Comprehensive profiling of the human viral exposome in households containing an at-risk child with mitochondrial disease during the 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Viral infection is a major cause of morbidity in children with mitochondrial disease (MtD). As a result, families with children with MtD are highly adherent to risk mitigation behaviours (RMBs) advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic that can modulate infection risk. METHODS: Deep serologic phenotyping of viral infections was performed via home-based sampling by combining SARS-CoV-2 serologic testing and phage display immunoprecipitation and sequencing. Samples were collected approximately 1 year apart (October 2020 to April 2021 and October 2021 to March 2022) on households containing a child with MtD. RESULTS: In contrast to our first collection in 2020-2021, SARS-CoV-2 antibody profiles for all participants in 2021-2022 were marked by greater isotype diversity and the appearance of neutralizing antibodies. Besides SARS-CoV-2, households (N = 15) were exposed to >38 different respiratory and gastrointestinal viruses during the study, averaging five viral infections per child with MtD. Regarding clinical outcomes, children with MtD (N = 17) experienced 34 episodes of illness resulting in 6 hospitalizations, with some children experiencing multiple episodes. Neurologic events following illness were recorded in five patients. Infections were identified via clinical testing in only seven cases. Viral exposome profiles were consistent with clinical testing and even identified infections not captured by clinical testing. CONCLUSIONS: Despite reported adherence to RMBs during the COVID-19 pandemic by families with a child with MtD, viral infection was pervasive. Not all infections resulted in illness in the child with MtD, suggesting that some were subclinical or asymptomatic. However, selected children with MtD did experience neurologic events. Our studies emphasize that viral infections are inexorable, emphasizing the need for further understanding of host-pathogen interactions through broad serologic surveillance.

Studying animal innovation at the individual level: A ratings-based assessment in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus [Cebus] sp.).

Large-scale studies of individual differences in innovative behavior among nonhuman animals are rare because of logistical difficulties associated with obtaining observational data on a large number of innovative individuals across multiple locations. Here, we take a different approach, using observer ratings to study individual differences in innovative behavior in 127 brown capuchin monkeys (Sapajus [Cebus] sp.) from 15 social groups and 7 facilities. Capuchins were reliably rated by 1 to 7 raters (mean 3.2 ± 1.6 raters/monkey) on a 7-point Likert scale for levels of innovative behavior, task motivation, sociality, and dominance. In a subsample, we demonstrate these ratings are valid: Rated innovation predicted performance on a learning task, rated motivation predicted participation in the task, rated dominance predicted social rank based on win/loss aggressive outcomes, and rated sociality predicted the time that monkeys spent in proximity to others. Across all 127 capuchins, individuals that were rated as being more innovative were significantly younger, more social, and more motivated to engage in tasks. Age, sociality, and task motivation all had independent effects on innovativeness, whereas sex, dominance, and group size were nonsignificant. Our findings are consistent with long-term behavioral observations of innovation in wild white-faced capuchins. Observer ratings may, therefore, be a valid tool for studies of animal innovation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Social and behavioral science at the forefront of genomics: Discovery, translation, and health equity.

This special issue highlights the unique role that social and behavioral science has to play at the forefront of genomics. Through the introduction of papers comprising this special issue, we outline priority research areas at the nexus of genomics and the social and behavioral sciences. These include: Discovery science; clinical and community translation, and equity, including engagement and inclusion of diverse populations in genomic science. We advocate for genomic discovery that considers social context, neural, cognitive, and behavioral endophenotypes, and that is grounded in social and behavioral science research and theory. Further, the social and behavioral sciences should play a leadership role in identifying best practices for effective clinical and community translation of genomic discoveries. Finally, inclusive research that engages diverse populations is necessary for genomic discovery and translation to benefit all. We also highlight ways that genomics can be a fruitful testbed for the development and refinement of social and behavioral science theory. Indeed, an expanded ecological lens that runs from genomes to society will be required to fully understand human behavior.

Developing Shared Appraisals of Diabetes Risk Through Family Health History Feedback: The Case of Mexican-Heritage Families.

Background: Collecting complete and accurate family health history is critical to preventing type 2 diabetes. Purpose: We seek to identify the optimal risk feedback approach that facilitates risk communication between parents and their adult children and helps them develop shared appraisals of family history of type 2 diabetes. Methods: In a sample of parent-adult child dyads from 125 Mexican-heritage families residing in Houston, Texas, we examine change in parent-child dyadic (dis)agreement with respect to their shared family health history from baseline to 10 months after receipt of risk feedback generated by Family Healthware. A 2 × 2 factorial design is applied to test how the recipient (one parent or all family members) and the content (risk assessment with or without behavioral recommendations) of the feedback affect (dis)agreement through interpersonal ties, particularly dyadic risk communication. Results: Providing risk assessment without behavioral recommendations to the parent, but not the adult child, shifts the dyads toward agreement (relative risk ratio [RRR]= 1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.18-2.67]), by activating reciprocal risk communication between parents and children (RRR =2.70, 95% CI [1.81-4.03]). Dyads with close interpersonal ties are more likely to shift toward agreement (RRR = 3.09, 95% CI [1.89-5.07]). Conclusion: Programs aimed at improving family health history knowledge and accuracy of reports should tailor risk feedback strategically for better intervention effect and leverage a network approach in disease prevention among at-risk minority and/or immigrant populations. Trial Registration Number: NCT00469339.

Racial differences in family health history knowledge of type 2 diabetes: exploring the role of interpersonal mechanisms.

Collecting complete and accurate family health history is critical to preventing type 2 diabetes. Whether there are any racial difference in family health history knowledge of type 2 diabetes and whether such differences are related to interpersonal mechanisms remain unclear. We seek to identify the interpersonal mechanisms that give rise to discrepancies in family health history knowledge of type 2 diabetes in families of different racial backgrounds. We analyze informant-dyad consensus with respect to shared family history of type 2 diabetes in 127 informants of 45 families in the greater Cincinnati area (white: 28 families, 78 informants; black/African-American: 17 families, 49 informants). We first document a difference in informant-dyad consensus by race and then test whether this difference can be explained by interpersonal ties, particularly health communication. Compared with their white counterparts, dyads in families of black/African-American background are more likely to have an uneven distribution of knowledge, with one informant knowing and the other not knowing his/her family health history. The racial difference is explained by dyads in families of black/African-American background having fewer reciprocal health communication ties. While associated with informant-dyad consensus, education, kinship ties, and closeness ties do not account for the observed racial difference. Activating health communication is a key to improving family health history knowledge, especially in families of black/African-American background. Researchers and clinicians should leverage communication ties in the family network for better collection and utilization of family health history in preventive services.

Put the Family Back in Family Health History: A Multiple-Informant Approach.

INTRODUCTION: An accurate family health history is essential for individual risk assessment. This study uses a multiple-informant approach to examine whether family members have consistent perceptions of shared familial risk for four common chronic conditions (heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension) and whether accounting for inconsistency in family health history reports leads to more accurate risk assessment. METHODS: In 2012-2013, individual and family health histories were collected from 127 adult informants of 45 families in the Greater Cincinnati Area. Pedigrees were linked within each family to assess inter-informant (in)consistency regarding common biological family member's health history. An adjusted risk assessment based on pooled pedigrees of multiple informants was evaluated to determine whether it could more accurately identify individuals affected by common chronic conditions, using self-reported disease diagnoses as a validation criterion. Analysis was completed in 2015-2016. RESULTS: Inter-informant consistency in family health history reports was 54% for heart disease, 61% for Type 2 diabetes, 43% for high cholesterol, and 41% for hypertension. Compared with the unadjusted risk assessment, the adjusted risk assessment correctly identified an additional 7%-13% of the individuals who had been diagnosed, with a ≤2% increase in cases that were predicted to be at risk but had not been diagnosed. CONCLUSIONS: Considerable inconsistency exists in individual knowledge of their family health history. Accounting for such inconsistency can, nevertheless, lead to a more accurate genetic risk assessment tool. A multiple-informant approach is potentially powerful when coupled with technology to support clinical decisions.

The relationship of age to personal network size, relational multiplexity, and proximity to alters in the Western United States.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the association of age and other sociodemographic variables with properties of personal networks; using samples of individuals residing in the rural western United States and the City of Los Angeles, we evaluate the degree to which these associations vary with geographical context. For both samples, we test the hypothesis that age is negatively associated with network size (i.e., degree) and positively associated with network multiplexity (the extent of overlap) on 6 different relations: core discussion members, social activity participants, emergency contacts, neighborhood safety contacts, job informants, and kin. We also examine the relationship between age and spatial proximity to alters. METHOD: Our data consist of a large-scale, spatially stratified egocentric network survey containing information about respondents and those to whom they are tied. We use Poisson regression to test our hypothesis regarding degree while adjusting for covariates, including education, gender, race, and self-reported sense of neighborhood belonging. We use multiple linear regression to test our hypotheses on multiplexity and distance to alters. RESULTS: For both rural and urban populations, we find a nonmonotone association between age and numbers of core discussants and emergency contacts, with rural populations also showing nonmonotone associations for social activity partners and kin. These nonmonotone relationships show a peak in expected degree at midlife, followed by an eventual decline. We find a decline in degree among the elderly for all relations in both populations. Age is positively associated with distance to nonhousehold alters for the rural population, although residential tenure is associated with shorter ego-alter distances in both rural and urban settings. Additionally, age is negatively associated with network multiplexity for both populations. DISCUSSION: Although personal network size ultimately declines with age, we find that increases for some relations extend well into late-midlife and most elders still maintain numerous contacts across diverse relations. The evidence we present suggests that older people tap into an wider variety of different network members for different types of relations than do younger people. This is true even for populations in rural settings, for whom immediate access to potential alters is more limited.

Conscious consideration of herd immunity in influenza vaccination decisions.

BACKGROUND: Influenza vaccination decisions may be influenced by perceived risk reduction related to herd immunity. PURPOSE: This paper examines how free-riding (i.e., foregoing vaccination because of reduced risk perceptions related to herd immunity) or protective benefits to the community affect vaccination decisions. METHODS: A survey of a nationally representative panel of U.S. adults (N=442 respondents; data collected and analyzed during 2012) asked about how respondents made vaccination decisions, including whether and how vaccination among the members of respondents' social networks influenced their own vaccination decisions. RESULTS: Most individuals (61%) reported that vaccination in the social network would not influence their decision. Among those perceiving being influenced by vaccination in their social network, most stated that an increase in network vaccination coverage would make them more likely to get vaccinated, rather than less. Overall, only 6% (28 of 442) gave a response consistent with the reduced-risk logic of herd immunity, which was more common among those stating that they would be less likely to get vaccinated (emphasizing free-riding) than among those more likely to get vaccinated (emphasizing social protection; 33% vs 11%, two-sided, p=0.0005). The reduced-risk logic of herd immunity, and more specifically free-riding, is consciously considered by relatively few individuals. Far more common are social influences bolstering personal vaccination, such as peer pressure and social learning (6% vs 11%, two-sided, p=0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Interventionists may be more successful by capitalizing on existing social-influence considerations than by trying to combat the conscious lure of free-riding.