#EndtheSTIgma: An Exploratory Analysis of the 2019 HPV Awareness Day Conversation on Twitter & Instagram.

The current study explores the risk communication conversations on Twitter and Instagram in the context of the 2019 HPV Awareness Day, through the theoretical lenses of the stigma associated with HPV, HPV-related cancer, and the HPV vaccine. Our findings reveal that: 1) self and enacted stigma are present in these social media conversations, via nonprofits and official ambassadors, and via regular people; 2) other categories related to stigma, which can be seen as reactions to stigma and appeals to better individuals and society (i.e. stopping stereotypes) also emerged in these conversations, via official and not official sources, pro and against vaccine discourses; and 3) the same categories emerged from the data via both platforms, but differences exist in terms of narratives and messaging. Practical implications are discussed.

Coupling Fields to 3D Quantum Gravity via Chern-Simons Theory.

We propose a mechanism that couples matter fields to three-dimensional quantum gravity, which can be used for theories with a positive or negative cosmological constant. Our proposal is rooted in the Chern-Simons formulation of three-dimensional gravity and makes use of the Wilson spool, a collection of Wilson loops winding around closed paths of the background. We show that the Wilson spool correctly reproduces the one-loop determinant of a free massive scalar field on rotating black holes in AdS_{3} and Euclidean dS_{3} as G_{N}→0. Moreover, we describe how to incorporate quantum metric fluctuations into this formalism.

Exposure Effects or Confirmation Bias? Examining Reciprocal Dynamics of Misinformation, Misperceptions, and Attitudes Toward COVID-19 Vaccines.

This longitudinal study integrates exposure effects and confirmation bias under the theoretical framework of dynamic motivation activation (DMA) to examine the dynamic reciprocity of misinformation, misperceptions, and attitudes in the context of COVID-19 vaccination. Results from a three- national survey showed that misinformation exposure, misperceptions, and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines reinforced themselves over time. Further, misperceptions reduced subsequent pro-vaccine attitudes, and pro-vaccine attitudes in turn decreased subsequent misperceptions. Longitudinal mediation analysis also indicated that attitudes reinforced themselves through misperceptions. Surprisingly, we did not find a significant impact of misinformation exposure on subsequent misperceptions or effects of attitudes on subsequent misinformation exposure. These findings highlight the importance of addressing misperceptions regarding COVID-19 vaccines and provide insights for theoretical development in research on exposure effects and confirmation bias.

From Quantum Curves to Topological String Partition Functions.

This paper describes the reconstruction of the topological string partition function for certain local Calabi-Yau (CY) manifolds from the quantum curve, an ordinary differential equation obtained by quantising their defining equations. Quantum curves are characterised as solutions to a Riemann-Hilbert problem. The isomonodromic tau-functions associated to these Riemann-Hilbert problems admit a family of natural normalisations labelled by the chambers in the extended Kähler moduli space of the local CY under consideration. The corresponding isomonodromic tau-functions admit a series expansion of generalised theta series type from which one can extract the topological string partition functions for each chamber.

Frontal dysconnectivity in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: an atlas-based functional connectivity analysis.

BACKGROUND: 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a neurodevelopmental syndrome associated with deficits in cognitive and emotional processing. This syndrome represents one of the highest risk factors for the development of schizophrenia. Previous studies of functional connectivity (FC) in 22q11DS report aberrant connectivity patterns in large-scale networks that are associated with the development of psychotic symptoms. METHODS: In this study, we performed a functional connectivity analysis using the CONN toolbox to test for differential connectivity patterns between 54 individuals with 22q11DS and 30 healthy controls, between the ages of 17-25 years old. We mapped resting-state fMRI data onto 68 atlas-based regions of interest (ROIs) generated by the Desikan-Killany atlas in FreeSurfer, resulting in 2278 ROI-to-ROI connections for which we determined total linear temporal associations between each. Within the group with 22q11DS only, we further tested the association between prodromal symptoms of psychosis and FC. RESULTS: We observed that relative to controls, individuals with 22q11DS displayed increased FC in lobar networks involving the frontal-frontal, frontal-parietal, and frontal-occipital ROIs. In contrast, FC between ROIs in the parietal-temporal and occipital lobes was reduced in the 22q11DS group relative to healthy controls. Moreover, positive psychotic symptoms were positively associated with increased functional connections between the left precuneus and right superior frontal gyrus, as well as reduced functional connectivity between the bilateral pericalcarine. Positive symptoms were negatively associated with increased functional connectivity between the right pericalcarine and right postcentral gyrus. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that functional organization may be altered in 22q11DS, leading to disruption in connectivity between frontal and other lobar substructures, and potentially increasing risk for prodromal psychosis.

Intrinsic Connectivity Network-Based Classification and Detection of Psychotic Symptoms in Youth With 22q11.2 Deletions.

22q11.2 Deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a genetic disorder associated with numerous phenotypic consequences and is one of the greatest known risk factors for psychosis. We investigated intrinsic-connectivity-networks (ICNs) as potential biomarkers for patient and psychosis-risk status in 2 independent cohorts, UCLA (33 22q11DS-participants, 33 demographically matched controls), and Syracuse (28 22q11DS, 28 controls). After assessing group connectivity differences, ICNs from the UCLA cohort were used to train classifiers to distinguish cases from controls, and to predict psychosis risk status within 22q11DS; classifiers were subsequently tested on the Syracuse cohort. In both cohorts we observed significant hypoconnectivity in 22q11DS relative to controls within anterior cingulate (ACC)/precuneus, executive, default mode (DMN), posterior DMN, and salience networks. Of 12 ICN-derived classifiers tested in the Syracuse replication-cohort, the ACC/precuneus, DMN, and posterior DMN classifiers accurately distinguished between 22q11DS and controls. Within 22q11DS subjects, connectivity alterations within 4 networks predicted psychosis risk status for a given individual in both cohorts: the ACC/precuneus, DMN, left executive, and salience networks. Widespread within-network-hypoconnectivity in large-scale networks implicated in higher-order cognition may be a defining characteristic of 22q11DS during adolescence and early adulthood; furthermore, loss of coherence within these networks may be a valuable biomarker for individual prediction of psychosis-risk in 22q11DS.

The social brain network in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: a diffusion tensor imaging study.

BACKGROUND: Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is a neurogenetic disorder that is associated with a 25-fold increase in schizophrenia. Both individuals with 22q11.2DS and those with schizophrenia present with social cognitive deficits, which are putatively subserved by a network of brain regions that are involved in the processing of social cognitive information. This study used two-tensor tractography to examine the white matter tracts believed to underlie the social brain network in a group of 57 young adults with 22q11.2DS compared to 30 unaffected controls. RESULTS: Results indicated that relative to controls, participants with 22q11.2DS showed significant differences in several DTI metrics within the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, cingulum bundle, thalamo-frontal tract, and inferior longitudinal fasciculus. In addition, participants with 22q11.2DS showed significant differences in scores on measures of social cognition, including the Social Responsiveness Scale and Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire. Further analyses among individuals with 22q11.2DS demonstrated an association between DTI metrics and positive and negative symptoms of psychosis, as well as differentiation between individuals with 22q11.2DS and overt psychosis, relative to those with positive prodromal symptoms or no psychosis. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that white matter disruption, specifically disrupted axonal coherence in the right inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, may be a biomarker for social cognitive difficulties and psychosis in individuals with 22q11.2DS.

Associations between neurodevelopmental genes, neuroanatomy, and ultra high risk symptoms of psychosis in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

22q11.2 deletion syndrome is a neurogenetic disorder resulting in the deletion of over 40 genes. Up to 40% of individuals with 22q11.2DS develop schizophrenia, though little is known about the underlying mechanisms. We hypothesized that allelic variation in functional polymorphisms in seven genes unique to the deleted region would affect lobar brain volumes, which would predict risk for psychosis in youth with 22q11.2DS. Participants included 56 individuals (30 males) with 22q11.2DS. Anatomic MR images were collected and processed using Freesurfer. Participants were genotyped for 10 SNPs in the COMT, DGCR8, GNB1L, PIK4CA, PRODH, RTN4R, and ZDHHC8 genes. All subjects were assessed for ultra high risk symptoms of psychosis. Allelic variation of the rs701428 SNP of RTN4R was significantly associated with volumetric differences in gray matter of the lingual gyrus and cuneus of the occipital lobe. Moreover, occipital gray matter volumes were robustly associated with ultra high risk symptoms of psychosis in the presence of the G allele of rs701428. Our results suggest that RTN4R, a relatively under-studied gene at the 22q11 locus, constitutes a susceptibility gene for psychosis in individuals with this syndrome through its alteration of the architecture of the brain. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

N-acetylcysteine reduces disease activity by blocking mammalian target of rapamycin in T cells from systemic lupus erythematosus patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients exhibit T cell dysfunction, which can be regulated through mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψm) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) by glutathione (GSH). This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was undertaken to examine the safety, tolerance, and efficacy of the GSH precursor N-acetylcysteine (NAC). METHODS: A total of 36 SLE patients received either daily placebo or 1.2 gm, 2.4 gm, or 4.8 gm of NAC. Disease activity was evaluated monthly by the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) index, the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), and the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) before, during, and after a 3-month treatment period. Mitochondrial transmembrane potential and mTOR were assessed by flow cytometry. Forty-two healthy subjects matched to patients for age, sex, and ethnicity were studied as controls. RESULTS: NAC up to 2.4 gm/day was tolerated by all patients, while 33% of those receiving 4.8 gm/day had reversible nausea. Placebo or NAC 1.2 gm/day did not influence disease activity. Considered together, 2.4 gm and 4.8 gm NAC reduced the SLEDAI score after 1 month (P = 0.0007), 2 months (P = 0.0009), 3 months (P = 0.0030), and 4 months (P = 0.0046); the BILAG score after 1 month (P = 0.029) and 3 months (P = 0.009); and the FAS score after 2 months (P = 0.0006) and 3 months (P = 0.005). NAC increased Δψm (P = 0.0001) in all T cells, profoundly reduced mTOR activity (P = 0.0009), enhanced apoptosis (P = 0.0004), reversed expansion of CD4-CD8- T cells (mean ± SEM 1.35 ± 0.12-fold change; P = 0.008), stimulated FoxP3 expression in CD4+CD25+ T cells (P = 0.045), and reduced anti-DNA production (P = 0.049). CONCLUSION: This pilot study suggests that NAC safely improves lupus disease activity by blocking mTOR in T lymphocytes.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: Disadvantaged Groups' Experience with Perceived Barriers, Cues to Action, and Attitudes.

PURPOSE: Drawing from the Health Belief Model, we explored how disadvantaged groups in the U.S., including Black, Hispanic, less educated and wealthy individuals, experienced perceived barriers and cues to action in the context of the COVID-19 vaccination. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey administered in March 2021. SETTING: USA. SUBJECTS: A national sample of U.S. residents (n = 795) recruited from Prolific. MEASURES: Perceived barriers (clinical, access, trust, religion/spiritual), cues to action (authorities, social circles), attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination. ANALYSIS: Factor analysis and Structural Equation Model (SEM) were performed in STATA 16. RESULTS: Black and less educated individuals experienced higher clinical barriers (CI [.012, .33]; CI [.027, .10]), trust barriers (CI [.49, .92]; CI [.057, .16]), and religious/spiritual barriers (CI [.28, .66]; CI [.026, .11]). Hispanics experienced lower levels of clinical barriers (CI [-.42, .0001]). Clinical, trust, and religious/spiritual barriers were negatively related to attitudes toward vaccination (CI [-.45, -.15]; CI [-.79, -.51]; CI [-.43, -.13]). Black and less educated individuals experienced fewer cues to action by authority (CI [-.47, -.083]; CI [-.093, -.002]) and social ties (CI [-.75, -.33]; CI [-.18, -.080]). Lower-income individuals experienced fewer cues to action by social ties (CI [-.097, -.032]). Cues from social ties were positively associated with vaccination attitudes (CI [.065, .26]). CONCLUSION: Communication should be personalized to address perceived barriers disadvantaged groups differentially experience and use sources who exert influences on these groups.

Public thoughts on incentivizing COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the United States: testing hostile media bias with user-generated comments.

Facebook is the most popular social media platform and often used by news organizations to distribute content to broad audiences. Features of this online news environment, especially user-generated comments shown to news consumers, have the potential to induce audience perceptions of hostile media bias. This study furthers investigation into the influence of exposure to Facebook comments and news topics on consumers. Using a sample of U.S. adult Facebook users (N = 1,274), this work utilized a 2 (likeminded comments or disagreeable comments) × 2 (story topic of requiring COVID-19 vaccines to receive a monetary bonus or maintain employment) between-subjects experimental design. While controlling for the influence of partisanship, this work further proves that features of the Facebook environment uniquely influence news audience perceptions of neutral news content. Specifically, findings indicate that news story topic can influence perceptions of bias. Further, topic and comment exposure interacted, demonstrating the intensity of story topic and likeminded comments enhance hostile media perceptions.

An Overview of the Impact of Bacterial Infections and the Associated Mortality Predictors in Patients with COVID-19 Admitted to a Tertiary Center from Eastern Europe.

1. BACKGROUND: Literature data on bacterial infections and their impact on the mortality rates of COVID-19 patients from Romania are scarce, while worldwide reports are contrasting. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a unicentric retrospective observational study that included 280 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, on whom we performed various microbiological determinations. Based on the administration or not of the antibiotic treatment, we divided the patients into two groups. First, we sought to investigate the rates and predictors of bacterial infections, the causative microbial strains, and the prescribed antibiotic treatment. Secondly, the study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with in-hospital death and evaluate the biomarkers' performance for predicting short-term mortality. 3. RESULTS: Bacterial co-infections or secondary infections were confirmed in 23 (8.2%) patients. Acinetobacter baumannii was the pathogen responsible for most of the confirmed bacterial infections. Almost three quarters of the patients (72.8%) received empiric antibiotic therapy. Multivariate logistic regression has shown leukocytosis and intensive care unit admission as risk factors for bacterial infections and C-reactive protein, together with the length of hospital stay, as mortality predictors. The ROC curves revealed an acceptable performance for the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (AUC: 0.781), and C-reactive protein (AUC: 0.797), but a poor performance for fibrinogen (AUC: 0.664) in predicting fatal events. 4. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlighted the somewhat paradoxical association of a low rate of confirmed infections with a high rate of empiric antibiotic therapy. A thorough assessment of the risk factors for bacterial infections, in addition to the acknowledgment of various mortality predictors, is crucial for identifying high-risk patients, thus allowing a timely therapeutic intervention, with a direct impact on improving patients' prognosis.

Atlas-based white matter analysis in individuals with velo-cardio-facial syndrome (22q11.2 deletion syndrome) and unaffected siblings.

BACKGROUND: Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS, MIM#192430, 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome) is a genetic disorder caused by a deletion of about 40 genes at the q11.2 band of one copy of chromosome 22. Individuals with VCFS present with deficits in cognition and social functioning, high risk of psychiatric disorders, volumetric reductions in gray and white matter (WM) and some alterations of the WM microstructure. The goal of the current study was to characterize the WM microstructural differences in individuals with VCFS and unaffected siblings, and the correlation of WM microstructure with neuropsychological performance. We hypothesized that individuals with VCFS would have decreased indices of WM microstructure (fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity (RD)), particularly in WM tracts to the frontal lobe, and that these measures would be correlated with cognitive functioning. METHODS: Thirty-three individuals with VCFS (21 female) and 16 unaffected siblings (8 female) participated in DTI scanning and neuropsychological testing. We performed an atlas-based analysis, extracted FA, AD, and RD measures for 54 WM tracts (27 in each hemisphere) for each participant, and used MANOVAs to compare individuals with VCFS to siblings. For WM tracts that were statistically significantly different between VCFS and siblings (pFDR <0.05), we assessed the correlations between DTI and neuropsychological measures. RESULTS: In VCFS individuals as compared to unaffected siblings, we found decreased FA in the uncinate fasciculus, and decreased AD in multiple WM tracts (bilateral superior and posterior corona radiata, dorsal cingulum, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, superior longitudinal fasciculus, superior cerebellar peduncle, posterior thalamic radiation, and left anterior corona radiata, retrolenticular part of the internal capsule, external capsule, sagittal stratum). We also found significant correlations of AD with measures of executive function, IQ, working memory, and/or social cognition. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that individuals with VCFS display abnormal WM connectivity in a widespread cerebro-anatomical network, involving tracts from/to all cerebral lobes and the cerebellum. Future studies could focus on the WM developmental trajectory in VCFS, the association of WM alterations with psychiatric disorders, and the effects of candidate 22q11.2 genes on WM anomalies.

Social distancing during COVID-19: threat and efficacy among university students in seven nations.

COVID-19 has been spreading fast worldwide, and until effective and safe vaccines have been widely adopted, preventive measures such as social distancing are crucial to keep the pandemic under control. The study's research questions asked which psychosocial factors predict social distancing behavior and whether there are country-level differences in social distancing? Using the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) as a theoretical lens, we examined the predictive effects of threat and efficacy and demographic variables on adherence to the COVID-19 preventive behavior of social distancing using a survey among an international sample of university students. Using path modeling and analysis of covariance, we confirmed the predictive effects of the EPPM on social distancing behavior. Our final model showed that perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 was both directly and indirectly (through response efficacy) associated with social distancing behavior; that perceived severity of COVID-19 yielded a significant indirect effect on social distancing behavior through both self-efficacy and response efficacy; that perceived susceptibility is indirectly and positively associated with social distancing behavior through response efficacy; and that self-efficacy and response efficacy were directly associated with social distancing behavior. Additionally, there were country-level differences in social distancing. Possible explanations for and implications of these findings are discussed.

Governmental and public thematic patterns on vaccination during a measles outbreak: the Romanian perspective.

With 675 confirmed cases of measles in Romania in September 2016, the Ministry of Health launched the online campaign called 'Vaccines Save Lives'. This study seeks to apply the Health Belief Model (HBM) constructs to the online communication among the Romanian Ministry of Health and online users throughout this vaccination campaign. Using a mixed-method approach, we demonstrate how cluster analysis can help in visualizing the overall relationship among codes (HBM constructs) in the thematic interpretation related to vaccination. Results of the cluster analysis show that the Romanian Ministry of Health used three main themes (shaping credibility, reality versus conspiracy, and unbiased information). Focusing on the diseases that vaccinations could prevent, the Romanian authority also addressed the issues related to conspiracy theory, the possible side effects, and collateral victims if parents refuse to vaccinate their children. The online users' comments were structured on two themes: multi-faceted reluctance and vaccination gain. Despite the anti-vaccination comments and anti-work-related content directed toward the campaign and the Ministry of Health, there were pro-vaccination comments in which online users encouraged parents to report cases of side effects and accused them of using their personal stories to provoke vaccination hesitancy. These findings may provide important information to (inter)national communication practitioners who design and implement health campaigns to increase vaccination rates.

COVID-19 Vaccine Demand and Financial Incentives.

BACKGROUND: Public health experts estimate that only very high COVID-19 vaccine uptake levels can result in herd immunity. OBJECTIVE: This study's main objective was to evaluate the impact of vaccine price levels, including payments, and the efficacy levels on COVID-19 vaccine demand. METHODS: Data for this study were collected from an online survey of 2000 US individuals aged 18 years and older, which included a set of contingent valuation questions. Parametric and nonparametric procedures were used to estimate the distribution of willingness-to-pay and willingness-to-accept values for the vaccine and to assess its association with vaccine efficacy levels (50, 70, and 95%). RESULTS: Most of the individuals (60%) indicated they were willing to pay a positive amount for the vaccine; 13.7% said they would only accept the vaccine if it were free; 14.1% were willing to take the vaccine only if they were paid; and 12.2% were not willing to accept the vaccine. The vaccine efficacy level was found to affect an individual's demand for the vaccine. Estimated mean willingness-to-pay values were: US$594, US$706, and US$723 for vaccines with efficacy levels of 50, 70, and 95%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: US individuals highly value the COVID-19 vaccine, and about 88% of the US population would accept the vaccination; however, 14% indicated they would get vaccinated if compensated. Payments of about US$500 or more would be needed to sufficiently incentivize 50% or more of this group vaccinated.

Identification of Clinical Isolates of Candida albicans with Increased Fitness in Colonization of the Murine Gut.

The commensal and opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans is an important cause of fungal diseases in humans, with the gastrointestinal tract being an important reservoir for its infections. The study of the mechanisms promoting the C. albicans commensal state has attracted considerable attention over the last few years, and several studies have focused on the identification of the intestinal human mycobiota and the characterization of Candida genes involved in its establishment as a commensal. In this work, we have barcoded 114 clinical C. albicans isolates to identify strains with an enhanced fitness in a murine gastrointestinal commensalism model. The 114 barcoded clinical isolates were pooled in four groups of 28 to 30 strains that were inoculated by gavage in mice previously treated with antibacterial therapy. Eight strains that either exhibited higher colonization load and/or remained in the gut after antibiotic removal were selected. The phenotypic analysis of these strains compared to an RFP-tagged SC5314 wild type strain did not reveal any specific trait associated with its increased colonization; all strains were able to filament and six of the eight strains displayed invasive growth on Spider medium. Analysis of one of these strains, CaORAL3, revealed that although mice required previous bacterial microbiota reduction with antibiotics to be able to be colonized, removal of this procedure could take place the same day (or even before) Candida inoculation. This strain was able to colonize the intestine of mice already colonized with Candida without antibiotic treatment in co-housing experiments. CaORAL3 was also able to be established as a commensal in mice previously colonized by another (CaHG43) or the same (CaORAL3) C. albicans strain. Therefore, we have identified C. albicans isolates that display higher colonization load than the standard strain SC5314 which will surely facilitate the analysis of the factors that regulate fungal colonization.

Diabetes Mellitus-A Risk Factor for Unfavourable Outcome in COVID-19 Patients-The Experience of an Infectious Diseases Regional Hospital.

Early research into the implications concerning the evolution of the infection caused by the new coronavirus in people with glucose metabolism dysfunction, in this case diabetics, shows that severe forms of the disease predominate in this risk category. Moreover, it seems that even in patients with normal glycaemic status, COVID-19 may predispose to the development of hyperglycaemia which modulates immune mechanisms and inflammatory responses, with direct effects on morbidity and mortality. Thus, taking into account these scientific data, as well as the increased frequency of diabetes in the general population, we aimed to assess the risk of an unfavourable outcome of diabetic patients, which is in a strong connection with the presence and severity of pulmonary disease such as interstitial pneumonia/bronchopneumonia, as well as the effectiveness of Tocilizumab administration. The results of our study indicate a three-fold higher risk of death in patients with diabetes and COVID-19 (RR = 3.03; IC95%: 2.37-3.86; p = 0.001),compared to nondiabetic patients, and the risk of developing severe forms of acute respiratory failure was 1.5 times higher in the first studied category. In conclusion, we can say that the diabetic diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection is more predisposed to immunological and organic dysfunctions that may ultimately result in death, and treatment with monoclonal anti-IL-6 antibodies was more effective in diabetic patients than non-diabetics (p < 0.05). The effectiveness of Tocilizumab was significant in both studied groups, but diabetic patients responded better to this therapy compared to non-diabetes-mellitus (DM) ones (76.7% vs. 35% p = 0.001).

Stay Socially Distant and Wash Your Hands: Using the Health Belief Model to Determine Intent for COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors at the Beginning of the Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has quickly spread around the world, and since currently no treatments that are safe and effective for large groups of people nor a vaccine are available, the best way to prevent the illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus causing it. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive effects of both demographic and psychosocial factors originating with the Health Belief Model on reported intent to adhere to COVID-19 preventive behaviors (e.g., social distancing, hand washing, and not attending large gatherings). METHOD: A Qualtrics survey of 500 U.S. adults was conducted to explore the relationships of demographics and psychosocial factors with the intent to adhere to COVID-19 preventive measures. RESULTS: Gender was a predictor of taking preventive action, with women more likely to take action. Health Belief Model constructs predicted uptake of most COVID-19 preventive actions, but the constructs often appeared to work independent of the model. Race/ethnicity was an infrequent predictor, but when it did, minorities were less likely to report intent to adhere to COVID-19 preventive behaviors. CONCLUSION/IMPLICATIONS: While not a perfect model for this pandemic, the Health Belief Model and its constructs should continue to be considered for use by public health communicators focusing on preventive measure campaign design in both the COVID-19 pandemic era and beyond.

Smaller subcortical volumes and enlarged lateral ventricles are associated with higher global functioning in young adults with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome with prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia.

The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a developmental genetic syndrome associated with a 30% risk for developing schizophrenia. Lateral ventricles and subcortical structures are abnormal in this syndrome as well as in schizophrenia. Here, we investigated whether these structures are related in young adults with 22q11DS with and without prodromal symptoms (PS) for schizophrenia and whether abnormalities in volumes are associated with global functioning. MR images were acquired on a 3T scanner from 51 individuals with 22q11DS and 30 healthy controls (mean age: 21±2 years). Correlations were performed to evaluate the relationship between ventricular and subcortical volumes, with Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and Premorbid Adjustment Scale (PAS) in each group. Lateral ventricular volumes correlated negatively with subcortical volumes in individuals with 22q11DS. In individuals with 22q11DS with PS only, GAF correlated positively with volumes of the lateral ventricles and negatively with subcortical volumes. PAS correlated negatively with lateral ventricle volumes, and positively with volumes of subcortical structures. The results suggest a common neurodevelopmental mechanism related to the growth of these brain structures. Further, the ratio between the volumes and clinical measures could potentially be used to characterize individuals with 22q11DS and those from the general population for the risk of the development of schizophrenia.