Age-related connectivity differences between attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder patients and typically developing subjects：a resting-state functional MRI study

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder（ADHD） is a disorder characterized by behavioral symptoms including hyperactivity/impulsivity among children,adolescents,and adults.These ADHD related symptoms are influenced by the complex interaction of brain networks which were under explored.We explored age-related brain network differences between ADHD patients and typically developing（TD） subjects using resting state f MRI（rs-f MRI） for three age groups of children,adolescents,and adults.We collected rs-f MRI data from 184 individuals（27 ADHD children and 31 TD children;32 ADHD adolescents and 32 TD adolescents;and 31 ADHD adults and 31 TD adults）.The Brainnetome Atlas was used to define nodes in the network analysis.We compared three age groups of ADHD and TD subjects to identify the distinct regions that could explain age-related brain network differences based on degree centrality,a well-known measure of nodal centrality.The left middle temporal gyrus showed significant interaction effects between disease status（i.e.,ADHD or TD） and age（i.e.,child,adolescent,or adult）（P 0.001）.Additional regions were identified at a relaxed threshold（P 0.05）.Many of the identified regions（the left inferior frontal gyrus,the left middle temporal gyrus,and the left insular gyrus） were related to cognitive function.The results of our study suggest that aberrant development in cognitive brain regions might be associated with age-related brain network changes in ADHD patients.These findings contribute to better understand how brain function influences the symptoms of ADHD.

Mathematical modeling of contact tracing and stability analysis to inform its impact on disease outbreaks;an application to COVID-19

We develop a mathematical model to investigate the effect of contact tracing on containing epidemic outbreaks and slowing down the spread of transmissible diseases.We propose a discrete-time epidemic model structured by disease-age which includes general features of contact tracing.The model is fitted to data reported for the early spread of COVID-19 in South Korea,Brazil,and Venezuela.The calibrated values for the contact tracing parameters reflect the order pattern observed in its performance intensity within the three countries.Using the fitted values,we estimate the effective reproduction number R_(e)and investigate its responses to varied control scenarios of contact tracing.Alongside the positivity of solutions,and a stability analysis of the disease-free equilibrium are provided.