symptoms (n = 931 children, 521 ADHD, 577 boys, 354 girls) in a path modeling analysis with latent variables. Study 2 evaluated ADHD and externalizing behavior in a regression model using a poverty index for SES, in 70,927 children (48.2% female) aged 5-17 years from the US 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH). In Study 1, lower SES was related to the ADHD latent variable, β = -.18, p < .001; 95%CI [-.25,-.12]. This effect held when parent ADHD and child ODD and CD were in the model, β = -.11, p < .01, 95% CI [-.09,-.03], equivalent to OR = 1.50, 95% CI[1.12-2.04]). In Study 2, these results replicated. Adjusting only for age and sex, children from families who were below 200% of the federal poverty line were more likely to have moderate or severe ADHD than no ADHD, versus children above that line, OR = 2.13, 95% CI[1.79,2.54], p < .001. The effect held after adjusting for disruptive/externalizing problems, OR = 1.61, p < .01, 95%CI [1.32,1.96]. The effect size for comparable models was similar across both studies, lending higher confidence to the results. It is concluded that the SES association with child ADHD is not explained by artifact and requires a mechanistic explanation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at greater risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts compared to those without ADHD. Increased risk is at least partially attributable to a subset of children with ADHD and comorbid depression or disruptive behavior disorders; however, the early predictors and mechanisms driving increased risk are not well understood. Here, we investigate the contributions of two candidate mechanisms for increased suicidal ideation in children with ADHD: executive function and negative affect. 623 clinically well-characterized, community-recruited children classified by research criteria as ADHD (n = 388) or typically-developing controls (n = 253) participated. Parent-report on the Temperament in Middle Childhood Questionnaire provided a measure of negative affectivity. Children completed laboratory tasks to measure response inhibition and working memory. Suicidal ideation was evaluated by parent report during a semi-structured interview and child responses on the Children’s Depression Inventory. Compared to typically developing controls, children with ADHD had higher rates of suicidal ideation, more negative affect, slower stop signal reaction times, and weaker working memory. Statistical path-model analyses confirmed the hypothesis that weaker working memory in ADHD statistically mediated increased negative affect. Weaker working memory also mediated and increased suicidal ideation in these cross sectional data. Findings were not attributable to comorbid disruptive behavioral disorders. Poor response inhibition did not reliably mediate negative affect or suicidal ideation. Impairment in working memory is an important early risk factor for suicidal ideation in children with ADHD, and may help in identifying children for prevention and early intervention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of genes and molecular pathways involved in the formation of brain metastasis would direct the development of therapeutic strategies to prevent this deadly complication of cancer. By comparing gene expression profiles of Estrogen Receptor negative (ER-) primary breast tumors between patients who developed metastasis to brain and to organs other than brain, we found that T lymphocytes promote the formation of brain metastases. To functionally test the ability of T cells to promote brain metastasis, we used an in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) model. By co-culturing T lymphocytes with breast cancer cells, we confirmed that T cells increase the ability of breast cancer cells to cross the BBB. Proteomics analysis of the tumor cells revealed Guanylate-Binding Protein 1 (GBP1) as a key T lymphocyte-induced protein that enables breast cancer cells to cross the BBB. The GBP1 gene appeared to be up-regulated in breast cancer of patients who developed brain metastasis. Silencing of GBP1 reduced the ability of breast cancer cells to cross the in vitro BBB model. In addition, the findings were confirmed in vivo in an immunocompetent syngeneic mouse model. Co-culturing of ErbB2 tumor cells with activated T cells induced a significant increase in Gbp1 expression by the cancer cells. Intracardial inoculation of the co-cultured tumor cells resulted in preferential seeding to brain. Moreover, intracerebral outgrowth of the tumor cells was demonstrated. The findings point to a role of T cells in the formation of brain metastases in ER- breast cancers, and provide potential targets for intervention to prevent the development of cerebral metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with impairment in working memory and short-term memory, up to half of individual children with ADHD perform within a normative range. Heterogeneity in other ADHD-related mechanisms, which may compensate for or combine with cognitive weaknesses, is a likely explanation. One candidate is the robustness of parasympathetic regulation (as indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA). Theory and data suggest that a common neural network is likely tied to both heart-rate regulation and certain cognitive functions (including aspects of working and short-term memory). Cardiac-derived indices of parasympathetic reactivity were collected during short-term memory (STM) storage and rehearsal tasks from 243 children (116 ADHD, 127 controls). ADHD was associated with lower STM performance, replicating previous work. In addition, RSA reactivity moderated the association between STM and ADHD - both as a category and a dimension - independent of comorbidity. Specifically, conditional effects revealed that high levels of withdrawal interacted with weakened STM but high levels of augmentation moderated a positive association predicting ADHD. Thus, variations in parasympathetic reactivity may help explain neuropsychological heterogeneity in ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]