Autistic Traits Moderate Reappraisal Success for Depression and Anxiety Symptoms

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders - Cognitive reappraisal is associated with reduced emotional distress; however, little is known about the nature of this relationship in autism. This...     

Vitamin D and prostate cancer prognosis: a Mendelian randomization study

Purpose

Decreased vitamin D levels have been associated with prostate cancer, but it is unclear whether this association is causal. A functional single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the group-specific component (GC) gene (T > G, rs2282679) has been associated with 25-hydroxy (25-OH) vitamin D and 1.25 dihydroxy (1.25-OH2) vitamin D levels.

Methods

To examine the hypothesized inverse relationship between vitamin D status and prostate cancer, we studied the association between this SNP and prostate cancer outcome in the prospective PROCAGENE study comprising 702 prostate cancer patients with a median follow-up of 82 months.

Results

GC rs2282679 genotypes were not associated with biochemical recurrence [hazard ratios (HR) 0.91, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.73–1.12; p = 0.36], development of metastases (HR 1.20, 95 % CI 0.88–1.63; p = 0.25) or overall survival (HR 1.10; 95 % CI 0.84–1.43; p = 0.50).

Conclusions

A causal role of vitamin D status, as reflected by GC rs2282679 genotype, in disease progression and mortality in prostate cancer patients is unlikely.

     

Comprehensive PKD1 and PKD2 Mutation Analysis in Prenatal Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Prenatal forms of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) are rare but can be recurrent in some families, suggesting a common genetic modifying background. Few patients have been reported carrying, in addition to the familial mutation, variation(s) in polycystic kidney disease 1 (PKD1) or HNF1 homeobox B (HNF1B), inherited from the unaffected parent, or biallelic polycystic kidney and hepatic disease 1 (PKHD1) mutations. To assess the frequency of additional variations in PKD1, PKD2, HNF1B, and PKHD1 associated with the familial PKD mutation in early ADPKD, these four genes were screened in 42 patients with early ADPKD in 41 families. Two patients were associated with de novo PKD1 mutations. Forty patients occurred in 39 families with known ADPKD and were associated with PKD1 mutation in 36 families and with PKD2 mutation in two families (no mutation identified in one family). Additional PKD variation(s) (inherited from the unaffected parent when tested) were identified in 15 of 42 patients (37.2%), whereas these variations were observed in 25 of 174 (14.4%, P=0.001) patients with adult ADPKD. No HNF1B variations or PKHD1 biallelic mutations were identified. These results suggest that, at least in some patients, the severity of the cystic disease is inversely correlated with the level of polycystin 1 function.     

Alcohol pictorial health warning labels: the impact of self-affirmation and health warning severity

Background

We examined whether enhancing self-affirmation among a population of drinkers, prior to viewing threatening alcohol pictorial health warning labels, would reduce defensive reactions and promote reactions related to behaviour change. We also examined how health warning severity influences these reactions and whether there is an interaction between self-affirmation and severity.

Methods

In this experimental human laboratory study, participants (n =?128) were randomised to a self-affirmation or control group. After the self-affirmation manipulation was administered, we tracked participants’ eye movements while they viewed images of six moderately-severe and six highly-severe pictorial health warning labels presented on large beer cans. Self-reported responses to the pictorial health warning labels were then measured, including avoidance, reactance, effectiveness, susceptibility and motivation to drink less. Finally, participants reported their self-efficacy to drink less and their alcohol use.

Results

There was no clear evidence that enhancing self-affirmation influenced any outcome. In comparison to moderately-severe health warnings, highly-severe health warnings increased avoidance and reactance and were perceived as more effective and increased motivation to drink less.

Conclusions

These findings call into question the validity of the self-affirmation manipulation, which is purported to reduce defensive reactions to threatening warnings. We discuss possible explanations for this null effect, including the impact of participants’ low perceived susceptibility to the risks shown on these pictorial health warning labels. Our finding that highly-severe health warnings increase avoidance and reactance but are also perceived as being more effective and more likely to motivate people to drink less will inform future health warning design and have implications for health warning label theory.