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15 An Investigation of Non-Evidence Based Autism Intervention Representations in the Media
- Daniel Q Earixson
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- Journal:
- Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society / Volume 29 / Issue s1 / November 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 21 December 2023, pp. 624-625
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Objective:
This study seeks to describe the context and contents of YouTube videos featuring non-evidence-based practices (NEBPs) for autism spectrum disorder, including recent fad usage of transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Participants and Methods:A sample search of autism intervention-related YouTube videos was conducted to reflect the experience of caregivers researching autism intervention information on the internet. Exclusion criteria was applied to create a preliminary dataset. The videos were categorized into general evidence-based practice (EBP), non-evidence-based practice (NEBP), and both EBP and NEBP. The NEBP-related videos were then qualitatively described using a priori codes based on the literature regarding signs of pseudoscience, as well as an iteratively developed codebook through a constant comparative method between two independent coders.
Results:Total videos from the YouTube search using the query "Autism Treatment" were capped at 150 videos. Total videos in English were 138. Total discrete videos (non-repeated) were 134. Total NEBP-related discrete videos were 62 (46% of final dataset); Total EBP-related videos were 38 (28.3% of final dataset); and total videos containing both EBP and NEBP as subject matter were 25 (18.6% of final dataset). Of the NEBP-related in the final dataset, the most frequent NEBP which occurred was stem cell therapy (n=26), followed by the Son-Rise program (n=13), Cannabis/marijuana (n=5), transcranial magnetic stimulation/magnetic e-resonance therapy (n=5), neurofeedback (n=1), brain rehabilitation (n=1), suramin (n=2), fecal transplants (n=2), Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy (n=1), Ayurvedic medicine (n=1), virtual reality (n=1), and others. The constant comparative method of coding yielded results specific to videos about NEBPs in autism, including: statements declaring a treatment will be effective, a banner on the YouTube page indicating if the channel is from a reputable source, a parent testimonial, a parent or caregiver display of emotion with respect to treatment efficacy, statements regarding pre-intervention repetitive or challenging behaviors, statements regarding demonstrated effects of the treatment, statements of a definitive cause of autism, statements regarding the severity of the autism in the treatment subject, specific words in reference to autism, including "disease", "toxin", or "inflammation", discussion of the financial aspect of the treatment, and videos with both high and low production values.
Conclusions:The likelihood of a caregiver encountering and watching videos containing NEBP-related material when using a general query to search the internet for information on autism intervention is high. Additionally, videos regarding NEBPs have more engagements (e.g., likes, comments, shares) than videos regarding EBPs, oftentimes by multitudes. The information contained within videos in which an NEBP is the subject aligns with pre-established warning signs for pseudoscience for autism interventions, however this study also contributes new warning signs through the construction of the iterative codebook. Specifically, statements about treatment efficacy in the absence of cited research, an emotional parent testimony about the individual with autism's experience with the NEBP therapy, statements regarding behavioral improvements linked to participation in the therapy oftentimes in the context of inflated claims, and clear and confident statements regarding the cause of autism with no cited research.
14 Performance of Novel Blood Based Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease is Dependent on Renal Functioning
- Corey J Bolton, Omair A Khan, Dandan Liu, Timothy J Hohman, Katherine A Gifford, Kaj Blennow, Henrik Zetterberg, Angela L Jefferson
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- Journal:
- Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society / Volume 29 / Issue s1 / November 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 21 December 2023, pp. 225-226
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Objective:
Novel blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) could transform AD diagnosis in the community; however, their interpretation in individuals with medical comorbidities is not well understood. Specifically, kidney function has been shown to influence plasma levels of various brain proteins. This study sought to evaluate the effect of one common marker of kidney function (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)) on the association between various blood-based biomarkers of AD/neurodegeneration (glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light (NfL), amyloid-b42 (Ab42), total tau) and established CSF biomarkers of AD (Ab42/40 ratio, tau, phosphorylated-tau (p-tau)), neuroimaging markers of AD (AD-signature region cortical thickness), and episodic memory performance.
Participants and Methods:Vanderbilt Memory and Aging Project participants (n=329, 73±7 years, 40% mild cognitive impairment, 41% female) completed fasting venous blood draw, fasting lumbar puncture, 3T brain MRI, and neuropsychological assessment at study entry and at 18-month, 3-year, and 5-year follow-up visits. Plasma GFAP, Ab42, total tau, and NfL were quantified on the Quanterix single molecule array platform. CSF biomarkers for Ab were quantified using Meso Scale Discovery immunoassays and tau and p-tau were quantified using INNOTEST immunoassays. AD-signature region atrophy was calculated by summing bilateral cortical thickness measurements captured on T1-weighted brain MRI from regions shown to distinguish individuals with AD from normal cognition. Episodic memory functioning was measured using a previously developed composite score. Linear mixed-effects regression models related predictors to each outcome adjusting for age, sex, education, race/ethnicity, apolipoprotein E-e4 status, and cognitive status. Models were repeated with a blood-based biomarker x eGFR x time interaction term with follow-up models stratified by chronic kidney disease (CKD) staging (stage 1/no CKD: eGFR>90 mL/min/1.73m2, stage 2: eGFR=60-89 mL/min/1.73m2; stage 3: eGFR=44-59mL/min/1.73m2 (no participants with higher than stage 3)).
Results:Cross-sectionally, GFAP was associated with all outcomes (p-values<0.005) and NfL was associated with memory and AD-signature region cortical thickness (p-values<0.05). In predictor x eGFR interaction models, GFAP and NfL interacted with eGFR on AD-signature cortical thickness, (p-values<0.004) and Ab42 interacted with eGFR on tau, p-tau, and memory (p-values<0.03). Tau did not interact with eGFR. Stratified models across predictors showed that associations were stronger in individuals with better renal functioning and no significant associations were found in individuals with stage 3 CKD. Longitudinally, higher GFAP and NfL were associated with memory decline (p-values<0.001). In predictor x eGFR x time interaction models, GFAP and NfL interacted with eGFR on p-tau (p-values<0.04). Other models were nonsignificant. Stratified models showed that associations were significant only in individuals with no CKD/stage 1 CKD and were not significant in participants with stage 2 or 3 CKD.
Conclusions:In this community-based sample of older adults free of dementia, plasma biomarkers of AD/neurodegeneration were associated with AD-related clinical outcomes both cross-sectionally and longitudinally; however, these associations were modified by renal functioning with no associations in individuals with stage 3 CKD. These results highlight the value of blood-based biomarkers in individuals with healthy renal functioning and suggest caution in interpreting these biomarkers in individuals with mild to moderate CKD.
1 Applying a dimensional framework to the study of developmental neurotoxicity
- John Krzeczkowski
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- Journal:
- Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society / Volume 29 / Issue s1 / November 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 21 December 2023, pp. 864-865
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Objective:
In recent decades, a large body of evidence has linked prenatal exposure to environmental neurotoxins to adverse intellectual, neurodevelopmental, and psychiatric outcomes in offspring. This evidence has clearly highlighted the widespread impact of neurotoxin exposure on the developing brain; however, it is unclear how and why these exposures alter brain development in a way that appears to increase risk for multiple, seemingly disparate outcomes.
Participants and Methods:Shifting our focus from describing links between neurotoxin exposure and symptoms of offspring mental/cognitive problems considered categorically, to investigating how neurotoxins adversely affect domains of functioning known to cut across risk for multiple problems in offspring may be critical to answering these questions. This presentation will discuss how combining research in developmental neurotoxicology with novel systems that take dimensional approaches to understanding emotions, cognition, and behaviour (i.e., the NIHM Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)) may provide a fruitful future research direction for the field. The RDoC framework aims to understand neuropsychological outcomes (i.e., mental health, mental illness, IQ) across major domains of human emotion, cognition, behaviour, and social functioning, rather than within distinct diagnostic categories.
Results:Using lead exposure as an example, this presentation will outline a framework for how researchers can use this dimensional approach to develop more specific hypotheses that can reveal how and why neurotoxin exposure increases risk for multiple adverse outcomes and elucidate the mechanisms that may underly these links.
Conclusions:Additionally, given that adverse development within domains of functioning can be detected prior to the onset of full-blown diagnoses, this research could enable us to develop more precise, targeted prevention and risk reduction campaigns. Adopting a dimensional framework will provide a more complete picture of the overall impact of prenatal exposure to neurotoxins - critical for informing public health policy.
The role of art in coastal and marine sustainability
- Ana Matias, A. Rita Carrasco, Bruno Pinto, Jaime Reis
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- Journal:
- Cambridge Prisms: Coastal Futures / Volume 1 / 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 31 March 2023, e25
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Sustainability is a universal goal that requires balancing social, economic and environmental dimensions, and that applies to both terrestrial and marine environments. Several authors argue that arts are valuable tools to frame and engage with current environmental issues related to sustainability, including pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss. Accordingly, our research question is: What is the role of art in the sustainability of coasts and seas? We searched our research question on the two most important scientific databases of articles (Scopus and Web of Science) and retrieved 1,352 articles. We narrowed the articles to 79 studies that actually address our question through screening. The dataset describes a variety of artworks from the four art categories (literary, media, performing and visual) around the world, although the more frequent countries are the US, the UK and Australia. We found that visual arts are more common (~40%), and engagement is a highlighted pursued impact (~40%) by these artistic practices. Other authors also intend to promote marine conservation and restoration, management, education and activism. Only 19 articles of the dataset measured the impact of artistic activities on their audience. This subset shows evidence of art contributions to sustainability mainly through raising awareness, learning, and promoting engagement and enjoyment of project participants. Through this work, we set the current state of knowledge on this emerging topic, and argue that further research and new strategies of impact measurement are needed to thoroughly understand the effect of art on coastal/marine sustainability.
Collaborative team dynamics and scholarly outcomes of multidisciplinary research teams: A mixed-methods approach
- Emily Slade, Philip A. Kern, Robert L. Kegebein, Chang Liu, Joel C. Thompson, Thomas H. Kelly, Victoria L. King, Robert S. DiPaola, Hilary L. Surratt
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- Journal:
- Journal of Clinical and Translational Science / Volume 7 / Issue 1 / 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 03 February 2023, e59
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Introduction:
Impactful, transdisciplinary scientific discoveries are created by teams of researchers spanning multiple disciplines, but collaboration across disciplines can be challenging. We examined how team dynamics and collaboration are related to successes and barriers faced by teams of researchers from multiple disciplines.
Methods:A mixed-methods approach was used to examine 12 research teams granted multidisciplinary pilot awards. Team members were surveyed to assess their team dynamics and individual views about transdisciplinary research. Forty-seven researchers (59.5%) responded, including two to eight members from each funded team. Associations were examined between collaborative dynamics and scholarly product outcomes, including manuscripts, grant proposals, and awarded grants. One member from each team was selected for an in-depth interview to contextualize and extend information about collaborative processes, successes, and barriers to performing transdisciplinary research.
Results:Quality of team interactions was positively associated with achievement of scholarly products (r = 0.64, p = 0.02). Satisfaction with team members (r = 0.38) and team collaboration scores (r = 0.43) also demonstrated positive associations with achievement of scholarly products, but these were not statistically significant. Qualitative results support these findings and add further insight into aspects of the collaborative process that were particularly important to foster success on multidisciplinary teams. Beyond scholarly metrics, additional successes from the multidisciplinary teams were identified through the qualitative portion of the study including career development and acceleration for early career researchers.
Conclusions:Both the quantitative and qualitative study results indicate that effective collaboration is critical to multidisciplinary research team success. Development and/or promotion of team science-based trainings for researchers would promote these collaborative skills.
3 - Practical Context: From Writing to Multimodal Communication
- Aleksandra Gnach, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Wibke Weber, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Martin Engebretsen, Universitetet i Agder, Norway, Daniel Perrin, Zurich University of Applied Sciences
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- Digital Communication and Media Linguistics
- Published online:
- 18 February 2023
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- 29 December 2022, pp 60-94
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Summary
This chapter focuses on the power of words and images. It introduces basic concepts that are pivotal in verbal, visual, and multimodal communication. First, it discusses writing in the digital age and explores the media linguistic mindset that is required in rapidly changing digital environments. Furthermore, a set of sixteen key practices of focused writing and writing-by-the way in the newsroom and beyond are presented. The second part of the chapter covers theoretical concepts of visual communication by addressing different approaches to reading images. One pivotal approach is social semiotics – a grand theory that can be applied to all kinds of semiotic material used for communication. This approach is complemented with concepts from other semiotic traditions as well as rhetorical and critical theories about images and their effects on the users. In addition, certain questions related to multimodal communication and related key concepts are discussed. The chapter concludes with the main message that all forms of human communication are multimodal.
Rapid Forecasting of Cholera Risk in Mozambique: Translational Challenges and Opportunities
- Rebecca Kahn, Ayesha S. Mahmud, Andrew Schroeder, Luis Hernando Aguilar Ramirez, John Crowley, Jennifer Chan, Caroline O. Buckee
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- Journal:
- Prehospital and Disaster Medicine / Volume 34 / Issue 5 / October 2019
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 03 September 2019, pp. 557-562
- Print publication:
- October 2019
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Disasters, such as cyclones, create conditions that increase the risk of infectious disease outbreaks. Epidemic forecasts can be valuable for targeting highest risk populations before an outbreak. The two main barriers to routine use of real-time forecasts include scientific and operational challenges. First, accuracy may be limited by availability of data and the uncertainty associated with the inherently stochastic processes that determine when and where outbreaks happen and spread. Second, even if data are available, the appropriate channels of communication may prevent their use for decision making.
In April 2019, only six weeks after Cyclone Idai devastated Mozambique’s central region and sparked a cholera outbreak, Cyclone Kenneth severely damaged northern areas of the country. By June 10, a total of 267 cases of cholera were confirmed, sparking a vaccination campaign. Prior to Kenneth’s landfall, a team of academic researchers, humanitarian responders, and health agencies developed a simple model to forecast areas at highest risk of a cholera outbreak. The model created risk indices for each district using combinations of four metrics: (1) flooding data; (2) previous annual cholera incidence; (3) sensitivity of previous outbreaks to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycle; and (4) a diffusion (gravity) model to simulate movement of infected travelers. As information on cases became available, the risk model was continuously updated. A web-based tool was produced, which identified highest risk populations prior to the cyclone and the districts at-risk following the start of the outbreak.
The model prior to Kenneth’s arrival using the metrics of previous incidence, projected flood, and El Niño sensitivity accurately predicted areas at highest risk for cholera. Despite this success, not all data were available at the scale at which the vaccination campaign took place, limiting the model’s utility, and the extent to which the forecasts were used remains unclear. Here, the science behind these forecasts and the organizational structure of this collaborative effort are discussed. The barriers to the routine use of forecasts in crisis settings are highlighted, as well as the potential for flexible teams to rapidly produce actionable insights for decision making using simple modeling tools, both before and during an outbreak.
Meeting the ‘multi-’ requirements in organic agriculture research: Successes, challenges and recommendations for multifunctional, multidisciplinary, participatory projects
- Mary Barbercheck, Nancy Ellen Kiernan, Andrew G. Hulting, Sjoerd Duiker, Jeffrey Hyde, Heather Karsten, Elsa Sanchez
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- Journal:
- Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems / Volume 27 / Issue 2 / June 2012
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 08 June 2011, pp. 93-106
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Organic farming is one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors worldwide, and funds to support research and extension activities that address the needs of organic producers are becoming more widely available in the USA. Solutions to problems in ecologically complex systems, such as organic farming systems often exceed the expertise of individual investigators or single disciplines. Further, the complex nature of ecological and social interactions within systems-based agricultural research requires not only more emphasis on information exchange but also synthesis between multidisciplinary teams of academic researchers and organic farmers. Accordingly, federal grant agencies that support organic agriculture research increasingly require that projects encompass multiple academic disciplines, multiple functions (research, outreach, education), and the participation of stakeholders for the ultimate purpose of the integration of knowledge. Many researchers, educators and administrators at land grant universities (LGUs) remain inexperienced in multidisciplinary, multifunctional and participatory research. Using post-completion project interviews of the project investigators on an organic transition project, we identified eight factors that affected the integration of knowledge from a farmer advisory board and the conduct of our multidisciplinary, participatory organic transition project. The first five factors include shared values, balance in technical competence, institutional capacity for research, team capacity for problem solving and institutional resistance. The research team also identified three other factors that evoked confusion and divergence during the project, and include the ambiguity of power and control of knowledge, the proposed experimental plan and terms of team engagement. We considered participatory elements of the project according to Biggs’ linear typology of participation, but found more appropriate Neef and Neubert's position that a linear scale of participatory approach is an inadequate framework for helping agricultural scientists to decide on whether and in which phases they want to, can and should incorporate participatory elements into their research projects. From these findings, we conclude with critical issues for academic research and extension teams to consider during the development and before conduct of these types of projects. We also offer recommendations for LGUs and other research institutions, and funding organizations, to facilitate multidisciplinary, multifunctional, participatory research.