Publications by authors named "Claire D Coles"

Lip segmentation plays a crucial role in various domains, such as lip synchronization, lip-reading, and diagnostics. However, the effectiveness of supervised lip segmentation is constrained by the availability of lip contour in the training phase. A further challenge with lip segmentation is its reliance on image quality, lighting, and skin tone, leading to inaccuracies in the detected boundaries.

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The Healthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study, a multi-site, prospective, longitudinal cohort study, will examine human brain, cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional development beginning prenatally and planned through early childhood. Prenatal exposures, including substances of abuse, impact fetal development and have effects across the life course. During the development of the HBCD Study, the Pregnancy Exposures, Including Substances Workgroup (WG-PRG) was charged with characterizing maternal health and behavior during pregnancy into the childhood years.

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Background: Substance use and mental health problems have been documented in individuals with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in young adulthood, but little is known about how these patterns progress over time into midlife. The current study examined rates of substance use in a sample of adults with PAE in mid-life compared to a demographically similar contrast group.

Methods: Participants (n = 233) were drawn from two longitudinal cohorts of individuals recruited prenatally and followed into adulthood.

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This study evaluated criteria for neurobehavioral disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure (ND-PAE). Kable et al. (Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 55:426, 2022) assessed the validity of this diagnosis in a sample with low exposure to alcohol.

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Article Synopsis
  • The proposed framework enhances benchmark dose (BMD) analysis to evaluate the combined effects of two-dimensional exposures on outcomes, improving current methods that only handle single exposures.
  • It utilizes a generalized additive model and adjusts for confounders with propensity scores, resulting in a visual dose-response surface that is easy to interpret via contour plots.
  • The framework's application is illustrated in a study on prenatal alcohol exposure, highlighting its relevance for various contexts, including environmental stressors and the effects of dose rate on negative health outcomes.
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  • Most research on prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has assumed a linear dose-response relationship, but some studies indicate there might be specific levels where the effects become significantly stronger, influenced by drinking patterns.
  • Using data from 2227 participants across different age groups, researchers analyzed cognitive function impacts of PAE, examining both overall alcohol intake and how the drinking frequency and amount per occasion affect cognition.
  • Results showed that while total alcohol consumed per day had a limited nonlinear effect, the specific drinking patterns (more than 3 drinks per occasion for infrequent drinkers and heavy consumption for frequent drinkers) significantly influenced cognitive outcomes, highlighting the need for detailed analysis beyond just total alcohol intake.
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This study evaluated criteria for Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE). Kable et al. (2022) assessed the validity of this diagnosis in a sample with low exposure to alcohol.

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Background: Choline is essential for healthy cognitive development. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs3199966(G), rs2771040(G)) within the choline transporter SLC44A1 increase risk for choline deficiency. In a choline intervention trial of children who experienced prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), these alleles are associated with improved cognition.

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Background: The neurobehavioral health impairments associated with prenatal alcohol exposure are now known to persist through adulthood. However, little is known about how these impairments affect individuals' parenting abilities and the neurobehavioral health of their offspring. This study compares parents with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) with socioeconomically matched, nonexposed parents on measures of parenting and family support and assesses the neurobehavioral health of the children in both groups.

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Objective: The diagnoses included within the umbrella term fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), are based on the documentation of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), growth deficits and a pattern of dysmorphic physical features and neurobehavioral impairments. Although 3 key facial features (short palpebral fissures, a smooth philtrum and a thin vermilion of the upper lip) are the only dysmorphic features taken into account for the diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) or partial FAS (pFAS), several other features are commonly seen in individuals with these diagnoses. The goals of our study were to determine if some of these secondary physical features also occur more frequently in children with alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) relative to controls, and if a cluster of these features combined in a dysmorphology score could be used to identify those negatively impacted by PAE but who do not have the cardinal physical features that led to a diagnosis of FAS or pFAS.

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Evidence from animal models and epidemiological studies has linked prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) to a broad range of long-term cognitive and behavioural deficits. However, there is a paucity of evidence regarding the nature and levels of PAE associated with increased risk of clinically significant cognitive deficits. To derive robust and efficient estimates of the effects of PAE on cognitive function, we have developed a hierarchical meta-analysis approach to synthesize information regarding the effects of PAE on cognition, integrating data on multiple outcomes from six U.

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Article Synopsis
  • Prenatal alcohol exposure potentially affects 1%-5% of children in the U.S., yet many cases go undiagnosed, possibly due to inconsistencies in diagnostic criteria for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
  • The study re-analyzed data from the COFASP project involving 2325 children to compare three diagnostic systems: the COFASP system, the 4-Digit Code, and Canadian Guidelines, finding varying levels of agreement in their classifications.
  • Results showed significant discrepancies in FASD diagnosis due to differing criteria across systems, highlighting the need for a more valid and empirically supported approach to diagnose FASD consistently.
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  • The study investigates the long-term effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on adult vascular health by comparing individuals with and without PAE.
  • Participants with PAE showed signs of being shorter, lighter, and had more physical features associated with alcohol exposure, alongside worse vascular function.
  • Findings suggest that PAE negatively impacts endothelial function and arterial stiffness, but its effects are also influenced by other factors such as body mass and physical features.
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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders affect up to 5% of the population, with additional children affected by prenatal drug exposures. The majority of these children display symptoms of ADHD and poor emotional dysregulation, a common reason for seeking psychiatric care. However, high prevalence of comorbid look-alike symptoms and limited availability of evidence-based treatments complicates psychiatric decision making in this population.

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Background: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are developmental disabilities that are estimated to occur in 2-5% of elementary school children and that negatively impact a child's ability to function without support. Timely diagnosis-informed interventions are crucial to optimizing the developmental trajectory of children with FASD. The true prevalence of FASD among children receiving services for developmental disabilities is unknown.

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Article Synopsis
  • * At the 1.0 diagnostic threshold, children at risk for ND-PAE showed higher rates of self-regulation and adaptive impairments, while at the 1.5 threshold, they exhibited more neurocognitive and self-regulation impairments.
  • * The study found that having an IQ below 70 was not a reliable predictor for ND-PAE diagnosis, but adjusting the IQ criteria enhanced predictive accuracy; however, identifying prenatal alcohol exposure remains essential for an accurate diagnosis.
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Background: Although the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) have been studied extensively, there is relatively little information available on adult mental health functioning among exposed individuals. The current study compares the self-reported midlife mental health status of individuals who were prenatally exposed to alcohol and diagnosed in childhood with the effects of this exposure with that of unexposed individuals.

Methods: Participants (N = 292) were recruited from two longitudinal cohorts in Atlanta and Seattle and asked to complete an Adult Health Questionnaire that surveyed their current health and mental health status.

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A recent study demonstrated that children with Duarte galactosemia (DG) do not show increased prevalence of detectable developmental complications when 6-12 years old. However, that study left unanswered whether infants with DG might be at increased risk for acute problems when drinking milk or whether children with DG younger than 6 years might show increased prevalence of perhaps transient developmental challenges. Here, we have addressed both of these questions by analyzing parent/guardian-reported data collected retrospectively for 350 children, 206 with DG and 144 unaffected siblings from the same families.

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Background: This study aimed to develop an efficient and easily calculable risk score that can be used to identify an individual's risk of having been exposed to alcohol prenatally.

Methods: Data for this study were collected as part of the Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, Phases 2 and 3. Two cohorts (ages 5 to 17 years) completed a comprehensive neurobehavioral battery and a standard dysmorphology exam: a development cohort (DC; n = 325) and a comparative cohort (CC; n = 523).

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Article Synopsis
  • Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is linked to significant cognitive and behavioral issues, prompting researchers to establish a unique neurobehavioral profile for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) using data from large U.S. longitudinal studies.
  • A meta-analysis of 2,236 participants showed consistent negative effects of PAE on IQ and cognitive functions like learning, memory, and executive function across different life stages, although variations appeared in effect size based on socioeconomic background.
  • The findings indicate that PAE impacts fundamental cognitive components that influence both academic performance and behavior, with a notable effect on executive function, particularly in set-shifting tasks.
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Background: Few studies have investigated the partner's influence on risk factors such as alcohol consumption and depression during pregnancy. Partner substance use and lower relationship satisfaction predict higher maternal alcohol use and depressive symptoms. Because prenatal alcohol use and maternal depression affect infant outcomes, it is imperative to examine how the partner affects these maternal risk factors.

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  • Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) often goes unassessed in preschool children due to inadequate assessment methods, but a study aimed to evaluate cognitive problems in alcohol-exposed children using a nonverbal test battery.
  • The study involved 291 Ukrainian preschoolers, who were tested on early executive functioning (EF) and visuospatial skills, revealing that those exposed to alcohol scored lower on several cognitive assessments compared to their peers.
  • Results indicated that PAE effects can be detected in preschoolers, showing that early executive function is crucial in understanding how alcohol exposure impacts cognitive development at this young age.
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Psychiatric symptoms in children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) present with high prevalence and morbidity, often across symptom domains, e.g. ADHD-like symptoms, emotional dysregulation and sleep problems.

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Objective: Evidence suggests that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) may adversely impact insulin production and signaling but there is limited information on the range of these effects and their future health consequences.

Method: A prospective cohort of predominantly African-American individuals identified while in utero and followed into adulthood were used to evaluate differences in various indicators of diabetes, including fasting plasma glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and insulin levels. The homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was also computed.

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Background: Rating scales are designed to complement traditional performance-based measures, and both can provide useful information about the functioning of youth with histories of prenatal alcohol exposure. Few studies, however, have compared ratings from multiple informants or the relationship between these subjective rating scale scores and the objective results from laboratory performance-based scales.

Methods: The current study addressed both of these questions in 3 study groups: children with histories of prenatal alcohol exposure (n = 47), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 41), and typically developing controls (CON; n = 73).

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