HostSeq: a Canadian whole genome sequencing and clinical data resource.

HostSeq was launched in April 2020 as a national initiative to integrate whole genome sequencing data from 10,000 Canadians infected with SARS-CoV-2 with clinical information related to their disease experience. The mandate of HostSeq is to support the Canadian and international research communities in their efforts to understand the risk factors for disease and associated health outcomes and support the development of interventions such as vaccines and therapeutics. HostSeq is a collaboration among 13 independent epidemiological studies of SARS-CoV-2 across five provinces in Canada. Aggregated data collected by HostSeq are made available to the public through two data portals: a phenotype portal showing summaries of major variables and their distributions, and a variant search portal enabling queries in a genomic region. Individual-level data is available to the global research community for health research through a Data Access Agreement and Data Access Compliance Office approval. Here we provide an overview of the collective project design along with summary level information for HostSeq. We highlight several statistical considerations for researchers using the HostSeq platform regarding data aggregation, sampling mechanism, covariate adjustment, and X chromosome analysis. In addition to serving as a rich data source, the diversity of study designs, sample sizes, and research objectives among the participating studies provides unique opportunities for the research community.

An outcome study of group therapy.

Outcome research in a group therapy program was conducted with therapists in training who had little prior experience with group therapy. Significantly greater improvement over an initial three-month period was found for treated patients when compared with control patients on a multivariate combination of five outcome criteria. Some, but not all, of the five separate criteria indicated such a difference. Only slight, nondifferentiating improvement was found for target symptoms. Significantly greater improvement over the three-month period on the multivariate combination was also found for treated patients who had begun therapy during the second year of the program when compared with treated patients who had begun therapy during the first year of the program. Finally, significant improvement over the three-month period on the multivariate combination was found for both treated and control patients.

Pretraining for group psychotherapy. A cognitive-experiential approach.

Pretherapy training for group psychotherapy is conceptualized in terms of learned conditions of preparedness (objectives) and in terms of methods of preparation (procedures). Controlled studies of pretraining for group psychotherapy were reviewed in reference to these two dimensions and their effects. A controlled study of pretraining involving five outpatient therapy groups that used a new cognitive-experiential approach to pretraining was performed. Pretrained groups had significantly higher patient attendance and significantly fewer dropouts than nonpretrained groups.

Relationships between the object focus of therapist interpretations and outcome in short-term individual psychotherapy.

The relationships between the object (person) focus of therapist interpretations and outcome were examined for 21 patients who received short-term individual psychotherapy. Percentages of single objects and linked objects, e.g. therapist-parent link, were derived from an analysis of the therapy sessions. Patients, therapists and an independent assessor provided pre-therapy, post-therapy and six-month follow-up outcome scores. Contrary to other reports in the literature little evidence was found to support the hypothesis of a direct linear relationship between object focus and favourable outcome. Several explanations for the findings are discussed.