Identification of somatic JAK1 mutations in patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Somatic mutations in JAK2 are frequently found in myeloproliferative diseases, and gain-of-function JAK3 alleles have been identified in M7 acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but a role for JAK1 in AML has not been described. We screened the entire coding region of JAK1 by total exonic resequencing of bone marrow DNA samples from 94 patients with de novo AML. We identified 2 novel somatic mutations in highly conserved residues of the JAK1 gene (T478S, V623A), in 2 separate patients and confirmed these by resequencing germ line DNA samples from the same patients. Overexpression of mutant JAK1 did not transform primary murine cells in standard assays, but compared with wild-type JAK1, JAK1^T478S, and JAK1^V623A expression was associated with increased STAT1 activation in response to type I interferon and activation of multiple downstream signaling pathways. This is the first report to demonstrate somatic JAK1 mutations in AML and suggests that JAK1 mutations may function as disease-modifying mutations in AML pathogenesis.     

Mindfulness meditation training alters stress-related amygdala resting state functional connectivity: a randomized controlled trial

Recent studies indicate that mindfulness meditation training interventions reduce stress and improve stress-related health outcomes, but the neural pathways for these effects are unknown. The present research evaluates whether mindfulness meditation training alters resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the amygdala, a region known to coordinate stress processing and physiological stress responses. We show in an initial discovery study that higher perceived stress over the past month is associated with greater bilateral amygdala-subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) rsFC in a sample of community adults (n = 130). A follow-up, single-blind randomized controlled trial shows that a 3-day intensive mindfulness meditation training intervention (relative to a well-matched 3-day relaxation training intervention without a mindfulness component) reduced right amygdala-sgACC rsFC in a sample of stressed unemployed community adults (n = 35). Although stress may increase amygdala-sgACC rsFC, brief training in mindfulness meditation could reverse these effects. This work provides an initial indication that mindfulness meditation training promotes functional neuroplastic changes, suggesting an amygdala-sgACC pathway for stress reduction effects.     

HIV risk and history of STDs in MCMI-III psychopathology subgroups of comorbid substance abusers

The purpose of this investigation is to investigate HIV risk-related attitudes, beliefs, expectancies, behaviors, and histories of lifetime sexually transmitted diseases in the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III (MCMI-III) defined psychopathology cluster subgroups. Hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis, using Ward's method, was employed that led to identification of high (n = 37), medium (n = 132), and low (n = 28) MCMI-III psychopathology cluster subgroups. Members of the low psychopathology subgroup demonstrated significantly higher levels of knowledge about HIV and AIDS and less anxiety about HIV infection than high and moderate psychopathology subgroups. The high psychopathology subgroup reported greater importance of approval of condom use by partners but less sexual self-efficacy than the moderate psychopathology subgroup. This high pathology group revealed less favorable condom attitudes than did the low psychopathology subgroup and a significantly higher percentage of unprotected vaginal sex acts in the past 6 months than did members of the other two subgroups. A comparatively low rate of lifetime syphilis was reported in the low psychopathology subgroup (all ps < .05). Results are discussed in the context of a growing literature indicating distinctive treatment needs among members of high psychopathology subgroups of drug treatment participants.     

Family Conundrums with Psychiatric Medication: An Inquiry into Experiences,Beliefs, and Desires

Research with families of people with serious mental illness consistently shows that the concerns and conundrums about their loved one’s medication are among those most centrally voiced. The inquiry here relied on an anonymous cross-sectional survey of attitudes, beliefs, and experiences of family members (N = 339) specifically related to psychiatric medication use. A latent profile analysis yielded two categories of respondents: those “skeptical of the medical model,” which represented 43% of the survey respondents, and those “supportive of the medical model,” which represented 57% of the survey respondents. Data from open-ended questions suggests families crave inclusion and wish providers would more radically embrace both collaboration and balance in their approach to medication maintenance. The hope of this research is to help mental health providers be more responsive and compassionate in their work with families of people with serious mental illness, especially as it relates to psychiatric medication.

     

Validation of a Revised Version of the Center for Epidemiologic Depression Scale for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities (CESD-ID-R)

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - This study proposes a revision (R) of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for youth with ID (CESD-ID) in English and French. 346...     

Hypothetical protein Cpn0308 is localized in the Chlamydia pneumoniae inclusion membrane

The hypothetical protein encoded by Chlamydia pneumoniae open reading frame cpn0308 was detected in inclusion membranes of C. pneumoniae-infected cells using antibodies raised with Cpn0308 fusion proteins. The anti-Cpn0308 antibodies did not cross-react with IncA, a known C. pneumoniae inclusion membrane protein, although the anti-Cpn0308 antibody staining overlapped with the anti-IncA antibody labeling. The labeling of the inclusion membrane by the anti-Cpn0308 antibody was specifically blocked by the Cpn0308 but not IncA fusion proteins. The Cpn0308 antigen was detectable 24 h after infection and remained in the inclusion membrane throughout the infection course.