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1.
Int J Med Inform ; 192: 105646, 2024 Oct 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39393126

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Large-scale health data has significant potential for research and innovation, especially with longitudinal data offering insights into prevention, disease progression, and treatment effects. Yet, analyzing this data type is complex, as data points are repeatedly documented along the timeline. As a consequence, extracting cross-sectional tabular data suitable for statistical analysis and machine learning can be challenging for medical researchers and data scientists alike, with existing tools lacking balance between ease-of-use and comprehensiveness. OBJECTIVE: This paper introduces HERALD, a novel domain-specific query language designed to support the transformation of longitudinal health data into cross-sectional tables. We describe the basic concepts, the query syntax, a graphical user interface for constructing and executing HERALD queries, as well as an integration into Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside (i2b2). METHODS: The syntax of HERALD mimics natural language and supports different query types for selection, aggregation, analysis of relationships, and searching for data points based on filter expressions and temporal constraints. Using a hierarchical concept model, queries are executed individually for the data of each patient, while constructing tabular output. HERALD is closed, meaning that queries process data points and generate data points. Queries can refer to data points that have been produced by previous queries, providing a simple, but powerful nesting mechanism. RESULTS: The open-source implementation consists of a HERALD query parser, an execution engine, as well as a web-based user interface for query construction and statistical analysis. The implementation can be deployed as a standalone component and integrated into self-service data analytics environments like i2b2 as a plugin. HERALD can be valuable tool for data scientists and machine learning experts, as it simplifies the process of transforming longitudinal health data into tables and data matrices. CONCLUSION: The construction of cross-sectional tables from longitudinal data can be supported through dedicated query languages that strike a reasonable balance between language complexity and transformation capabilities.

3.
Int J Evid Proof ; 28(4): 280-297, 2024 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39376548

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the role of Intercept Interpreters/Translators (IITs) in law enforcement communication surveillance efforts. It focuses on the production and reliability of Translated Intercept Records (TIR), which are comprehensive written records in the target language that may be produced for intelligence purposes or for use in court as Translated Intercept Evidence (TIE). The paper underscores the critical importance of reliable TIR for both evidentiary use and operational decision-making. The authors emphasise the need to establish minimal standards in the quest for reliability and dispel the misconception that literal translations fulfil evidentiary requirements. The standards proposed in this paper aim to minimise interpretation errors to enhance the overall effectiveness of investigations and safeguard the interests of justice. The paper concludes by highlighting the need to align judicial expectations with sound translation practices.

4.
Emerg Med Australas ; 2024 Oct 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39381872

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Critical/urgent X-ray findings are not always communicated in an appropriate time frame to ED physicians. The practice of radiographers alerting referrers to clinically significant image findings (verbally, via image flags or written comment) is noted internationally but risk assessment data is unavailable in the literature. A hybrid radiographer comment and alert model was piloted in New South Wales and a risk-benefit assessment conducted for timely and safe communication of abnormal X-ray appearances to ED physicians. METHODS: Radiographer comments (n = 1102) were provided to five New South Wales EDs by 69 radiographers for a period of 3-12 months. Site auditors classified comments as true positive (TP), false positive (FP) or indeterminate (ID) with respect to the radiology report. FP comments were investigated with ED referrers and a low-medium-high-risk assessment was provided by two independent reviewers. RESULTS: A total of 42 FP (3.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.9-5.3) comments were analysed for any adverse outcomes. Risk assessments demonstrated 37 low, 5 low-moderate and no high-risk cases. A total of 282 direct or potential patient benefits were identified (26.4%; 95% CI 23.8-29.1). A total of 42 radiology report discrepancies were incidentally found: (3.9%; 95% CI 2.9-5.3). Audit results demonstrated areas where the radiographer comment could mitigate risk. CONCLUSION: The provision of radiographer alerts with a written comment for ED was found to be low risk to patients in the pilot study. Radiographers communicating directly with the emergency team when abnormal image appearances are detected can reduce diagnostic error and improve patient safety and health outcomes.

5.
Int J Equity Health ; 23(1): 208, 2024 Oct 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39390515

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Access to health services for asylum seekers is legally restricted in Germany. The law is subject to interpretation, therefore the chance of receiving care is not equally distributed among asylum seekers. What services are provided to whom is ultimately decided by health professionals and government employees. The respective prioritization processes and criteria are not transparent. We sought to understand how legal restrictions are translated into daily practices and how this affects the health system. We aimed to outline the complex process of cost coverage for health services for asylum seekers and provide insights into common decision-making criteria. METHODS: We conducted an ethnographic exploration of routines in two outpatient clinics in two federal states over the course of three months, doing participant and non-participant observation. Additionally, we interviewed 21 professionals of health care and government organizations, and documented 110 applications for cost coverage of medical services and their outcome. In addition to qualitative data analysis and documentation, we apply a system-theoretical perspective to our findings. RESULTS: To perform legal restrictions a cross-sectoral prioritization process of medical services has been implemented, involving health care and government institutions. This changes professional practices, responsibilities and (power) relations. Involved actors find themselves at the intersection of several, oftentimes conflicting priorities, since "doing it right" might be seen differently from a legal, medical, economic, or political perspective. The system-theoretical analysis reveals that while actors have to bring different rationales into workable arrangements this part of the medical system transforms, giving rise to a sub-system that incorporates migration political rationales. CONCLUSIONS: Health care restrictions for asylum seekers are implemented through an organizational linking of care provision and government administration, resulting in a bureaucratization of practice. Power structures at this intersection of health and migration policy, that are uncommon in other parts of the health system are thereby normalized. Outpatient clinics provide low-threshold access to health services, but paradoxically they may unintentionally stabilize health inequities, if prioritization criteria and power dynamics are not made transparent. Health professionals should openly reflect on conflicting rationales. Training, research and professional associations need to empower them to stay true to professional ethical principles and international conventions.


Subject(s)
Anthropology, Cultural , Health Services Accessibility , Refugees , Humans , Germany , Female , Qualitative Research , Male
6.
Med J Islam Repub Iran ; 38: 45, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39399616

ABSTRACT

Background: Various studies have shown that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience significant cognitive impairments during childhood. Individuals often experience various language disorders that can manifest in different ways. There are also studies indicating that these impairments persist into adulthood for individuals with ASD. This study aimed to evaluate and identify cognitive impairments among Persian-speaking adults with ASD. Methods: This research is of a quantitative nature and has been conducted using an experimental method in which two subtests from the Persian Version of the Montreal Protocol for the Evaluation of Communication (P.M.E.C.), including the Metaphor Interpretation and Speech Act Interpretation subtests, were utilized. Thirteen Persian-speaking men with ASD participated in this research, with ages ranging from 25 to 44 years (mean age 32.84, standard deviation 4.17), whose educational levels varied from primary school to 20 years of formal education. The control group consisted of 26 healthy Persian-speaking men who were matched in terms of age and educational level with the ASD group. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and a paired t-test were used to compare the two groups. Results: The results indicated that the ASD group performed significantly poorer in both the Metaphor Interpretation subtest (P < 0.001) and the Speech Act Interpretation subtest (P = 0.033) compared to the healthy control group, suggesting cognitive impairments in their abilities. Conclusion: The findings of this research can be valuable for assessment and intervention purposes in rehabilitation centers, as well as in academic and research settings.

7.
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu ; 44(10): 1197-202, 2024 Oct 12.
Article in Chinese | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39401820

ABSTRACT

The paper interprets the formulation, main content and characteristics of Clinical practice guideline on acupuncture and moxibustion: smoking cessation issued by World Federation of Acupuncture Societies (WFAS 007.2-2023, short for Guideline). The Guideline focuses on the clinical value of acupuncture regimen for smoking cessation and its abstinence rate, and attaches the importance to the actual needs of patients, the counseling and management of smoking cessation. The Guideline is characterized by its international orientation, the integration of Chinese and Western medicine, and the advantages of acupuncture for smoking cessation. It is formulated concisely in content and highlights the clinical practicability. During the guideline development for smoking cessation in future, the consideration should be paid on improving the evidence quality of acupuncture, preserving the characteristics of acupuncture and emphasizing patients' demand, the counseling and management of smoking cessation, as well as the scenarios of implementation so as to improve the quality and applicability of the guidelines.


Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Moxibustion , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Smoking Cessation , Humans , Smoking Cessation/methods , Moxibustion/standards , Acupuncture Therapy/standards
8.
BMC Biol ; 22(1): 233, 2024 Oct 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39396972

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) can result in unexpected pharmacological outcomes, including adverse drug events, which are crucial for drug discovery. Graph neural networks have substantially advanced our ability to model molecular representations; however, the precise identification of key local structures and the capture of long-distance structural correlations for better DDI prediction and interpretation remain significant challenges. RESULTS: Here, we present DrugDAGT, a dual-attention graph transformer framework with contrastive learning for predicting multiple DDI types. The dual-attention graph transformer incorporates attention mechanisms at both the bond and atomic levels, thereby enabling the integration of short and long-range dependencies within drug molecules to pinpoint key local structures essential for DDI discovery. Moreover, DrugDAGT further implements graph contrastive learning to maximize the similarity of representations across different views for better discrimination of molecular structures. Experiments in both warm-start and cold-start scenarios demonstrate that DrugDAGT outperforms state-of-the-art baseline models, achieving superior overall performance. Furthermore, visualization of the learned representations of drug pairs and the attention map provides interpretable insights instead of black-box results. CONCLUSIONS: DrugDAGT provides an effective tool for accurately predicting multiple DDI types by identifying key local chemical structures, offering valuable insights for prescribing medications, and guiding drug development. All data and code of our DrugDAGT can be found at https://github.com/codejiajia/DrugDAGT .


Subject(s)
Drug Interactions , Machine Learning , Neural Networks, Computer , Drug Discovery/methods
9.
Eur Heart J ; 2024 Oct 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39405050

ABSTRACT

The win ratio method for analysing a composite clinical hierarchy of outcomes is growing in popularity especially in cardiovascular trials. This article gives a perspective on its use so far and the issues derived from that experience. Specifically, it focuses on the limitations of a conventional composite outcome; how does the win ratio work, what does it mean, and how to display its findings; guidance on choosing an appropriate clinical hierarchy of outcomes including clinical events, quantitative outcomes, and other options; the additional value of the win difference as a measure of absolute benefit: extension to stratified win ratio, subgroup analysis, matched win ratio, and covariate adjustment; determining trial size for a win ratio outcome; specific insights such as adaptive designs, use of repeat events, and use of margins and time averages for quantitative outcomes; a critique of potential misuses; availability of statistical software; and a statistical appendix on the methodological details. Throughout, each principle is illustrated by examples from specific cardiology trials. The article concludes with a set of recommendations for future use of the win ratio.

10.
J Clin Sleep Med ; 2024 Oct 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39385629

ABSTRACT

Recent advances in sleep medicine have led to the development of various validated diagnostic devices for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Despite limitations, there has been an increase in the use of home sleep apnea tests (HSAT). The accuracy of HSAT may be limited by the inability of its automated signal analysis to differentiate between artifacts and the target physiological signal, leading to erroneous test interpretations with management implications. We present a 60-year-old male with a mechanical heart valve diagnosed with OSA. Six months post-intervention follow-up, The HSAT report indicated loud snoring 100% of the time. After carefully reviewing the raw HSAT data and history, the source of the non-physiological high-level sound was identified as the mechanical heart valve, and the patient was reassured. This case highlights how trusting only automated analysis can miss important information and arrive at misleading conclusions.

11.
Front Hum Neurosci ; 18: 1405373, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39403700

ABSTRACT

Most studies on the pragmatic interpretation of existential quantifiers have been conducted in major Indo-European languages like English, Spanish, French, and Greek, focusing mainly on monolingual participants. However, in indigenous linguistic research, especially experimental research, it is crucial to consider several linguistic and extra-linguistic factors for successful implementation. Our research centered on the experimental investigation of the pragmatic interpretation of the quantifier wakin, meaning some in Kichwa, with Kichwa-Spanish bilingual adults from the province of Imbabura Ecuador. We employed the Truth Value Judgement Task (TVJT) for our experiments and incorporated the explicit Question Under Discussion (QUD) paradigm to facilitate pragmatic interpretations among our participants. Our initial experiment revealed a 78% acceptance level for the pragmatic interpretation of "some, but not all" in Kichwa, significantly lower than the 95% acceptance range observed in other languages. We hypothesized that access to technology and formal education might influence these results, leading us to simplify our experiment by eliminating the technological components of the research. In our subsequent experiment, adult speakers of Imbabura Kichwa achieved a 97% accuracy level, comparable to speakers of other languages. To benchmark our results against speakers of other languages under similar conditions, we evaluated whether Spanish speakers from two varieties in Ecuador (Quito and Guayaquil) could generate the "some, but not all" scalar implicature with the Spanish quantifier algunos. Our findings indicated that speakers achieved 95.5 and 97.4% accuracy for both varieties, respectively. Therefore, this study infers that under optimal conditions, speakers of indigenous languages in rural communities demonstrate commendable performance in experimental linguistic studies. Nonetheless, it underscores the necessity for meticulous planning and distinct handling in experimental studies involving speakers of these languages residing in rural areas without access to technological elements. We propose that such research broadens our comprehension of language utilization in minority communities and positively influences language restoration efforts by expanding experimental linguistics studies to indigenous languages.

12.
BMJ Ment Health ; 27(1)2024 Sep 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39322586

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the impact of cumulative attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication use on the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). OBJECTIVE: The objective is to examine the association between cumulative use of ADHD medication and risk of incident T2D. METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted in a national cohort of individuals aged 18-70 years with incident ADHD (n=138 778) between 2007 and 2020 through Swedish registers. Individuals with incident T2D after ADHD were selected as cases (n=2355) and matched with up to five controls (n=11 681) on age at baseline, sex and birth year. Conditional logistic regression models examined the association between cumulative duration of ADHD medication use and T2D. FINDINGS: Compared with no use, a decreased risk of T2D was observed for those on cumulative use of ADHD medications up to 3 years (ORs: 03 years, 0.97 (95% CI, 0.84 to 1.12)). When investigating medication types separately, methylphenidate showed results similar to main analyses, lisdexamfetamine showed no association with T2D, whereas long-term (>3 years) use of atomoxetine was associated with an increased risk of T2D (OR: 1.44 (95% CI, 1.01 to 2.04)). CONCLUSION: Cumulative use of ADHD medication does not increase the risk for T2D, with the exception of long-term use of atomoxetine. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Findings suggest that clinicians should be aware of the potential risk of T2D associated with the cumulative use of atomoxetine among patients with ADHD; however, further replication is strongly needed.


Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity , Central Nervous System Stimulants , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Registries , Humans , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/drug therapy , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/epidemiology , Sweden/epidemiology , Adult , Male , Middle Aged , Female , Case-Control Studies , Adolescent , Young Adult , Aged , Central Nervous System Stimulants/adverse effects , Central Nervous System Stimulants/therapeutic use , Atomoxetine Hydrochloride/adverse effects , Atomoxetine Hydrochloride/therapeutic use , Methylphenidate/adverse effects , Methylphenidate/therapeutic use , Risk Factors
13.
Cureus ; 16(8): e68202, 2024 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39347197

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This cross-sectional observational study aimed to investigate the visual attention patterns of postgraduate endodontic residents during the interpretation of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans for traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) using eye-tracking technology. METHODS: A cohort of 10 residents who were recruited from King Abdulaziz University Dental Hospital (KAUDH) underwent interpretation of seven CBCT images of TDIs. Eye-tracking metrics, including dwell time, entry time, end time, and the number of revisits, were recorded and analyzed using nonparametric statistical tests. RESULTS: Eye-tracking data revealed that patients with lateral luxation and extrusive luxation pathologies had the longest mean dwell times (1.82 seconds and 1.50 seconds, respectively). These findings were statistically significant compared to other pathologies (p<0.001). Conversely, horizontal root fractures and periapical radiolucency were identified more quickly by the participants (mean entry times of 6.60 seconds and 8.84 seconds, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate variability in visual attention metrics depending on the type of TDI, suggesting that certain injuries may require more focused attention for accurate diagnosis. Specifically, lateral and extrusive luxation injuries attracted longer dwell times, possibly due to their unique diagnostic challenges. This research provides a basis for future studies aiming to optimize education and training related to CBCT interpretation of traumatic dental injuries.

14.
Entropy (Basel) ; 26(9)2024 Sep 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39330122

ABSTRACT

This study demonstrates the existence of an evanescent electron wave outside both finite and infinite quantum wells by solving the Dirac equation and ensuring the continuity of the spinor wavefunction at the boundaries. We show that this evanescent wave shares the spin characteristics of the wave confined within the well, as indicated by analytical expressions for the current density across all regions. Our findings suggest that the electron cannot be confined to a mathematical singularity and that quantum information, or quantum entropy, can leak through any quantum confinement. These results emphasize that the electron wave, fully characterized by Lorentz-invariant charge and current densities, should be considered the true and sole entity of the electron.

15.
Qual Life Res ; 2024 Sep 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39340723

ABSTRACT

Interpretation of patient-reported outcome (PRO) scores has been supported by identifying score thresholds or ranges that indicate clinical importance. There has been a recent focus on the estimation of meaningful within patient change (MWPC). While much attention has been focused on anchor-based methods, some researchers prefer that a lower bound to these estimates should exceed a change score that could be observed due to measurement error alone as a safeguard against misclassifying individual patients as changed when they have not. The standard error of measurement (SEM) is often used as the lower bound of anchor estimates. Here, we argue that the SEM is not an the best lower bound for MWPCs. Instead, statistically significant individual change as calculated by the reliable change index (RCI) should be used as the lower bound. Our argument is based on two points. First, conceptually, the SEM does not provide specific enough information to serve as a lower bound for MWPCs, which should be based on the level of observed score change that is unlikely to be due to chance alone. Second, the SEM is not appropriate for direct application to observed scores, and requires a multiplier when examining observed change instead of true change. We conclude with recommendations for using the RCI with a thoughtful range of p-values in combination with anchor estimates.

16.
J Food Sci ; 89(10): 6553-6574, 2024 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39218808

ABSTRACT

Brown rice over-milling causes high economic and nutrient loss. The rice degree of milling (DOM) detection and prediction remain a challenge for moderate processing. In this study, a self-established grain image acquisition platform was built. Degree of bran layer remaining (DOR) datasets is established with image capturing and processing (grain color, texture, and shape features extraction). The mapping relationship between DOR and the DOM is in-depth analyzed. Rice grain DOR typical machine learning and deep learning prediction models are established. The results indicate that the optimized Catboost model can be established with cross-validation and grid search method, with the best accuracy improving from 84.28% to 91.24%, achieving precision 91.31%, recall 90.89%, and F1-score 91.07%. Shapley additive explanations analysis indicates that color, texture, and shape feature affect Catboost prediction accuracy, the feature importance: color > texture > shape. The YCbCr-Cb_ske and GLCM-Contrast features make the most significant contribution to rice milling quality prediction. The feature importance provides theoretical and practical guidance for grain DOM prediction model. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Rice milling degree prediction and detection are valuable for rice milling process in practical application. In this paper, image processing and machine learning methods provide an automated, nondestructive, and cost-effective way to predict the quality of rice. The study may serve as a valuable reference for improving rice milling methods, retaining rice nutrition, and reducing broken rice yield.


Subject(s)
Food Handling , Machine Learning , Oryza , Oryza/chemistry , Food Handling/methods , China , Edible Grain/chemistry , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods , Color , East Asian People
17.
Diagnostics (Basel) ; 14(18)2024 Sep 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39335722

ABSTRACT

Background: White blood cell (WBC) scintigraphy plays a major role in the diagnostic approach to periprosthetic infections. Although the procedure has been standardized by the publication of several guidelines, the interpretation of this technique may be susceptible to intra and inter-variability. We aimed to assess the reproducibility of interpretation between nuclear medicine physicians and by the same physician and to demonstrate that Cohen's coefficient is more unstable than Gwet's coefficient, as the latter is influenced by the prevalence rates. Methods: We enrolled 59 patients who performed a Technetium-99m WBC (99mTc-WBC) scintigraphy for suspected hip or knee prosthesis infection. Three physicians, blinded to all patient clinical data, performed two image readings. Each WBC study was assessed both visually and semi-quantitatively according to the guidelines of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM). For semi-quantitative analysis, readers drew an irregular Region of Interest (ROI) over the suspected infectious lesion and copied it to the normal contralateral bone. The mean counts per ROI were used to calculate lesion-to-reference tissue (LR) ratios for both late and delayed images. An increase in LR over time (LRlate> LRdelayed) of more than 20% was considered indicative of infection. Agreement between readers and between readings was assessed by the first-order agreement coefficient (Gwet's AC1). Reading time for each scan was compared between the three readers in both the first and the second reading, using the Generalized Linear Mixed Model. Results: An excellent agreement was found among all three readers: 0.90 for the first reading and 0.94 for the second reading. Both inter- and intra-variability showed values ≥0.86. Gwet's method demonstrated greater robustness than the Cohen coefficient when assessing the intra and inter-rater variability, since it is not influenced by the prevalence rate. Conclusions: These studies can contribute to improving the reliability of nuclear medicine imaging techniques and to evaluating the effectiveness of trainee preparation.

18.
Genes (Basel) ; 15(9)2024 Sep 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39336803

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to demonstrate the role of case-level American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) criteria, such as familial segregation and pathology data, in providing conclusive evidence for the pathogenicity of ultrarare GLA variants causing Anderson-Fabry disease when gene-level and variant-level criteria provide ambiguous or discrepant results. Case/family description: A 52-year-old woman presented with new-onset shortness of breath, chest pain, and palpitations. Echocardiography revealed mild left ventricular wall thickening (14 mm) and mild diastolic dysfunction. She was the second of three siblings born to unrelated parents, both of whom died from malignancies. Family screening identified brothers, one affected 55-year-old with hypertension and asthma and one unaffected 47-year-old. The 15-year-old son of the proband complained of exercise-induced burning feet acral pain his electrocardiogram showed a short PR interval and signs of early hypertrophy. RESULTS: Endomyocardial biopsies of the proband and the affected sibling demonstrated substrate accumulation (globotriaosylceramide). The anti-α-galactosidase-A immunostain showed a total loss of the enzyme in the hemizygous male and a mosaic pattern in the heterozygous female. The next-generation sequencing short-read multigene panel identified the c.547+3A>G variant in the GLA gene and excluded variants in other genes; Oxford-Nanopore long-read sequencing excluded known pathogenic deep intronic variants. A Multiplex-Ligation-dependent-Probe-Amplification assay excluded copy number variations. Based on the variant-level and gene-level ACMG criteria, the variant was classified as a Variant of Uncertain Significance or Likely Benign using different bioinformatic tools. By adding case-level functional data (endomyocardial biopsy, PS3_VeryStrong) and familial data (segregation of genotype with phenotype, PP2_Moderate), the variant was classified as Likely Pathogenic/Pathogenic. CONCLUSION: ACMG case-level data can unambiguously resolve uncertain interpretations of GLA variants.


Subject(s)
Fabry Disease , Pedigree , alpha-Galactosidase , Humans , Fabry Disease/genetics , Fabry Disease/pathology , Female , alpha-Galactosidase/genetics , Middle Aged , Male , Adolescent
19.
Viruses ; 16(9)2024 Sep 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39339898

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is gradually replacing Sanger sequencing for HIV genotypic drug resistance testing (GRT). This work evaluated the concordance among different NGS-GRT interpretation tools in a real-life setting. METHODS: Routine NGS-GRT data were generated from viral RNA at 11 Italian laboratories with the AD4SEQ HIV-1 Solution v2 commercial kit. NGS results were interpreted by the SmartVir system provided by the kit and by two online tools (HyDRA Web and Stanford HIVdb). NGS-GRT was considered valid when the coverage was >100 reads (100×) at each PR/RT/IN resistance-associated position listed in the HIVdb 9.5.1 algorithm. RESULTS: Among 629 NGS-GRT, 75.2%, 74.2%, and 70.9% were valid according to SmartVir, HyDRA Web, and HIVdb. Considering at least two interpretation tools, 463 (73.6%) NGS-GRT had a valid coverage for resistance analyses. The proportion of valid samples was affected by viremia <10,000-1000 copies/mL and non-B subtypes. Mutations at an NGS frequency >10% showed fair concordance among different interpretation tools. CONCLUSION: This Italian survey on NGS resistance testing suggests that viremia levels and HIV subtype affect NGS-GRT coverage. Within the current routine method for NGS-GRT, only mutations with frequency >10% seem reliably detected across different interpretation tools.


Subject(s)
Drug Resistance, Viral , HIV Infections , HIV-1 , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , HIV-1/genetics , HIV-1/drug effects , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods , Humans , Italy , Drug Resistance, Viral/genetics , HIV Infections/virology , Mutation , Genotype , RNA, Viral/genetics , Anti-HIV Agents/pharmacology , Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use
20.
Am J Hum Genet ; 111(10): 2164-2175, 2024 Oct 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39226898

ABSTRACT

Variants that alter gene splicing are estimated to comprise up to a third of all disease-causing variants, yet they are hard to predict from DNA sequencing data alone. To overcome this, many groups are incorporating RNA-based analyses, which are resource intensive, particularly for diagnostic laboratories. There are thousands of functionally validated variants that induce mis-splicing; however, this information is not consolidated, and they are under-represented in ClinVar, which presents a barrier to variant interpretation and can result in duplication of validation efforts. To address this issue, we developed SpliceVarDB, an online database consolidating over 50,000 variants assayed for their effects on splicing in over 8,000 human genes. We evaluated over 500 published data sources and established a spliceogenicity scale to standardize, harmonize, and consolidate variant validation data generated by a range of experimental protocols. According to the strength of their supporting evidence, variants were classified as "splice-altering" (∼25%), "not splice-altering" (∼25%), and "low-frequency splice-altering" (∼50%), which correspond to weak or indeterminate evidence of spliceogenicity. Importantly, 55% of the splice-altering variants in SpliceVarDB are outside the canonical splice sites (5.6% are deep intronic). These variants can support the variant curation diagnostic pathway and can be used to provide the high-quality data necessary to develop more accurate in silico splicing predictors. The variants are accessible through an online platform, SpliceVarDB, with additional features for visualization, variant information, in silico predictions, and validation metrics. SpliceVarDB is a very large collection of splice-altering variants and is available at https://splicevardb.org.


Subject(s)
Databases, Genetic , RNA Splicing , Humans , RNA Splicing/genetics , Genetic Variation , Alternative Splicing/genetics , Software
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