Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Anja Leppin, Jesper Bo Nielsen
Summary: Majorities are willing to accept genetic testing for personalized treatment, with higher rates in younger men and those with higher income. Additionally, ex-smokers, obese individuals, those with perceived genetic risk, and those with certain personality traits show more interest.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Michelle V. Evans, Matthew H. Bonds, Laura F. Cordier, John M. Drake, Felana Ihantamalala, Justin Haruna, Ann C. Miller, Courtney C. Murdock, Marius Randriamanambtsoa, Estelle M. Raza-Fanomezanjanahary, Benedicte R. Razafinjato, Andres C. Garchitorena
Summary: Precision health mapping technique uses spatial relationships between socio-ecological variables and disease to predict disease distribution, with findings indicating that socio-demographic variables are better predictors of disease spread risk than environmental variables.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hui Yang, Xinyuan Huang, Daniel M. Westervelt, Larry Horowitz, Wei Peng
Summary: Millions of premature deaths are caused by ambient particulate air pollution, and reducing fossil fuel combustion can decrease exposure to harmful particulates. However, socio-demographic factors play a dominant role in health outcomes related to air pollution globally.
NATURE SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Narun Pat, Yue Wang, Richard Anney, Lucy Riglin, Anita Thapar, Argyris Stringaris
Summary: This study aimed to develop brain-based predictive models for stable cognitive abilities during adolescence while accounting for the relationships between cognitive abilities and socio-demographic, psychological, and genetic factors. The models showed stability and generalizability, partially explaining variance in childhood cognition. The use of opportunistic stacking reduced data exclusion due to missing values. Fronto-parietal networks were found to drive childhood cognition prediction. The models also partially accounted for variance in childhood cognition due to socio-demographic, psychological, and genetic factors.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Vedika Bhatt, Sasheela Sri La Sri Ponnampalavanar, Chun Wie Chong, Li Yoong Tang, Karthikayini Krishnasamy, Sheron Sir Loon Goh, Cindy Shuan Ju Teh
Summary: This study aimed to assess the socio-demographic factors associated with knowledge of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in Malaysia. The findings showed a knowledge deficiency of antibiotic resistance among Malaysians, with a misconception regarding the usage of antibiotics. However, increasing age, income, and education were associated with higher knowledge, highlighting the need to engage younger and lower socio-economic populations through educational programs to increase awareness.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Amanda M. Walker, Grace Lu, Shari C. Clifton, Motolani E. Ogunsanya, Benjamin F. Chong
Summary: Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a chronic autoimmune skin disease with potential for systemic involvement and significant disease burden. This study reviews the literature on demographic and socioeconomic factors amongst patients with CLE and finds that race, ethnicity, gender, income, education level, and health insurance status can all influence diagnosis frequency, disease severity, and health-related quality of life. The findings provide important information for physicians to identify high-risk populations and guide treatment decisions for patients with CLE.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jayanath Ananda, Gamithri Gayana Karunasena, Ann Mitsis, Monika Kansal, David Pearson
Summary: Household food waste is a major issue in developed countries, with significant economic and environmental costs globally. Factors such as food storage practices, leftover cooking skills, dining out behavior, grocery spending, and shopping frequency have been identified as key drivers of household food waste. Strategies to reduce food waste should focus on changing food-related behaviors and improving overall food management skills.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
T. Kapwata, G. Breetzke, C. Y. Wright, T. S. Marcus, O. Eales
Summary: This study focuses on the environmental health risks for tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa, particularly on the sociodemographic and household living conditions. The findings suggest that poverty, homelessness, overcrowding, and lack of basic amenities like piped water and sanitation are associated with increased risk of TB transmission.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TUBERCULOSIS AND LUNG DISEASE
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Wei Lin, Bin Chen, Haiyan Hu, Shixin Yuan, Bo Wu, Chuyan Zhong, Weikang Huang, Zhihua Liu, Yueyun Wang
Summary: The study revealed gaps in HPV knowledge and screening participation among Chinese women, with those possessing high HPV knowledge level being more likely to engage in HPV testing. The impact of HPV-related knowledge on testing behavior lies in its joint effects with socio-demographic factors, including residence, education, and monthly income.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Andreea Barbu, Violeta Alexandra Ion, Mihai Frincu, Nicoleta Defta, Viorica Lagunovschi-Luchian, Liliana Aurelia Badulescu
Summary: This study aims to understand the preference of Romanian consumers for organic vegetable chips versus classic potato chips, and found that education level and consumption frequency have a significant impact on the preference for organic vegetable chips.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Emily G. Miller, Jennifer L. Young, Anoushka Rao, Eliana Ward-Lev, Meghan C. Halley
Summary: This systematic review examined the demographic characteristics of individual participants in studies of the personal utility of health-related genetic and genomic testing in the US. The results suggest that participants in these studies were disproportionately White, college-educated women with above-average income. Understanding the perspectives of more diverse individuals regarding the personal utility of genetic and genomic testing may inform barriers to research recruitment and uptake of clinical testing in currently underrepresented populations.
Article
Business
Andrea Dominici, Fabio Boncinelli, Francesca Gerini, Enrico Marone
Summary: The study found that factors influencing individuals' likelihood to buy food online include age, education level, gender, family size, and economic condition. Situational factors such as work hours and health conditions also positively affect online food shopping.
JOURNAL OF RETAILING AND CONSUMER SERVICES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Deng Ao, Shuai Guo, Chunfeng Yun, Xiaoying Zheng
Summary: This study evaluated the prevalence and socio-demographic risk factors of disabilities caused by perinatal asphyxia among Chinese children in 2006. The results showed that gender and family income have a significant impact on the prevalence rate of disabilities caused by perinatal asphyxia, especially in infants and young children. Efforts should be made across multiple sectors to prevent disabilities caused by perinatal asphyxia, particularly in younger children and their families.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Beth Ann Griffin, Marika Suttorp Booth, Monica Busse, Edward J. Wild, Claude Setodji, John H. Warner, Cristina Sampaio, Amrita Mohan
Summary: This study used propensity score weighting to examine the impact of education, employment status, and substance use on the progression of Huntington's disease. The results indicated that factors such as light and moderate alcohol consumption, employment status, and substance use may influence the rate of progression of HD.
PARKINSONISM & RELATED DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Samaher Asaad, Akram Suleiman
Summary: Decision-makers in the MENA region are exploring ways to recycle wastewater due to water scarcity. This study analyzes the impact of socio-demographic factors on public perception of wastewater reuse. The findings show that the region recognizes the environmental benefits of reuse but prefer applications with less human interaction. Approval from professionals is necessary for public acceptance, and gender and wealth do not significantly affect confidence in treated wastewater reuse.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Alison M. Elliott, Nick Dragojlovic, Teresa Campbell, Shelin Adam, Christele du Souich, Michele Fryer, Anna Lehman, Clara van Karnebeek, Larry D. Lynd, Jan M. Friedman
Summary: Genome-wide sequencing is revolutionizing the care of pediatric patients with rare diseases, with genetic counselling recommended for families undergoing this procedure. Telehealth has enabled access to genome-wide sequencing for families in remote areas, but has led to delays in sample accrual.
JOURNAL OF TELEMEDICINE AND TELECARE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ligia Fao, Patricia Coelho, Luis Duarte, Rita Vilaca, Michael R. Hayden, Sandra I. Mota, Ana Cristina Rego
Summary: This study demonstrates that c-Src/Fyn proteins play an important role in controlling mitochondrial function and redox regulation in Huntington's disease (HD). Restoring c-Src/Fyn levels in HD improves mitochondrial morphology and function, reducing the levels of oxidant species and cell death. These findings suggest that c-Src/Fyn could be a potential therapeutic target for HD.
ANTIOXIDANTS & REDOX SIGNALING
(2023)
Article
Biology
Pawel Joachimiak, Adam Ciesiolka, Emilia Kozlowska, Pawel M. Switonski, Grzegorz Figura, Agata Ciolak, Grazyna Adamek, Magdalena Surdyka, Zaneta Kalinowska-Poska, Maciej Figiel, Nicholas S. S. Caron, Michael R. R. Hayden, Agnieszka Fiszer
Summary: This study used SNP variants to quantitatively determine the allele-specific expression levels in patient-derived cell lines for spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) and Huntington's disease (HD). They found differences in allele expression levels and developed a reliable and quantitative method using SNP-based droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to analyze low abundant transcripts. This allele-selective approach provides insights into allele-related mechanisms and can improve understanding of polyglutamine diseases.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Stephanie Luca, Marc Clausen, Angela Shaw, Whiwon Lee, Suvetha Krishnapillai, Ella Adi-Wauran, Hanna R. Faghfoury, Gregory Costain, Rebekah Jobling, Melyssa Aronson, Eriskay Liston, Josh Silver, Cheryl Shuman, Lauren Chad, Robin Hayeems, Yvonne J. Bombard, Genetics Navigator Study Team
Summary: This study investigated the preferences of individuals who underwent genetic testing for using chatbots. It found that chatbots were considered inefficient for very simple and very complex tasks, but acceptable for moderately complex tasks. Participants also expressed the need for a safety net (access to a clinician) for unaddressed needs. These findings can inform the implementation of chatbots in genomic medicine.
Article
Physiology
Fanny L. Lemarie, Shaun S. Sanders, Yen Nguyen, Dale D. O. Martin, Michael R. Hayden
Summary: Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG repeat expansion in the HTT gene. We found that huntingtin protein can be palmitoylated at cysteine 214, and proteolytic cleavage at aspartate 552 leads to myristoylation at glycine 553. Blocking caspase cleavage at aspartate 586 increases myristoylation of huntingtin and promotes the interaction between C-terminal and N-terminal fragments.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Daniel Ramandi, Nicholas J. Michelson, Lynn A. Raymond, Timothy H. Murphy
Summary: This study developed a method for simultaneous mesoscale cortical imaging and subcortical fiber photometry recording, which allows the study of neuronal activity. The results showed a high correlation between cortical and striatal activity in response to sensory stimulation or movement. This method can provide insights into the cell-specific connectivity in the corticobasal ganglia circuit organization.
Editorial Material
Developmental Biology
Jan M. Friedman
BIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Yundi Wang, Marja D. Sepers, Dongsheng Xiao, Lynn A. Raymond, Timothy H. Murphy
Summary: This study developed a high-throughput water-reaching task and training protocol to monitor forelimb impairment and cortical changes in HD mice. The results showed that HD mice took longer to learn the event sequence and displayed reduced cortical activity associated with successful reaches. Over time, cortical activity increased and reaching trajectories became longer and more variable in HD mice. This study provides insights into the onset and manifestation of movement disorders, therapeutic intervention windows, and testing of drug efficacy.
Article
Neurosciences
James P. Mackay, Amy I. Smith-Dijak, Ellen T. Koch, Peng Zhang, Evan Fung, Wissam B. Nassrallah, Caodu Buren, Mandi Schmidt, Michael R. Hayden, Lynn A. Raymond
Summary: Miniature neurotransmission is increased in the Huntington disease (HD) model, associated with abnormal endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium handling. These abnormalities influence neurotransmission indirectly, without direct ER calcium release into the cytoplasm. However, in cortical cultures and brain slices, there are no significant differences in calcium release between the HD-model neurons and wild-type cells.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Borje Darpo, Michal Geva, Georg Ferber, Yigal Paul Goldberg, Andres Cruz-Herranz, Munish Mehra, Richard Kovacs, Michael R. Hayden
Summary: Pridopidine, a selective sigma-1 receptor agonist, shows a favorable cardiac safety profile at the therapeutic dose of 45 mg bid, with no clinically relevant effect on the QT interval.
NEUROLOGY AND THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sihui Peng, Dan Wu, Tingzhong Yang, Joan L. Bottorff
Summary: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between obesity-related eating behaviors (OEB) and chronic and infectious diseases, as well as mental disorders. A nationwide survey was conducted among 11,659 medical students from 31 universities in China, and multiple variable logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the associations. The results showed significant associations between OEB and chronic disease, infectious disease, and mental disorder. These findings highlight the importance of addressing OEB in health promotion and disease prevention programs and policies among university students.
PREVENTIVE MEDICINE REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Fabio Duarte, Gabriel Vachey, Nicholas S. Caron, Melanie Sipion, Maria Rey, Anselme L. Perrier, Michael R. Hayden, Nicole Deglon
Summary: Huntington's disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that can be treated by inactivating the mutated HTT gene. One approach to selectively inactivate the mutant allele is by using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to remove the first exon of the mutated HTT. However, the frequency of deletion events is still uncertain.
HUMAN GENE THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Erin Furr Stimming, Daniel Claassen, Elise Kayson, Jody Goldstein, Raja Mehanna, Hui Zhang, Grace S. Liang, Dietrich Haubenberger
Summary: Valbenazine was evaluated as a treatment for chorea associated with Huntington's disease, and it was found to be more effective than placebo in improving chorea symptoms and well tolerated.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jineta Banerjee, Jan M. Friedman, Laura J. Klesse, Kaleb H. Yohay, Justin T. Jordan, Scott R. Plotkin, Robert J. Allaway, Jaishri O. Blakeley
Summary: This study investigated whether patients with rare diseases such as neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), or schwannomatosis (SWN) are more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19. The results showed that the proportion of positive cases in NF1, NF2, or SWN patients was not significantly higher than in individuals without these rare diseases. There were no severe outcomes reported in the NF2 or SWN cohorts, and the proportion of severe outcomes in NF1 patients was similar to other rare disease cohorts and the general population.
GENETICS IN MEDICINE
(2023)